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).
Potential improvements and solutions for front axles to reduce stress and the risk of fracture.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 2\12\ B002_X168-page050 | |
| Date | 25th March 1918 | |
| From F.H.R., Copies sent to: Mr. Johnson, Mr. Wormald, & Mr. Spinney. Re Front Axles. We must bear in mind, as shewn by Mr. Hives' experimenting, that any front axle can be smashed by a suitable rough road. It seems rather an advantage that the pins fixed through the springs should be the first things to sheer. I am still hoping, however, that the springs in the cross tube joint may be arranged to reduce considerably the stresses - at least those to which the steering gear and pivots are subject. Otherwise it will be absolutely necessary to increase the sphere and its neck belonging to the cross tube joint. For new cars I am definitely in favour of doing so in any circumstances, but on existing cars I am hoping that we can, by changing the cross tube for the one with spring buffers, avoid the necessity of changing the stub axles of all cars that out. We can, if it is found preferable, change the spheres in the steering arm to a larger size without very much trouble - so that the cross tube with spring buffers can be designed for a spherical joint which is rather larger than the existing one. In my opinion, this will be very desirable and I think that if the joint with spring buffers in one direction will reduce materially the risk of fracture of the stub axle forging that this will be a very satisfactory solution of the difficulty. F.H.R. [Handwritten signature, bottom left:] W.E. Wormald [Handwritten number, bottom right:] X168 | ||