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).
Material choice and plating finish for front wheel balancing components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 4\3\ 03-page43 | |
| Date | 25th September 1925 | |
| Y401 RH.{R. Hollingworth} C. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C.H. C.W/S.O.W.B. BYS/H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 25.9.25. BALANCING FRONT WHEELS. -------------------------- BJ6/H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 24.9.25. I think the position outlined in CWB16/LH.{Mr Haworth} 23.9.25. is the result of a misunderstanding. The steel nut, bolt and washer were intended and instructed originally for nickel plating. The urgency of the matter prevented us being able to spend the time on it, and as the parts had to be plated, the first few were permitted to be despatched without plating. When I found what had happened, I instructed the Works to treat the washers and parts with baking black enamel, and this has been done. The cost of producing washers merely for balancing purposes, in stainless steel would be excessive. It is difficult to machine, and as a bolt it is not satisfactory, the chr mium content making it very liable to fracture off short owing to the peculiar tendency of same to be short on the impact fracture test. The proposal to enclose the washers in a steel tube forming a part of the top washer was considered originally, but rejected as it was considered that the lead washers stamped out with Bakelite washers would give a uniform and reasonable appearance, and their duty would be obvious to anybody casually examining the wheel, whereas if we enclosed the unit in a steel tube forming a part of the top washer, the method of balancing is obscured and the duty of the piece is not plain. All steel parts for the balancing equipment delivered to us by the Dunlop Company are plated, so that the rust question, so far as these are concerned, is settled. The complaint was only about the first few sets delivered, as the later sets which were made by MR. were black enamelled in lieu of plating. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||