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).
Bentley car road test in the USA, detailing road conditions and suspension performance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\3\ img104 | |
| Date | 4th April 1934 | |
| x usa To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to WOT. c. to R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to Ey. c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hsy. c. to EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}S/KW.4.4.34. BENTLEY CAR IN U.S.A. This Car was driven Westward to a point 100 miles beyond Chicago, and South as far as Saint Louis. The weather throughout the majority of the trip was cold, the lowest temperature recorded being 15 below zero. For probably ten days the mean temperature was round about zero. A considerable amount of snow and ice was encountered which provided an opportunity for studying ground clearances, road holding, etc. Most of the roads traversed had good surfaces and varied from straight stretches of 100 miles where an average of 65 M.P.H. could be maintained, to more winding sections over the Hills, but nowhere were roads encountered that could compare with the English cross country main roads for abrupt corners. The really bad surfaces were almost exclusively located in, or adjacent to, the towns, and were similar in characteristic to bad Belgian pavee. During the depression the street car tracks have been allowed to get into a very bad state of repair, far worse than we should tolerate in England. Most of the American level crossings are also unnecessarily rough. A number of faults showed up, that would not be encountered in England, and these are tabulated below. (1) SUSPENSION. Since there are no acute corners, and the only excuse for the stiffness of the Bentley springing is to enable it to corner, it is quite clear that for American conditions the rating of the suspension can be lowered, particularly in view of the pave sections in the towns. The hardness of the low speed ride was adversely commented on by a number of people who tried the car; this also tended to emphasize body rattles. Shock damper setting alone could not be made to overcome the trouble. | ||