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 design, comparing hydraulic and friction shock absorbers, and considering future development of front suspension.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\2\ Scan271 | |
| Date | 14th May 1930 guessed | |
| -4- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Em.1/14.E.B.Contd. Fairey with standard road springs and increased poundage on the hydraulics indicates that our suspension can be made to cover a remarkable range. We have had to provide Sir Henry Segrave with supplementary friction shock absorbers, and we think that on the whole this is the best method of dealing with such drivers. It does not seem logical to re-design the hydraulics throughout to cater for 1% of Rolls-Royce owners. In view of our results during the last six months it is interesting to note that last week a paper appeared in "Automotive Industries" by Mr. Watson, the foremost shock absorber manufacturer in U.S.A., in which he recommended lower rating front springs to improve the riding of American cars which at present is admittedly very inferior. He quoted the best car he had ever ridden in as having a front spring period-icity of 86/min which is equivalent to a running deflection of almost 5". Naturally, all observations from the States have to be treated with reserve, but it is instructive to note that modern road surfaces and higher average speeds have made them form opinions similar to our own. We suggest that we should like to try some form of front suspension that will give us a very low frequency for say 1" deflection from the normal load position and then have a much increased rating to prevent crashing on the buffers. It appears that a leaf spring of the rating we think desirable will not provide adequate transverse control for the axle, and that consequently some other provision will have to | ||