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 issues and customer complaints associated with fitting shock absorbers and the performance of different leaf spring types.
| Identifier | Morton\M1.6\ img022 | |
| Date | 7th October 1921 | |
| contd:- -3- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}4/LG7.10.21. absorbers it has always been necessary to alter the mudguard stays, luggage grid brackets and cut away the body in order to obtain the necessary clearance. If we fit the shock absorber with a constant load of 60 to 65 lbs. to the back of our cars, we consider they will need more attention than any other part of the car in order to keep them silent and reliable. We know that in the greater majority of cases they will not receive that attention, therefore, we should expect numerous complaints with regard to them. We have fitted shock absorbers to a number of cars; they were fitted to the London Trials Cars - open and closed. FN. has stated that the 4-stage shock absorbers spoilt the riding of the Landaulet car and he had them disconnected; lately we have removed them altogether. This car is fitted with thick leaf springs, gaiters and the springs kept lubricated. The open trials car is fitted with shock absorbers of the 4-stage type and PN.{Mr Northey} is quite satisfied with them. It will be seen from this that we cannot even satisfy our own people with one standard. Mr. Salamanca had shock absorbers fitted to his car. We have not had any repeat orders for shock absorbers from him. Shock absorbers were fitted to the Car I took to U.S.A. but the car came back with them amongst the spares. We recommend that before any decision is made as regards changing all the springs we should carefully consider what are the percentage of complaints and how many of those complaints would be overcome with thin leaf springs. If we fit thin leaf springs and do not provide gaiters to lubricate them, we are going to get them rusted up solid and are going to get complaints contd:- R R 3297 (100 L) G & H 198 10-18-200 C 3241 | ||