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).
Use, testing, and cost-effectiveness of aluminium tin alloy bearings.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\1\ scan0361 | |
| Date | 24th June 1937 | |
| 1020 Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. Ey. c. Wn. Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}13/R.24.6.37. ALUMINIUM TIN ALLOY BEARINGS. When the aluminium tin alloy bearing was first introduced, our range of cars were already fitted exclusively with hardened crankshafts; therefore, all our work has been carried out with hardened shafts. We submitted some bearings to the Rover Co. to run on a soft shaft, and they succeeded in destroying these almost immediately. This gave the impression that the bearing would be no use for low brinell crankshafts. As a check test, however, we fitted 18.G.IV. with a set of connecting rod bearings, and allowed the car to run about on normal test work. An examination at the end of 20,000 miles showed the bearings to be in perfect condition. We have, therefore, come to the conclusion that the failure experienced by the Rover Co. was possibly due to inadequate lubrication, or some other feature for which the bearings could not be blamed. During the past few days we have had the opportunity of discussing bearings generally with Mr. Ben Hopkins of the Cleveland Graphite Co., the biggest bearing manufacturers in America, and with Mr. Tuck of the Hoyt Metal Co. of Gt. Britain. From these discussions it was quite evident that, up to the present, no one has been able to produce a bearing suitable for an automobile which is much better than the standard babbit. Lead Bronze has been turned down because the increased clearances which it demanded produced a rough engine and high oil consumption, it also deals harshly with crankshafts. Cadmium nickel bearings have been turned down because of corrosion. Apart from corrosion, owing to the scarcity of cadmium they are now very expensive. The aluminium tin alloy bearing is, of course, remarkably cheap. The estimated cost of a set of die cast bearings for a Wraith is no more than for the cheap strip bearings used in American cars. | ||