Question about a Ruckstell Axle

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Question about a Ruckstell Axle
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Schultz_Sheboygan,WI on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 07:36 pm:

What is a normal running speed in Ruckstell high? (MPH)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 07:45 pm:

Same as a normal Model T axle. The Ruckstell provides an underdrive to help climb hills. It doesn't affect top speed.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 07:46 pm:

Depends on your ring and pinion ratio and engine condition. Ruckstells gear down, so high depends on your ring and pinion ratio for final drive.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 08:33 pm:

Dan -- To answer your question, if you have the stock ratio rear gears in the Ruckstell, most T's seem quite comfortable at about 35-40 mph.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kerry van Ekeren (Australia) on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 08:53 pm:

With the 3:1 gearing in the Ruckstell in my 26 touring, it has a nice cruising speed of 45mph.
I don't think I would use that ratio gearing in a standard Ford diff, you need the splitter.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 09:30 pm:

Kerry, I have three to one gearing in my 27 coupe and it handles any road around here; of course the biggest hill is what you'd find on a standard highway overpass.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred McDonald on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 09:33 pm:

To follow up on this question: I have been told that the TT Ruckstell could have two different gearings. Some are supposed to have a higher gear for road driving and some lower for hauling. Does anyone know?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 09:41 pm:

Quite comfortable until you have to stop.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Scott Owens on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 10:00 pm:

Fred, The TT has two different gear sets. One is 7.25 to one and is for hauling. The other is 5.17 to one and is for trucks with lighter loads. You can use one or the other to fit your needs. I have the 5.17 in my TT and a Ruckstell. It makes for a nice range of gears. Scott


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 10:21 pm:

The only thing I can see that a stock Ruckstell is going to do, besides improve the performance of the car, is it's going to add additional weight to the car that it didn't have before.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Noel D. Chicoine, MD, Pierre, SD on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 10:26 pm:

I think the additional weight that a Ruckstell adds to the car is less than the weight I gained on the last tour.
Noel


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Gumbinger, Kenosha, WI on Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 11:26 pm:

Hi Noel - Yes, the food was great at Kanab....

Thanks to Russ and his crew for a wonderful job!

Dan - Did you mean in Ruckstell low and Ford high?

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les VonNordheim on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 12:29 am:

Besides having a lower gear for going up/down hills, the Ruckstell has a large ball bearing on the thrust side which is much better compared to the replacement bronze thrust washers.

Les


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 12:53 am:

There must have been some reasons they sold over 750,000 of them in the last 5 years of Model T production. I believe the Ruckstell outsold all other auxiliary transmissions combined.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Mahaffey on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 09:00 am:

Dan,

I'm not sure that anyone answered your question. The running speed in Ruckstell high is 20 mph. The gears, when used with a standard Ford ring-and-pinion, are designed to give approximately the following top speeds:

R-low 5 mph
F-low 10 mph
R-high 20 mph
F-high 40 mph

Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 10:10 am:

Ruckstell is approximately a 30% reduction, not 50%. The Starr Planator and Jumbo Jr. Planator both give a 50% reduction but the Ruckstell does no. Ford high 40 MPH = 27 MPH in Ruckstell.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 10:33 am:

Does "not." Prufreid. Prufread. Profrued. To early on Monday morning.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Schultz_Sheboygan,WI on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 11:01 am:

James, Thank you that is the answer I was looking for. On the recent Kanab tour I was driving modern on Thursday and Friday and got behind several different T's with Ruckstell's and they were moving along at a good clip on some pretty steep grades,made me wonder what speed the the Ruckstell runs at in "2nd gear".


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 11:38 am:

My Ruckstell saved me on the Kanab tour. My engine is totally stock in my '25 pickup, and when I hit a hill, it was like I was dragging a boat anchor!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 11:41 am:

Ruckstell gear ratios from the original literature provided by Ruckstell.

Ford high = 3.63 to 1
Intermediate high (Ruckstell engaged) 5.59 to 1
Ford low = 10 to 1
Emergency low = 15.40 to 1

With 3 to 1 gears

Ford high - 3 to 1
Intermediate high = 4.7 to 1
Ford Low 8.5 to 1
Emergency low = 13 to 1

Ruckstell low still lower than Ford low, there by giving greater pulling power in low and yer, in high, giving greater road speed.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Mahaffey on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 02:10 pm:

Dan,

yeah, I thought that was what you were after. The figures are based on what my totally stock old Ford is comfortable with. Yes, you could go 27 miles per hour in Ruckstell high, but the car feels comfortable shifting out of it and into Ford high over about 20 mph.

The Ruckstell makes it possible for me to drive my 27 tudor in hilly North Atlanta traffic almost as if it were a real automobile. You can chew up a hill with acceptable speed in Ruckstell high, and it's easier to park in Ruckstell low. Altogether, you have better control of the car with the Ruckstell.

Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 04:59 pm:

I asked a similar question a few years back and here are some figures one of our more math minded forum members worked out for me....Michael Pawelek



Model T Speeds With Ruckstell At 1,000 RPM’s

Model T with standard gearing. (No Ruckstell)
Ford High - 25 mph / 1000 RPM
---------------------------------------------------------------
Model T With Ruckstell And 3.63:1 Standard Rear End…

Ruckstell High/Ford High - 24.6 mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell Low/Ford High - 16.2 mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell High/Ford Low - 8.9 mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell Low/Ford Low - 5.8 mph/1000 RPM

Ruckstell High/Ford Reverse - 6.2 mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell Low/Ford Reverse - 4.0 mph/1000 RPM


--------------------------------------------------------------
Model T With Ruckstell And 3.0:1 Rear End

Ruckstell High/Ford High - 29.8mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell Low/ Ford High - 19.7mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell High/ Ford Low - 10.8mph/1000 RPM
Ruckstell High/Ford Low - 7.0mph/1000 RPM

Rux High/Reverse - 7.5mph/1000 RPM
Rux Low /Reverse - 4.8mph/1000 RPM


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 05:07 pm:

PS- I realize that some do not use the phrases "Ruckstell High " and "Ruckstell Low", but instead "In Ruckstell Drive" and "In Ford Drive" but I use the High and low phrases for my own understanding though they might be considered incorrect. In other words there is not a Ruckstell low or Ruckstell high. The Model T is either "in" Ruckstell drive with the lever back or "in" Ford drive with the lever forward. Does that make any sense??? :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 05:15 pm:

The two best things you can do to a Model T to make it drivable in today's world are a Ruckstell and better brakes. Next is a decent carburetor. Michael and I both like Stromberg OF's -- as thousands of other people do.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 05:54 pm:

Stan, I think I am one of the few forum "slow pokes" who has on a Model T a high compression head and a Stromberg OF carburetor installed but prefers driving down back country roads in Ruckstell at 20 mph. Go figure! :-) Years ago when I shot my mouth off on the forum about the excellent performance of the OF I should have collected more first when beat up units went for $25-$50 on Ebay. Momma still loves me though I'm not her brightest child.........


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 06:10 pm:

BTW-If anyone wants a copy of the very informative 8 page Ruckstell Sales Pamphlet in PDF form email me.....
texasgrowncapers@yahoo.com


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 07:23 pm:

Boy Howdy, you've got that right. They weren't worth anything until I started buying them and rebuilding them and now I can't afford to buy them. Some of the junky ones on ebay bring more than I used to get for a spiffy rebuild. I've built more than one that somebody bought off T bay and then sent to me with a check. They end up with more in it than I would sell them one for usually. A lot of the ones on ebay that are "rebuilt" have been beadblasted and photographed. That's it.

Ruckstells the same way. I don't do Ruckstells anymore except for new one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Mahaffey on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 09:57 pm:

Stan,

Better brakes for sure. I got a set of Rockies, and I could never go back to stock Model T brakes. They are excellent, and they make the car much safer in modern traffic, which is quite frantic.

As for the carb, I prefer the Kingston B-1 Gasifier for many reasons. To each his own.

Jim

Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kenneth W DeLong on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 10:39 pm:

750,000 Who would have ever guessed!! I only rode in a Ruckstell equiped Ford once and it involved a missed shift,a cement truck,and ruined shorts in that order!! Bud.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By clayton swanson on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 10:43 pm:

all this talk and no one yet mentioned the benifits of the ruckstell. if you get to a hill you cant pull in high gear, you then have to hold your foot down hard to keep bands from slipping. fine if its your driveway, but a long hill is a different story. the ruckstell will take you up that hill in intermediate gear with your foot resting again. many people talk about model t's as parade cars, and i allways tell em in fact, a model t is a very bad parade car. you are going too slow for the ford low and thus you use up about 2 years of band life from going in and out of low gear. the ruckstell gives you that extra low that works good for parades. my place, with too many cars and too much junk sittin where it should'nt be, the super low is nice for backing out of the barn, or turning around. it is amazing that when in low low the bands grab rite now! no throttle needed, just push lightly and it grabs tight. very nice units to have, but rocky mountain brakes should allways be onboard too in case the ruckstell fails or you cant get in to a gear


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:02 pm:

I have three Model T's with and one without. The Ruckstell is no doubt the ultimate Model T accessory. If you could only have two accessories the Ruckstell is the first one you want. Your second accessory needs to be auxiliary brakes.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:20 pm:

I guess I would add that if you can't get 'em both together, get the auxiliary brakes first! Think about it,.....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kenneth W DeLong on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:20 pm:

When was the Ruckstell first available?? What and when were the first auxiliary brakes available? Thanks is advance.Bud.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Wagner on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 10:53 am:

Yesterday while driving in Ford high I heard a loud noise - growling and popping. Pulled over to check and then slowly drove in low and high Ruckstell with no problem but shift to Ford high and get the same noise. I can drive successfully with no difficulty in Ruckstell low and high and all is well - problem only occurs in Ford high. Any suggestions as to the problem?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 01:06 pm:

Bud

Accessory brakes for the rear wheels of the Ford came along in the late 'teens.

The Ruckstell and other rear axle two speeds were in the early 1920's.

1919


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 07:40 pm:

If you live in hilly country, I would recommend that you use standard Model T gearing in ring and pinion. The higher gears are OK for flat land, but you will find yourself doing a lot more shifting if you use them on hills. In fact if you have a heavy car, you might not even be able to pull some of the hills a standard ratio will pull.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kevin Whelihan on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 08:44 pm:

OK, this is a great time for me to chime in and ask my question. After finally making it through the dis-assembly and measurement stage of the restoration process of my '26 Tudor, it's time to start the ordering process. After riding in a couple of cars and talking to many other drivers, I'm pretty sold on the Ruckstell. The ring and pinion need replacement, so the next decision is the gear ratio. My engine should be back from the rebuilders soon and I expect it should be turning out pretty close to 28-30hp maximum. I know the '26 Tudor is a heavy beast compared to other body configurations like the roadster and touring. I have pretty much eliminate the 3:1 as unsuitable for my needs, but I was wondering what other folks with more experience than me think of the 3.25:1 ratio as opposed to the standard 3.63:1 ratio in my application Thanks! I appreciate the feedback and sharing your knowledge!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 10:08 pm:

Go with the 3:25. You'll love it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kevin Whelihan on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 07:13 am:

Thanks Stan! I appreciate the feedback.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Chaffin on Thursday, September 19, 2013 - 04:40 pm:

Kenneth, Ruckstell acquired the rights to the perfect Axle in 1921. He quickly redesigned it and had the Ruckstell Axle in production the same year. The whole Ruckstell story is available in my book "Glover E. Ruckstell and the Ruckstell Axle. hard bound, $34.95 plus tax and shipping in California. Ruckstell was an amazing guy and had a very interesting life.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warren F Rollins on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 10:44 am:

Harold, Your problem sounds like bad thrust washer causing ring and pinion misalignment. Don't know why Ruckstell would make these sounds go away. Hope someone will add to this.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 04:44 pm:

One more thing I don't think anyone has mentioned, but with Ruckstell going down hill the brakes are better! The transmission brake is geared down just like the engine compression and will stop better with less pressure on the pedal, but be sure to have auxiliary brakes too, because if you get stuck in neutral you will have no brakes other than the auxiliary brakes and the emergency brake. The auxiliary brake will work even in neutral.

Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Dysart - SoCal on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 10:43 pm:

So what are the chances of getting stuck in neutral with a Ruckstell? I've put a lot of miles on my Ruckstell, shifting at almost every intersection. I've never felt anything approaching neutral, just high or low and a pretty solid hold in each.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Thursday, September 26, 2013 - 01:12 am:

Eric, It can happen and when it does you NEED aux brakes! It usually happens when things start to wear and if you use your Ruckstell at every intersection you'll get there much sooner. They are not supposed to go to neutral but they do.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Townsend ; ^ ) Gresham, Orygun on Thursday, September 26, 2013 - 01:37 am:

I can vouch for the hill climbing ability of Larry's '25 pickup. While driving on the Kanab tour, I passed him in my '11 with standard (3.63:1) gears.

In my 1915 runabout and 1919 touring I have 3:1 gears. The 3:1 in the touring is a little tall. If I have it apart again, I will try the 3.25:1 gears.

: ^ )

Keith


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration