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).
Axle tube oil leak issues and subsequent modifications and testing.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\U\May1930-July1930\ Scan015 | |
| Date | 5th May 1930 | |
| -2- HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/EM.1/AJ.5.5.30.Contd. the N.S. axle tube, whence it was difficult for it to return into the central housing. The oil worked along the driving shaft and appeared as a leak through the N.S. drain. There was no consistency about the appearance of axles that had failed, however, some having little signs of oil being pumped into the axle tubes. Others that had not failed exhibited copious oil leaks from the N.S. oil drain. However, to cure such leaks and as a safeguard, a modification was made to ensure that any oil that should get into the tube would drain back into the central housing. Venting the axle was also found to assist this trouble. As a further precaution, the quantity of oil in the axle was increased from 3.1/2 pints to 5 pints. We have proved by tests that an axle will function satisfactorily with as little as 1.1/2 pints in the central housing. Our main trouble experimentally has been that so far we have not been able to make an axle fail by reasonably unfair means when we wanted to. Prolonged bursts of full torque and maximum speed with the axle casing packed with ice have done no harm. Low oil level, down to 40% of normal, coupled with over-cooled and over-heated conditions, does not produce failure. Deliberately bedding gears on the toe or heel so that they are not quiet does not produce a condition where failure can be obtained. It is most difficult to find out how much oil is in the axles when they fail on the road, because as soon as the | ||