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).
The widespread breakage of front springs on 20 HP Pre-F.W.B. models and a proposed solution.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\3\ Scan212 | |
| Date | 27th June 1928 | |
| X.4261 Hm {Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} 's Dept. (Hms is absent). NRC {N. R. Chandler} 10/AM/27.6.28. re 20 HP. FRONT SPRINGS (PRE F.W.B.) We are seriously alarmed at the number of breakages of front springs, there being many cases in which from 3 to as many as 7 springs have broken on a single car, and the serious part of it is, that in addition to the expense to which the Company is being put, several customers have already complained that their confidence in the reliability is being shaken. We find that no less than 55 front springs of the Pre-F.W.B. type have been booked out of Stores since January 1st alone! and it is safe to say the large majority of these are replacements for springs which have broken in service. The failures are almost entirely limited to the Pre.F.W.B. chassis, of which there are approximately 1250 cars running, and the type of spring which breaks is the standard type for these cars, having a normal load deflection of 2.5" whereas the F.W.B. spring has a normal load deflection of 2", that is to say, it is 25% stiffer. At first it was thought that these breakages would be limited to the early cars having 550 or 600 lb springs, but experience shows that breakages are quite as frequent with recently fitted replacement springs of 650 or 700 lbs. We have in fact had several cases lately of 700 lbs springs breaking after only a few months service. We have an alternative spring for the Pre-India cars which is 25% stiffer and breakage of this type is almost unknown, but this type was only fitted on Production to cars destined for countries abroad where roads are notoriously bad. We are of opinion that the only way to face the trouble is to fit a new pair of these 25% stiffer front springs whenever a breakage occurs. Hitherto, when one spring only has broken, we have been obliged to send the customer another and similar spring, often in response to a telegram, because we have never had authority to change both springs, especially as most of the cars concerned are out of their guarantee, but so long as we continue this policy we will continue to be faced with frequent breakages. We therefore submit the following suggestion:. | ||