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).
Failures of Bentley rear axle gears due to faulty oil seals and a follow-up on testing new seals.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\4\ scan0110 | |
| Date | 7th October 1936 | |
| W/P - Sr. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}17/KW.7.10.36. Bentley Rear Axle. As a result of complaints from you of failures of Bentley rear axle gears due to loss of oil which had escaped from the centre casing because of the faulty behaviour of the oil seals, we sent to you on the 1st July a memo., Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}16/KW.1.7.36, and three sets of special seals to try. A month later we wrote to ask you whether you had been able to carry out any tests (Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}4/JH.5.8.36), but heard nothing until Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}/VA was in England, who said that he had been unable to find any trace of the seals. However, on 8.9.36 he wrote to say they had been found in your stores. We are unable to produce failure of these seals in England and have stirred up the manufacturers entirely on your behalf, and are now after some months unable to give them any information about the success or otherwise of their suggestions. Do we gather from your silence that you are entirely satisfied with the production type of seal, which is presumably now running in your various Trials cars, or do you have so little trouble that it is not worth while fitting the new seals ? Until we hear the results of some tests carried out in France we shall not be making any change in the production seal as now fitted. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} | ||