A CRITICISM OF REAR-AXLE TEM PERATURE
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cURTHER to your road test No. 358, dealing with the
Maudslay Mustang, I must criticize Mr. L. J. Cotton's comment that an axle temperature of 252 degrees F. is reasonable for a worm-driven axle when the ambient temperature is as low as 38 degrees F.
By the time this axle has a heat-retaining mud envelope, the additional load of a trailer, and is possibly operating with an ambient temperature of 100 degrees F., it is more than likely that the rear-axle temperature will approach 400 degrees F.—a figure which horrifies me.
I believe that this is the highest rear-axle temperature ever recorded during the "The Commercial Motor" road tests, and I suggest that as it is difficult to design a worm-driven axle of reasonable weight and dimensions to handle such a large power output, a double-reduction bevel axle would give better results.
As a rough standard, I think manufacturers should aim to keep axle temperature within an increase of 150 degrees F. above ambient temperature. It would be interesting to have other readers' opinions on this subject. I. L. G. BREWSTER.
(For J. Brewster and Co. (Transport Engineers), Ltd.) Newcastle upon Tyne, 4.