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).
Issues with exhaust system suspension, suggesting the use of rubber suspension to mitigate rattles and squeaks.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 86\3\ scan0213 | |
| Date | 10th June 1936 | |
| X 223 To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wym.{G. Harold Whyman - Experimental Manager}11/KW.10.6.36. Exhaust Systems. Further to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}16/KW.25.5.36. We have noticed on the last quarterly Complaint sheet rather a large number of cases where the exhaust system suspension has given trouble through rattles and squeaks. Our enquiries in the Repair Dept. lead us to understand that our present flexible suspension is far from satisfactory, particularly from a lubrication point of view. We do not supply any lubrication to the spherical pads because of oil dropping on to the hot silencer, with the result that the pads become very dry and naturally squeak. Another source of complaint is that owing to the distortion of the intermediate pipe 'S' bend, the suspension link is pulled forward hard on to the third cross member. The tail pipe suspension is also a "squeaker". These complaints now call for design attention, and we would like to suggest that as lubrication to any silencer suspension is difficult, some form of rubber suspension is desirable. We have run one of our Exptl. cars on a rubber suspension for approximately 12 months, and the rubber does not show any signs of deterioration, neither has it given any trouble. Incidentally, a rubber suspension is most desirable for preventing the transmission of exhaust booms into the body via the frame. With regard to the durability of rubber for exhaust suspensions, the evidence of our own Exptl. rubber suspension, and the Chevrolet one, lead us to believe that providing the rubber is used in generous quantity, and is of a hard durometer hardness, very little trouble is likely to be experienced. We attach herewith photograph of the Packard, Chevrolet and Exptl. Bentley rubber suspensions. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/G.H.Whyman. | ||