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).
Urgent need to modify the back axles of early Phantom III cars to prevent failure.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 92\5\ scan0097 | |
| Date | 20th November 1936 | |
| COPY. S/W - Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} c. to Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager} C14/C.20.11.36. Phantom III Modifications. One of our worries at the present time is the changing of the back axles of the early Phantom III's delivered to customers. I understand that the differential casing has to be changed when the axle has covered round about 5,000 miles to avoid a failure. At this date there are quite a number of cars that are approaching this mileage. We have had some correspondence with the Works as to replacement axles, and we have had a suggestion that we should get a car in, take the axle off, send this axle to Derby to be modified and then returned. This is far too long a procedure and in my C14/C.29.10.36, I suggested that we should have two or three floating axles. As a matter of fact this was quite a modest suggestion; we would like to have half a dozen floating axles, because every week that goes by more cars are approaching the 5,000 limit. If we can have half a dozen modified axles we could have the cars, and send the axles removed to you, and we should only have to borrow the car from the customer for a very short time. JLE{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} informs us that in 'B' series the axle has again been altered so that production axles are not suitable for the purpose. There are, however, at the Coachbuilders, a number of chassis fitted with modified axles of 'A' series. The suggestion now is that we should get half a dozen of these and support the chassis whilst at the Coachbuilders on a dummy axle with 2 wheels. Will you please let me know if you see any objection to this arrangement, or if you have any other suggestions to make. It appears to us that this axle job is getting towards the dangerous stage and should therefore be dealt with promptly. C. | ||