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Aug 17, 2011 5:24 pm
Aug 17, 2011 5:24 pm
Subject: Re: Rapide 125 for Sale...
Many of the cars were originally driven by chauffeurs, perhaps they were harsh users when the boss was not in the back. Many of the issues however were of design, especially for example the half shafts; these are not at right angles to the plane of rotation of the road wheels but at about 89 degrees to save space in the de Dion arrangement. This means the shafts carry loads they were not designed for by Hardy Spicer, which causes spline wear especially if the wrong grease is used. When new this was not appreciated so "ordinary" grease was used, but this was quickly changed to a more resilient graphite grease which lessens the problem but does not cure it. The Rapide warranty claims apparently nearly broke AML at the time, quite apart from the opportunity cost of losing DB4/5 production (said to be 4 off) to build one Rapide. The "finest of fast cars" was quite a tough slogan to live up to for a demanding clientele who often were personal friends or associates of DB
Many of the cars were originally driven by chauffeurs, perhaps they were harsh users when the boss was not in the back. Many of the issues however were of design, especially for example the half shafts; these are not at right angles to the plane of rotation of the road wheels but at about 89 degrees to save space in the de Dion arrangement. This means the shafts carry loads they were not designed for by Hardy Spicer, which causes spline wear especially if the wrong grease is used. When new this was not appreciated so "ordinary" grease was used, but this was quickly changed to a more resilient graphite grease which lessens the problem but does not cure it. The Rapide warranty claims apparently nearly broke AML at the time, quite apart from the opportunity cost of losing DB4/5 production (said to be 4 off) to build one Rapide. The "finest of fast cars" was quite a tough slogan to live up to for a demanding clientele who often were personal friends or associates of DB