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).
Customer complaints and wear issues related to Borg & Beck clutches.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 129\4\ scan0145 | |
| Date | 18th February 1938 | |
| K/W. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/NRC.{N. R. Chandler} c to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} file Pk/KC/DPB/18.2.38. re: BORG & BECK CLUTCHES. ? 1110 I thank you for your Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/NRC.{N. R. Chandler}1/MH.{M. Huckerby}16.2.38. We have actually had about four cases where the facing of a Borg & Beck clutch has worn down to the rivets. Of these cases, three have occurred this quarter. They are:- B.168.JD.{J. Draper - Frames} Bates. Clutch slipping at speed. Mileage 12542. B.133.GP.Harry Neal. Complaint of judder. " 7324. B.166.KT.Sir Wm.Brass.Complaint of clutch Shriek taking up drive. " 10639. In neither of these three cases is there any indication from either our records or the correspondence files that either of them are cases of a driver who is known to be a bad clutch slipper. In the case of B.168.JD{J. Draper - Frames}, (Bates) he is the Managing Director of Specialloid Pistons and is an M.I.M.E. and should know how to drive a motor car. In the case of B.133.GP. (Neal) he is the second owner and nothing is known about the driving characteristics of the previous owner. In the case of B.166.KT (Sir Wm.Brass) this engine developed thump at 10,000. He has had transmission complaints and I would assume that of the three, this is the only case where one can definitely say that the owner is a bit hard on his clutch. Regarding the paragraph of your memo dealing with the amount of clearance between the rivet heads and the surface of the friction plate, which you state to be between .035"and .04", actually this is a sore point with us, in that this clearance depth, which in point of fact governs the life of the liner, is not consistent and although you may find on examination that you get the figure of .035" to .04", we as a -contd- | ||