Cadillac 1937 LaSalle VVI Information page 52

1937 MAJOR SELLING FEATURES
K N E E A C T I O N
The Cadillac design of Knee Action wheels provides a
perfection in riding comfort unobtainable in conventional
automobile design. Three years of intensive research and
three years of actual usage have been utilized to bring the
Knee Action principle to its present peak of development.
This basic improvement in riding comfort offered by
Cadillac is the result of a complete redesign of the chassis.
It is not an addition to a conventional car, design. Balanced
springing, independent front wheel suspension, a complete
redistribution of car weight and much easier steering sum-
marizes this engineering achievement. The rigid front axle,
stiff front springs and tiresome steering have been discarded
forever.
Individually sprung front wheels permit a much softer
spring action than is permissible in the conventional design
with heavy front axle. Springs must necessarily be very stiff
and harsh in their action to support the axle. Knee Action's
helical coil springs may be co-ordinated in ratio of flexibility
with its rear springs and afford a uniform balance of car
weight. This combination effects the soft boulevard and
flat high speed ride, so characteristic of the new Cadillac and
La Salle. Both front and rear compartments ride equally
well without any pitching, tossing or neck-snapping.
Since each front wheel has its own spring, wheels may fol-
low road irregularities independently without transferring
shocks through the front axle which are multiplied through-
out the frame and body in nerve-breaking vibrations.
Steering accuracy has also been increased by a redesigned
steering gear-arrangement. The two steering cross rods are
of equal length and are parallel to the lower forked arms
which support the wheels. The steering radius in both left
and right turns is practically equal. This design also elimin-
ates car wander and shimmy since wheel movements cannot
be transferred to the steering mechanism.
Knee Action provides an invaluable asset and safety fea-
ture in the event of tire blowouts at high speeds. Since
there is no axle to carry deflection from one wheel to the
other, steering is unaffected. This would also be true if, by
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