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).
Ongoing issues with clutches, shock absorbers, steering, and high tension wiring.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\3\ Scan045 | |
| Date | 10th April 1931 | |
| To Wox. from Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} 12/E10.4.31 - E - Clutch trouble. Reference to the last Quarterly Complaint report shows 32 clutch complaints in 6 months which would cover, I believe, about 400 chassis or more, and I am not sure what modification it is that it is suggested should be incorporated in chassis already built, but I should be glad to have this information together with the cost, Shock Absorbers, and steering troubles until dampers are altered. I am bracketing these two together because they both appear to refer to shock absorbers. The position here is that as the result of Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 's visit to America a great deal of very useful experimental work has been done with a view to overcoming or reducing our shock absorber complaints which are one of our most troublesome and expensive items. to R. {Sir Henry Royce} Under Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 7/KT.4.3.31/it was stated that, if we introduced three alterations, we could at once make something which should cut down expense on quarterly complaints enormously. I followed this up very vigorously and reference to the Minutes of the meeting at St.Albans on March 12th, Page 2, shows that I tried to ascertain exactly what was being done, but as it appeared to be necessary to have some help from VW, I was unable to ascertain the exact position. This was followed up again at the meeting at Derby on the 26th ult., and I should be glad if you would have enquiries made and let me know how this matter stands. It is entirely a separate issue from the question of a complete new design of shock absorber, i.e. it is a question of introducing certain modifications which, as mentioned in the Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} memo. quoted above, would reduce complaints enormously. The next point is high tension wires burning, no guard or improved wiring tube fitted. A reference to the quarterly complaints report shows 9 in 6 months which would also cover 400 cars or more. This evidently is not very serious item but, if it is thought we ought to fit the guards to cars already built, I should be glad to know the cost of so doing. Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||