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).
Letter from the Experimental Department regarding the production and supply of connecting rod big end and centre main bearings.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\3\ scan0031 | |
| Date | 11th August 1937 | |
| 1020 Experimental Department. 11th August 1937. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Swdl.{Len H. Swindell}2/AP. Mr.P.Berthron, E.R.A. Ltd., BOURNE, LINCS. Dear Sir, In reply to your letters of the 7th and 8th inst., we are despatching today 14 bearings in the part machined state, which are suitable for producing your connecting rod big end bearing to the drawing E.10016.A. We are unable to completely machine to your detail dimensions on account of the present demand of the machines in the Works. Regarding the centre main bearing E.10147, this is rather out of our range in respect of its diameter, and it would be some time before we could produce this bearing. In view of this and the fact that your engine is almost ready for test we would recommend that you assemble with the big end bearings we have supplied in the Aluminium-tin alloy and use your own particular type of main bearing. If in the meantime we can obtain a billet suitable for making your main bearing we will let you know. Regarding the big end bearings, we note from your drawing E.10016.A. that you do not use shims between the two bearing halves to prevent rotation of the bearing in the rod, but rely on recesses in the shell through which the bolts pass for this purpose. We have never run these type of bearings without shims for location and would feel more confident if you could arrange to fit shims between the bearing halves. If this is possible, then we will send along shims for the job, these being .100 thickness. The following procedure will then be adopted:- | ||