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 effects of hydraulic shock absorbers on vehicle springing, wobble, and steering.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\O\2January1926-March1926\ Scan138 | |
| Date | 3rd May 1926 | |
| c. to CJ. BJ. c. to RG.{Mr Rowledge} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to BA. EY. c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} OY. ORIGINAL Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}7/LG.3.5.26. HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBERS. Although we have made no remarks on the effect of these shock absorbers on the springing, from our tests so far, taking the whole range of conditions into consideration, we consider they make an improvement, especially so when we consider that when these are fitted we expect to be able to use bigger section tyres and lower pressures. We are rushing several sets of these shock absorbers through so that we shall shortly be able to fit them on to existing trials cars so that Sales officials can try them on cars on which they already know the quality of the springing. One interesting point which has been brought up in the tests recently is that there is a direct connection between shocks felt on the steering wheel and wobbles. When we fit hydraulic shock absorbers to a car so that they overcome wobbles, it is also noticeable that we reduce the shocks on the steering wheel. The shocks felt on the steering have never been clearly explained. If one places obstacles in the road, it is surprising how much one can go over them at all sorts of angles without feeling any severe shock. At present we feel that direct shocks on the side of the wheels are not those which are felt violently on the steering wheel. We believe that the shocks felt on the steering wheel is a wobble, i.e., it is the criss cross bouncing contd :- | ||