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 failure of Goshawk 11 universal joints due to insufficient lubrication and a proposal for an oil pump.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\J\January1923\ Scan39 | |
| Date | 29th January 1923 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} ORIGINAL. Es3/LG29.1.23. GOSHAWK 11. UNIVERSAL JOINTS. X4254 X4348 With reference to the two universal joints I left at W.W. These joints were removed from the propeller shaft off 2-Goshawk-11 which had run approximately 23,000 miles. The point we wish to bring forward is on the joint which appears to have run without sufficient lubrication, the bushes have become loose and worn in the jaws. We have had a previous case of one of the joints wearing in a similar manner. In that case it was on a joint on which the lubricator had been knocked off and allowed all the lubricant to escape. We know from experience that any parts of a car which have to be hand lubricated are frequently neglected. It is a most common occurrance on the 40/50 to find the universal joints at the back of the gearbox badly worn because of it not having received sufficient lubricant. We know that other hand-lubricated parts such as the pivot pins and spring shackles, suffer in the same way. We consider that any vital part of the car such as the universal joints which rely on hand-lubrication, cannot be considered entirely satisfactory. We suggest that even if it meant fixing a special oil pump to oil these universal joints in either the gearbox or rear axle, it would be well worth it. On a large number of American cars with torque tube control, it is arranged that the universal joint is lubricated contd.. | ||