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).
Design and lubrication issues with a car's axles, universal joints, connecting rods, and engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 122\1\ scan0002 | |
| Date | 22th November 1910 guessed | |
| R.R. (2) grease and sawdust. Part of the casting, as I have pointed out before, is of very unscientific design. I should say the axles on this are scarcely safe. There is a spring drive on this car situated behind the gear box, but as it cannot be right for the high gear and the low gear I think this is merely carrying complication for no purpose. The universal joints in this car are not enclosed although the bushes are somewhat oil-retaining. They are brass bushes and look as if they are wearing at a very rapid rate, and although comparatively easy to rebush, I think it is very undesirable. I pointed out in a former note that the connecting rods were of very commonplace design and lined with white metal and I should doubt if it would last long. (Lead etc alloy) The engine was insufficiently lubricated to run on the dynamometer any length of time, but the starvation of the lubrication seemed to be rather a good thing for ordinary running as it was in the days before we put on the extra oiling arrangement. The trouble is if such a car is thrashed on a long bit of straight fast road it may get into a dangerous state. The cooler on this engine is very nice, being light and effective. Possibly these 4 x 6 engines do not heat as much water as a shorter stroke engine would. | ||