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).
Use of mild steel versus other materials for the Bentley 111 front suspension.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 100\1\ scan0057 | |
| Date | 18th November 1937 | |
| Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Les.{Ivan A. Leslie} Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} 2004 BY11/G.18.11.37. 446 BENTLEY 111 - FRONT SUSPENSION. I very much doubt the idea of mild steel in the same dimensions. If we go to Mild Steel we should put up our dimensions to cover the fall in physical properties. We must not overlook our own experience which even in apparently a much more lightly stressed part, like a steering lever, we went to Nickel steel, which broke at a brinell of 200 to 220, as then preferred by R.{Sir Henry Royce}, and we had to put up steel to 302 - 321 brinell before we cleared the trouble. We can and should use bumper to find a figure of merit - a broken suspension lever would be disastrous.. I would prefer a redesign to get weight out, in any case we should not find it necessary to use S/ZNCr. which is both a costly steel and very difficult to work. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||