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).
Failures of Ferodo RAD.13 clutch lining material on Bentley cars and recommending a switch back to the standard 25 HP material.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 141\3\ scan0226 | |
| Date | 18th December 1933 | |
| x719 To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Ds. C. Sft.{Mr Swift} Ex. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}7/KT.18.12.33. x.L13 BENTLEY CLUTCH LINING MATERIAL. All Expl. Bentley cars including those which have run in France have been fitted with Ferodo clutch material RAD.13. This material has been standardised on the Bentley car. The reason for changing over to a new clutch material was because of the general trouble with the 25 HP. material. Bentley production cars are fitted with RAD.13 but we find on test that one of the clutches has definitely failed and two or three of the others are showing signs of failure. GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} also reports from France that his clutch has worn badly and although he attributes it to the sharp edges on the driving plate, we do not think this is the entire solution. When we took up the matter of 25 HP. clutch troubles with Messrs Ferodo they recommended the RAD.13 material. We went over yesterday again to discuss the failures we are having with RAD.13, and the conclusions arrived at was that it would be better to scrap this material and go back to the standard 25 HP. material which is also the same material as on the first fifteen Bentley cars. We therefore recommend that we change the clutch lining on Bentley cars as soon as possible to the 25 HP type. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||