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).
Examination of a worn pinion bearing and the oil level in shock absorbers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\2\ 02-page179 | |
| Date | 3rd March 1930 | |
| X58400 To: Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} From G.W.H. Hôtel de France, Châteauroux. 3/3/30. We have received your telegram reading:- EXAMINE PINION BEARING IF UNFIT TO RUN BORROW STANDARD AXLE FROM PARIS UNTIL WE CAN SEND REPLACEMENT TEST WITH AND WITHOUT BRAKE DAMPER SEGMENTS REFIT SHOCK ABSORBER IF LEAKS PERSIST HIVES. We have had the pinion and housing out of the axle and taken it to pieces, and examined for the cause of the trouble. We find this is due to the thrust bearing having worn, with the result that slack has developed laterally. It would prove that the load is too great for these bearings. There is no damage to the balls, and no wear detected on the inner race. We shall require a new pinion as the teeth have been dug in approx. .015". This has been caused by the slack in the housing allowing the pinion to dig in. There is no damage to the crown wheel teeth as far as we can ascertain. We do not think that it will be necessary to borrow an axle from Paris, providing that the new parts can be sent out quickly. With reasonable care, we see no reason why we should not continue to run. We have refitted the pinion and the housing and tried it out to-night, results being the same as this/last day or two. In the meantime, we will make enquiries from Paris as to whether they have an axle which we could borrow, but we very much doubt it. We could reduce the slack of course by reducing the thickness of the distance washer between the two races, but the pinion teeth are so badly worn that we do not think it would be worth the trouble for so short a time. We have also received a telegram reading:- SUBJECT OIL LEVEL MAY BE TOO HIGH IN THE SHOCK ABSORBERS ROBOTHAM. These have not been overfilled and are up to the correct level. Nevertheless we will drop the level and see whether any improvement takes place. Dunbell G.W.H. | ||