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).
Split rear spring failure on a bumping rig and subsequent investigation into squeaking issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 119\2\ scan0089 | |
| Date | 13th February 1920 guessed | |
| X1331 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. c. to Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/LG3.2.20. X.2628. RE SOLID AND SPLIT SPRINGS. X.1331. X.3461. X.1295. X.3483. We have had one of the split rear springs break on the bumping rig. The spring had run a total of 8 1/2 hours on 2" bumps. One split portion of the bottom leaf has broken off. The fracture has occurred at the point where the split ends. When the spring broke it was running under normal conditions with the small clips clipping the leaves together in position. This spring had, however, been run previously for 20 minutes without the clips on. We have replaced the spring and are continuing the test. We feel that we shall have to take some action as regard the leaves squeaking on the thick leaf springs. It will not be overcome by using the solid leaf. We get squeaking if we bounce the care evenly when it is standing stationary. The effect of springs which have just been greased is very marked. We need more friction than our rear shock absorbers supply to counteract it. The larger amount of friction we can get constant between the leaves, the less load and the less work we need put on our shock absorbers. We have received from the Ferodo people, samples of their material which has been fitted between the leaves of the springs on Mr. Frood's R-R Car. We have Contd. | ||