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 overload test procedure for steering rollers on Bentley 'M' Series and Wraith chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\1\ scan0241 | |
| Date | 5th April 1939 | |
| 1300 W/P. To Sr. (By Air Mail). C. LA.{L. A. Archer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer}8/MH.{M. Huckerby}5.4.39. STEERING ROLLER FAILURES. BENTLEY 'M' SERIES & WRAITH. For the time being we are releasing production Bentley and Wraith chassis with steering rollers which have passed a 50% overload test. Rollers can be tested to this overload as follows:- Bentley. Load front of car with sandbags etc. till front axle weight is 18 cwts. Front tyres should be new and at a pressure of 75 lbs/sq.in. with the front wheels standing on clean dry concrete. Turn the steering wheel from right lock to left lock and return to right lock three times. If the roller is heard to crack dismantle without further turning of the steering wheel otherwise the aluminium adjusting sleeve will be damaged. In any case the roller should be removed from the gear, dis-assembled, and both outer roller FW.905 and inner races FW.910 magnetically crack tested. If satisfactory, the roller can be passed for use, but care should be taken when reassembling to ensure that the inner races are fitted to their correct ends of the roller. They are etched with identification numbers for this purpose. Wraith. Test as above but front weight should be 20 cwts. and front tyre pressure 7 lbs/sq.in. If you can get the rollers magnetically tested in Paris we suggest that you should test all your Bentley and Wraith chassis before delivering to customers. If you cannot do this the rollers should be returned to us for load and magnetic test. We should be in a position to supply you with bolts immediately after Easter and with rollers by 15th. April. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} | ||