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).
Report correcting the cause for breaking rear drums on a Phantom III, identifying bolts holding the rear cross member as the problem.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 91\3\ scan0188 | |
| Date | 12th November 1935 | |
| X3004 HOTEL DE FRANCE. CHATEAUROUX. Indre. France. 12th November 1935. To. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from G.W.H. c to. AH. 31. EX. - PHANTOM III. Our report of the water excluders being the cause of breaking the rear drums is wrong, many apologies. We located the actual cause to-day. The bolts holding the rear cross member which carries the hydraulic dampers, battery box, and rebound buffers, are the cause of breaking the drums. There are three bolts which hold the flange to the frame. The bottom one has the bolt of the head on the outside. The top two bolts, the heads are on the inside, with the nuts and protruding shank of bolt outside. When one side of the axle is biffed up, the edge of the drum has hit the two top bolts which has broken the pieces out. The O.S. has been fouling more than the N.S. which explains why the breakages are more severe. We have reduced the bolts approximately 1/4 inch, and made the nuts three quarters the thickness. We trust this will clear the matter up. [Signature: G.W.Hancock] G.W.H. | ||