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).
Various mechanical issues found on the Goshawk II, including oil leaks and structural failures.
| Identifier | Morton\M1.4\ img013 | |
| Date | 7th November 1921 | |
| To. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to C.J. " " W.O.R. " " H.S. " " R.A.W. " " E.P. " " H.V. RE VISIT OF MR. HIVES TO WEST WITTERINGHenry Royce's home town WITH "GOSHAWK II" MONDAY, 7th NOVEMBER, 1921. "GOSHAWK II". (1) REAR AXLE OIL LEAK. There is an oil leak from the bevel pinion housing and Mr. Hives says the longitudinal groove is very shallow for draining the oil back into the axle casing from the oil retaining device. The leak occurs only when the chassis stops running. We are trusting to Mr. Day modifying the drawing so that the return oilways are larger. Care must also be taken to prevent water entering, i.e. the axles should be run with water pouring over it and yet the water does not enter the axle. (2) CRANKCASE OIL LEAK. X4221? There is a leak at the rear crankshaft bearing which occurs when the engine is running, and some difficulty is said to be experienced in machining the oil retaining thread. Mr. Elliott will send instructions what to do with this point to make it safely oil-retaining. (3) DUMB IRON - BREAKAGE OF THE FRAME ON BUMP TEST. This appears to me to be caused by the side translation forces enabling the top leaf of the spring edgeways to subject the front horn to a bending stress, which maximum occurred at the finish of the brazing. It suggests abandoning the brazing and altering the fixing to one bolt as 40/50, and four rivets. This should make a better job than 40/50 H.P. which generally cracks the paint. Personally I think the front eye should have a fair clearance and a loose floating bush. I should not recommend heat treatment as we do not know what may happen where this leaves off. The present dumb iron has broken inside of 30 hours, and Mr. Hives thinks it ought to be made to run at least 100 hours. A drawing of a new dumb iron will be prepared at West WitteringHenry Royce's home town by Mr. Elliott's department. (4) FRONT AXLE AND STEERING LEVERS. I quite agree with Mr. Hives that the front axles look rather light, but compared with a Ford it is at least twice as strong. I will, however, get Mr. Day's department to redraw it, say, 20% heavier. The steering lever which broke on the bumping test was probably due to change of section and due to the weight of the cross steering tube being greater than desirable. Mr. Day will send instructions to take 25% of the weight carried by these steering arms and reduce the stresses in the steering levers 50 to 100% against the stress we think resulted on the bumping test breaking these. | ||