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).
Suspension tests, comparing the ride and high-speed stability of a Hispano-Suiza car against a Rolls-Royce.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\O\2April1926-June1926\ Scan135 | |
| Date | 19th May 1926 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- and adjust the rear shock dampers to their maximum loading. Place an object on a normal good surfaced main road, and driving at full speed swerve to avoid the obstruction as in the case of a pedestrian crossing the road. Repeat the test with no damping. In the second case the steering will feel quite uncontrollable but the fault will be in the rear of the car. Our suspension tests shew that the Hispano rides like a truck - it would not be tolerated for one moment by 50% of R-R customers. This car is held up as a fine example of high speed control when fitted with side steering tube springs, but 1/8th. of the strength of those at present standard on the Phantom. Rating lbs. to produce 1" deflection. Hispano.: 430 lbs. R.R.: 3500 lbs. We have a side steering tube fitted to a normally sprung RR. car with the Hispano springs arranged in it. We cannot drive the R-R at high speeds under these conditions with good steering control. We feel that the present demand for ultra weak rear springs with little or no damping will without doubt increase complaints of instability at high speeds. The solution to this particular complaint seems to be largely a case of catering for the requirements of the individual. If a car is to be driven at high speeds, it must be sprung accordingly. As, however, the behaviour of the car at normal road speeds has previously been considered contd :- | ||