From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Suspension testing, covering split springs, shock absorbers, and their effect on vehicle handling.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 78\2\ scan0244 | |
| Date | 9th February 1920 | |
| R.R. 235 a (100 T) (S.F. 846. 6-8-19) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 2460. Contd. -2- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG9.2.20. out over the full range of speed and road conditions. We have run a car with split springs and no clips clipping the plates together. We know from the bumping rig experiments that this considerably increases the lateral flexibility. The car on the road with this extra lateral flexibility was distinctly bad. We are going through a series of tests fitting on extra clips to see whether we can make it alright. X.3922. Mr. Platford and I have been to London to try the London (covered) Trials car on which they complained of the steering. They pointed out that the car was difficult to steer and hold the road. We came to the conclusion that the worst feature on this car was the fact that owing to the thick leaf springs squeaking (the leaves themselves squeaking) the springs have been greased after every 200 or 300 miles. There are no shock absorbers fitted to this car. The effect they get is that the car rolls and sways badly. We think that in that case most of the trouble will be overcome by fitting shock absorbers. At the same time we believe there is a tendency for the split springs to roll more. We are continuing to run the chassis on the bumping rig. We find on there that we now get the lubricator on the end of the shock absorbers lever fouling the aluminium cover of the rear brakes and also the bracket for the rear brake. This means that the axle must move sideways 1.6" relative to the frame. On there we are running standard split springs with the standard clips. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||