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).
Rear axle seizure, detailing the repair involving swapping parts with another vehicle and the subsequent investigation into the cause.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\1\ Scan442 | |
| Date | 20th May 1936 | |
| X1745 GRY{Shadwell Grylls} - will you take this failure up with our people at the works! To Bentley Motors Ltd. Derby................Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Copy to Mr. Gry{Shadwell Grylls} G.W.H. had same trouble Are locking washers required? Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} CHASSIS B.8.GA - PARIS TRIALS CAR Seizure of rear axle gears. Fitted 1st Groove washers L.G. As you will remember Sr. telephoned to you from Nice concerning the trouble experienced with the rear axle of this car while he was in the South of France. The car had only covered about 1200 Kms. up to the time of the seizure of the gears and the seizure took place while Sr. was giving a trial run. As chassis B.49.EJ, the Paris Show Car had been sent by train to the South of France for exhibition purposes, Sr. was able to arrange for our Nice Depot to remove the rear axle from this car and fit it to B.8.GA. Our Nice Depot then fitted the original axle of B.8.GA to B.49.EJ and the latter car was, a few days later, sent by rail to our Rue Gide Depot in order that we should carry out certain modifications, final testing and attention to the rear axle temporarily fitted. The following is a translation of a report which we received from Nice Depot, dated the 7th instant, in reply to a memo Sr/VA7/ET.5.5.36 which we had sent to Nice and a copy of which we attach hereto: " Concerning the trouble on the axle of B.8.GA, in reply " to your memo Sr/VA7/ET.5.5.36, will you please note " that the two rear brake drums were dismantled on " Sunday the 5th April and there were no signs of any " leakage of oil. On the following day, the trouble to " the rear axle occurred when Sr. was giving a trial run " to Mr. Poberejsky. We also found the oil level in the " axle to be correct. We think the cause of the trouble " was the fact that the K.4006 nuts that hold the housing " in position was very slack. This caused the cover for " the thrust bearing pinion to "float", thereby upsetting " the alignment of the pinion. We also remarked, when " examining the rear axle, that the GB.581 oil retaining " ring (packing) was burnt out, which would indicate that " the pinion was out of alignment. " For your information, it was apparently when Sr. was " taking a corner that the trouble occurred." Dk. of our Nice Depot, in a previous memo, reported the following: " Bevel pinion badly pitted. " We found the cover of pinion bearing housing slack. " Three of the nuts could be freed by hand. The felt " packing of the cover partly burnt by lateral friction; " inside diameter of cover itself scored by same fric- " tion." | ||