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 effectiveness of hydraulic dampers for steering wobbles.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\N\July1925-September1925\ Scan183 | |
| Date | 9th September 1925 | |
| R.R. 493A (50 H) (D.D. 31, 12-6-25) J.H.D. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. ORIGINAL Expl. No. REF Ha1/LGL 9.9.25 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. BJ. c. to RO.{C. C. Rose - Export Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} STEERING - HYDRAULIC DAMPERS. X457 X1152 The Experimental Dept. do not recommend that we spend a lot of money purchasing Houdaille Hydraulic Dampers. We do not consider the Houdaille Hydraulic shock absorbers which we have tested on the front of a car, are sufficiently reliable and well enough made for us to rely on them for overcoming high speed steering wobbles. If we rely on them we feel sure that the balance of the wheels or the tyre pressures will be neglected and then when the hydraulic shock absorbers fail to function, which we are certain they are bound to do in time, the driver will be worse off than if he had relied absolutely on accurately balanced wheels. The Houdaille shock absorbers we are using, we have altered and re-fitted them. We found that they are more effective as regards stopping wobbles if they are made double-acting instead of single-acting. We are starting a test with Houdaille shock absorbers to see what life we can expect from them. We are obtaining some different makes of hydraulic shock absorbers. We believe the Derihon may be a better make than the Houdaille. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||