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).
The failure of a weak type Bentley front axle and recommendations for using a strengthened version.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\3\ scan0215 | |
| Date | 18th May 1934 | |
| X 201 To Wox. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Sft.{Mr Swift} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}7/KW.18.5.34. BENTLEY FRONT AXLE. We recently smashed one of the original weak type front axles on the Bump after running 50 hours with cycle type wings and high shock absorber loads. This is the first Bentley front axle we have broken. On examining a similar axle fitted to our Streamlined car, which has now done about 10,800 miles also run with high shock absorber loads, we found that a small crack was starting. Both these axles broke across the place which was known to be weak and which has since been strengthened. We are carrying out some tests on the Bump to ascertain whether a high shock absorber load with the cycle type wing is the predominating factor in causing the failure. In the meantime we think that high shock absorber loads should not be recommended on cars with the original type axle, and that we should be sure that the latest type strengthened axle is fitted to Mr. Feddon's car as this has cycle type wings. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||