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).
Customer complaints regarding vehicle springing, the effect of high tyre pressure, and potential solutions like friction dampers.
| Identifier | Morton\M1.6\ img021 | |
| Date | 10th October 1921 | |
| contd:- -2- friction of 60 to 65 lbs. We have had other cases of customers complaining of the springing which we have been able to demonstrate that their particular complaint was due to the effect of high pressure in the tyres. They have been very pleased with the car when the pressure has been reduced. We have had other cases where the springing has been condemned but the actual fault with the car was that the steering was too light; it being a car without friction in the pivots. We quote these cases so that it shall not be imagined that if it is decided to change all the thick leaf springs, the complaints of springing are going to be overcome. The ideal springing we imagine, would be obtained with springs arranged to have a constant degree of friction and friction dampers added to enable the total amount of friction to be adjusted to suit individual customers' likes. We feel that we can always satisfy all customers by a combination of strength of springs, the amount of friction and pressure in the tyres. At present, however, there are several very real difficulties to prevent us reaching the ideal. To maintain a reasonable constant degree of friction in the springs, the leaves must be lubricated. The only practicable way to do this is to fit leather gaiters lined with felt to which lubricators are fitted. We maintain that with perfectly lubricated springs there is no appreciable difference between thin leaf and thick leaf springs. The fitting of friction dampers is a very big problem. Firstly, it is necessary that the dampers can be applied to cars already in customers hands. Whenever we have fitted the present R-R shock contd:- | ||