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).
Critique of a vehicle's rear axle and suspension design, discussing potential issues and applications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\1\ scan0032 | |
| Date | 1st November 1929 | |
| - 2 - road wheel moving round the axis on which it is located. This causes high stress on axle shafts and transmission, and would cause slipping between the tyre and the road, which would cause skidding under greasy road conditions. This effect would far out-weigh the advantage credited under reduced inertia, permitting the wheel to follow the road undulations quickly and accurately. 2/- The effects referred to under (1) would certainly give trouble by producing torsional periods, set up as a result of acceleration and retardation of driving wheels, as they swung about their anchoring pivots. 3/- The rigid side location would be a serious debit to riding at the rear of the car, as it would give discomfort on rough roads. 4/- We would undoubtedly get bad 'axle jaggers' when the rear brakes were heavily applied, and 'jaggers' on such a system might put the brakes practically out of action. This effect could be a very serious issue on the Silver Ghost and Phantom 1 with their relatively long torque and axle control tube, and was only kept in hand by heavy damping of the springs. It might be thought that my criticisms put the design entirely out of court, but whilst I would concur in this for vehicles having high speeds I should consider it would be distinctly advantageous on heavy vehicles carrying a large load at relatively low road speeds. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||