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).
The testing of front shock absorbers, detailing performance issues, modifications, and comparisons.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 68\2\ scan0172 | |
| Date | 17th September 1926 | |
| ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, INC. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. X8520 Oy9-E-91726 September 17, 1926 Mr. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} W. Hives, Rolls-Royce, Ltd., Derby, England. Dear Mr. Hives: Re Front Shock Absorbers - Sec.7160 We have not progressed very far on front shock absorbers. We put them on "MX{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}-1" the first O.H. valve test car (without front brakes) with Lovejoy oil and the original high pressure valve springs, marked "100 lbs.", 6-3/4" tires at 30 lbs. front, 35 lbs. rear. The riding seemed to us harder, especially in front, than with R.R. friction type. We put in 75 lb. springs and thought it was an improvement. We then fitted very soft rear springs giving 9" deflection at the rear under normal load of 4 passengers, and found an improvement in riding.. Front of car seemed very lively and almost as though there were no front shock absorbers. Changing to 100 lb. springs gave no better results. Also shock absorbers began to squeak. We took them off and found they had lost half their oil in about 400 miles. Filled up again they performed better but still gave an uncomfortable ride to the rear passengers as compared with R.R. friction type. They ran out of oil after 200 miles. They were taken off and examined to detect leakage which appeared to be mostly from glands. | ||