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).
Persistent slipping clutch issues on the 20/25 HP model, listing affected owners and querying replacement spring strengths.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 103\1\ scan0001 | |
| Date | 4th January 1933 | |
| γ5300 -> S/W....Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} e.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} to "N" c. to H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} C2/C11.1.33. Re 20/25 h.p. SLIPPING CLUTCH. Hd{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy}/SB{Mr Bull/Mr Bannister}8/HR4.1.33 ------- We note contents of your memo. We, however, are of the opinion that this clutch trouble is rather more serious. We know of 13 cases, a list of which we give below (three of these only are synchro-mesh) and we are quoting the rather persistent cases not only. We are rather surprised that generally speaking you think the clutches are likely to give every satisfaction in service and we hope that this may prove to be the case, and these we have quoted are only isolated instances. We think in many cases they may have been due to the peculiar type of driving, such as attaining a high speed at third and then changing up, but we thought you had agreed we are rather on the borderline with clutches, and that Design were giving the matter their attention, because we took this matter up with you in connection with GKT-21, Sir Gordon Ley, in August last; - we shall be glad if you will please read Hy{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer}/FG2/GR{George Ratcliffe}5.8.32. We shall be glad if you will please give this matter your further consideration, and let us have your advice as to what you think we ought to do. Do you feel that in those cases where the car has the original clutch spring, that this should be replaced by the new standard, which we will call No.2.strength, and not by the very strong spring, which we will call No.3 strength? If this is so, what do you propose we should do when we get complaints such as some of those on the list below, where the No.2 strength springs are already fitted to the clutch and the slipping is not due to oil on the fabric:- N GKT-21. Sir Gordon Ley. GMU-31. A.Clavering. GKT-38. Stanley Clark. GAU-44. Hooper. W GPT-23. F.A.White. GAU-23. A.Michelson. GMU-28. Dr.F.Evans. 20-G-4. R.{Sir Henry Royce} GAU-81. Miss Jeffery. GAU-6. S.Gestetner. GBT-6. R.E.Singleton. w GMU-3. T.Lumb. GAU-7. London Trials. Stamp: H.D. C. RECEIVED 11 JAN 1933 | ||