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).
The performance and issues observed with the flywheel, clutch, and clutch pedal.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\1\ scan0314 | |
| Date | 9th December 1933 guessed | |
| - 4 - FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH LOP.GB.538. 12 Ex.12817 Bushes fitted under damping springs. The fixing of the flywheel does not show any chattering to have taken place. The thinning of the flange has not reduced the vibrations as expected. The leak of oil past the rear engine bearing into the clutch pit has not been more thanan average of 16 cc. per 650 miles. This is no greater amount than previous but it has the advantage in so much that loss of oil does not take place when climbing steep gradients. The clutch has been very smooth in engagement and neither in traffic or under maximum torque has there been any sign of slipping. At a mileage of 5.900 the clutch pedal had to be adjusted to prevent it fouling the floor board. The pedal having come forward 1.500 inches. During the latter 4.100 miles it only came forward .0625". To ascertain the cause we dismantled the clutch. The fabrics were perfectly dry, there was no sign of oil anywhere. A very fine powder had been ground off the faces of the fabrics and had collected on the inner edge of the flywheel. In our opinion the cause of this, was the sharp edge of the champer on the edge of the saw cuts of the driving plate, which during the continual engagements of the clutch scraped the fabric off. The less loss of movement during the latter part of the mileage being due to the edges having become dulled. The driving springs and damper springs were intact. The driving plate had light patches where the fusion of the metal had taken place. The pressure plate showed no signs of seizure due to expansion. CLUTCH PEDAL. With the spherical bearing for the clutch pedal shaft, the pedal has rattled when the rough period of the engine became pronounced. The sphere appears to be too loose in its housing and of too small an aera of surface. This allows the vibrations to develop and causes a rattle. With the solid mounting of the shaft the vibrations are damped sufficient to prevent a rattle. The clutch trunion shaft bearing is loose in its housing, which does not help to damp the vibrations. | ||