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 life and failure rates of chassis components like road springs, shock dampers, axles, and cams during testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\3\ img002 | |
| Date | 8th January 1936 | |
| -2- The life of certain road springs which are only just adequate for road conditions is approximately 50 hours. This is rather too close to the danger limit to be happy. Shock damper ball pin loads of 60 lbs. Higher damper loads increase the life of the springs. Increased front shock damper loads accelerate front axle failures. We find it difficult to get flexible rubber engine mountings to last 100 hours. All this refers to 2" cams. Our experience on 3" cams is very limited, but so far the life of parts appears to be one quarter of that with the 2" cams. In latter years we have been increasing the use of bumper tests. At one time these were used to confirm road tests, now we bump a new chassis and overcome the main weaknesses, then run a road test to confirm the bumper results. Yours sincerely, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. | ||