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).
Causes of Bentley rear shock damper knocks and related component issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 87\3\ scan0153 | |
| Date | 25th March 1936 | |
| To Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} x242 Ha/Les.5/KW.25.3.36. Bentley Rear Shock Damper Knocks. Re Hd{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy}/SB.{Mr Bull/Mr Bannister}3/HR.12.3.36. Although we have seen 5 rear damper suspension plates which show slight signs of fidgetting at their attachment to the rear cross-member, we cannot agree that any modification is necessary to the design of the damper suspension. We do not actually consider that it was necessary to change any of these 5 plates. From overloaded tests on the bumper we have proved that, provided the bolts are originally tight, the reliability of the suspension is adequate. Clearance holes for the attachment bolts are used to facilitate the removal of the dampers. The Test Dept. are watching 6 chassis for tightness of the 7/16" bolt during their mileage. As we understood that your complaints came from Kingsbury, we wrote for the attached analysis of their shock damper knocks. There is not a single mention of the 7/16" bolt working loose. With regard to link failures, we presume these are completely cured by the increased size of bolt securing the top ball end pad to the tube. We should like to know if this is not the case. When we recently pointed out to you that there was no mention of shock damper bush wear causing knocks on the Quarterly Complaint list when Cricklewood have changed bushes on the following chassis :- GAF-9 GAE-17 GFE-3 GLG-81 GFE-34 GRF-31 GFE-21 GYH-18 GSF-78 9-RY 171-TA 16-PY 101-TA 165-TA 21-RY 175-TA 64-PY 181-TA 21-TA 101-GN we were not trying to encourage criticism which could not be justified. Att: K/KC/20.3.36. Ha/Les.{Ivan A. Leslie} | ||