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).
Internal enquiry regarding the durability of starter gear teeth on 25 HP and Bentley flywheels.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 85\2\ scan0306 | |
| Date | 1st December 1936 | |
| 212 To Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Smth. c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to N-Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager} c. to K-PK. c. to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} c. to R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Smth11/R.1.12.36. 25 H.P. & BENTLEY FLYWHEELS. We recently made enquiries at the Repair Dept. regarding the durability of starter gear teeth on 25 H.P. and Bentley, and regret to say that the information we have obtained appears to be contradictory; for instance, we are told from one source that Cricklewood have only dealt with 17 cases of flywheel gear failure since January this year, and from another, that 97 flywheels have been supplied to them during the last twelve months. We are very anxious to get the actual facts, as we contemplate changing to a separate gear ring, which will probably be a more expensive construction. May we please, therefore, have the following information? - (1) How many 25 H.P. and Bentley flywheels have been changed during the last twelve months because of starter gear wear, and for no other cause? (2) How many of these were changed during the guarantee period? (3) To what do you attribute the wear in the cases included in No.2? If, for instance, the trouble is due to faulty engagement of the pinion caused by Ferodo dust or some other reason, it is evading the issue merely to supply separate gear rings. (4) Do you anticipate that the replacement would be any cheaper (as regards Repair Dept. labour done) if we had a separate ring, and, if so, by how much? The ring we propose to use can only be replaced when the crank and flywheel assembly is removed from the engine. (5) Do you ever have to strip an engine merely to change the flywheel because the teeth have worn? Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Smth. | ||