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).
Pair of Type 103 Hartford shock absorbers returned after a 10,000 miles trial on chassis 12-EM.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 51\4\ Scan092 | |
| Date | 23th January 1924 | |
| COPY. REPORT ON PAIR OF TYPE 103 HARTFORD SHOCK ABSORBERS RETURNED BY MESSRS. ROLLS ROYCE LTD. CHASSIS 12-EM. 10,000 MILES TRIAL. NEARSIDE SHOCK ABSORBER. 1. General condition good, wear on friction discs very slight, but surface rather greasy and sticky, probably due to prolonged use under pressure rather in excess of the normal standard pressure recommended for this model. 2. Swivel pins rather tight in wood bushes, though there is no sign of seizing, bearing surface of wood bushes highly polished, no sign of scoring, also bearing surface of swivel studs in perfect condition. 3. The wood washers bearing up against the flange on the studs were broken, but as this very often happens when dissembling the universal, it is difficult to say whether this happened then or when in use. As, however, these washers are held in position in a recess in the aluminium universal, the fact of their being broken does not as a rule affect the efficient working of the universal joint in any way. OFFSIDE SHOCK ABSORBER. 1. In this shock absorber one of the friction discs was broken in three pieces, otherwise the same remarks as given above apply. It is not possible to say exactly why one of these discs should have broken, but with wood discs of this description, it is quite impossible to avoid an occasional breakage of this sort, which however, is of rare occurrence. We do not think that the increase in pressure noticed on this particular shock absorber after use was due to the breakage of this disc, and so far can discover no reason for this increase in pressure, which is most extraordinary, and can only suggest that perhaps inadvertently the pressure has been adjusted at some time after the initial factory setting. You will readily understand that due to a slight amount of wear, and perhaps also give in the spider springs, that usually the pressure decreases, and we are sorry that we cannot offer any other explanation than the above, for this remarkable occurrence. T.B. ANDRE & CO. LTD. (Signed) ? Director. T.B. Andre & Co. Ltd. 5, Dering Street, New Bond Street, LONDON W.1. 23.1.24. | ||