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).
Continued notes on a car's rear axle and gearbox performance, followed by observations on the suspension of other vehicles.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\S\September1928-October1928\ Scan162 | |
| Date | 16th October 1928 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- unfortunately had a noisy rear axle. We took it to a quiet lane and though the axle rather spoilt the test we formed the opinion that it was difficult to say whether the car was on 3rd. or top speed except by the engine revs. The drop we were informed was about 30%. The Mathis is a mass produced car, selling at under £300 in France with a 4-seater closed body. The silence of the 3rd. speed was the more remarkable. Mr. Mathis told us personally that he now has much more trouble getting his continuous gears quiet than this new 3rd. speed. He seemed to have run into some slight lubrication difficulty which he was overcoming. The change from top to third speed and back on this car is ridiculously easy. It is not necessary to double clutch or alter the engine speed while in neutral, though doing the latter improves the change slightly as it reduces the shock of speeding up or slowing down the engine. Naturally the flywheel inertia etc. must have some bearing on the change. We think this silent easy change 3rd. speed is a remarkably useful innovation as it covers 80% of the gear changing usually indulged in, and makes the use of ultra low geared back axles unnecessary. In normal traffic the car was driven almost continuously on 3rd. speed giving excellent acceleration for passing etc. SUSPENSION. The Austro Daimler was not at the Salon. The only other cars with abnormal suspension at the Salon that we have not previously tried, were the Leon-Laisne, Sensaud de Lavaud and the front wheel drive cars, Tracta etc. LEON LAISNE. This suspension is quite unconventional. The springs are carried in tubular side members. The wheels are contd:- | ||