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).
Front spring failure following an accident with a 48-PK car in France.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\L\July1924-September1924\ Scan56 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1924 | |
| R.R. 493A (20H) (D.A. 652 20-3-24) J.E.D. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. Expl. No. 9946 REF: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG2.9.24. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. BJ. c. to RG.{Mr Rowledge} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} S E C R E T. ACCIDENT TO 48-PK CAR IN FRANCE. With regard to the accident which occurred to the above car when being tested in France by Sales Dept. We have now received the car back at the Works and have had an opportunity of examining the pieces around the front spring which caused the failure. The pieces clearly shew that the car had been running with the centre bolt broken for a considerable distance. We attach herewith a report from Mr. Lidsey who examined the car in France after the accident. It will be seen from this that the spring clips on the side on which the bolt failed were loose. Our experience in running tests in France shows that the clips, if correctly fitted and tightened, remain tight and it is only after 7,000 or 8,000 miles that it has been possible to tighten the nuts two castell-ations. We therefore can only assume that the clips on this car had not been properly tightened when the front springs were fitted. This car was fitted with the type of sheath shewn on N.sch.1710 in which the sheath is located by means of two pegs in the blind holes in the axle. We believe a probable reason for the clips being slack, is that the car was run with 25% stronger springs and when running with these springs the bottom of the dowel holes in the axle became made up with mud and rust. There are two flats on the pegs which allow water or dirt to get down. contd :- | ||