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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).
Endurance tests conducted on Bentley rear axle shafts, comparing them to a Cadillac shaft.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 111\4\  scan0105
Date  16th May 1939
  
802 & 402

To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from HPS{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}/Bl.
c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}
c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}
c. to Hdy.{William Hardy}
c. to Ra/Cny.

HPS{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}/Bl.1/CB.16.5.39.

BENTLEY REAR AXLE SHAFT ENDURANCE TESTS.

Two shafts have been tested to date under similar conditions to obtain a comparison as regards strength and also to compare them with the Cadillac shaft run previously.

The test was carried out with a static load applied in the same vertical plane as the centre line of the road wheel, the shaft being supported in a similar manner as when installed in the chassis. This included fitting the distance piece between the bearing and the flange and the shrunk-on retaining collar to hold the bearing in place. (See FD.{Frank Dodd - Bodies}90 and GCD.843).

Ex.31270 Shaft - 45 m/m Bearing - FD.{Frank Dodd - Bodies}90.

This shaft which is similar to GB.3604, except that it is made of S.28, was subjected to various loads and speeds for the following times :-

1.0 ton. 1,000 R.P.M. 101 hours.
1.5 " 667 " 100 "
2.0 " 500 " 111¾ "

The running was noticeably rough throughout the whole test, and although after the first 22 hours the shaft was taken down and the spigot of the loading housing trued up, no improvement was recorded. The test was continued without any further modification until the running became so rough that the rig had to be stripped after a total of 313¾ hours.

The maximum bow recorded in the shaft with the load removed was .003".

Another point noted during the test was the movement of the retaining collar in relation to the bearing, a gap of .010" being recorded after the test at 1.5 ton, this gap apparently being reduced to .004" on the final strip. The reduction in the gap was probably caused by the bearing coming loose and the edges of the bearing collar burring up as shown on Bl.2258. The whole bearing was found to be in very bad condition when stripped, the

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