Shifting a ruckstell with auxilary transmission??

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 2008: Shifting a ruckstell with auxilary transmission??
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jarret Vaughn on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 10:58 am:

I'm new to this game and in te process of purchasing a 24 TT w/ ruckstell rear axle and what I am assuming is to be a auxillary trans. Hince the two extra sticks on my right. Help!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 12:13 pm:

Your Model T as standard has two speeds. Too Slow and Not Enough Power. The Ruckstell gives it about a 30% reduction. That makes Really Slow and Enough Power for hauling heavy loads. If it has what most then have added for an auxillary transmission, a Warford, Chicago, Jumbo, etc. there will be three speeds in that transmission. Slower, direct and faster--low, direct, high. Generally speaking, the shift with a heavy load will be up through the gears this way. Low Ruckstell (some people just say "Ruckstell), low Warford, Low pedal. That will be your lowest speed and most power. The shift is then to Warford Direct, which will be the least increase, then to Warford high--still using low pedal. Then the shift will be to Ruckstell high (or Ford High as Larry would say). Low pedal, Warford low, direct, high. The next shift is to Ruckstell low, Warford low, direct, high, high pedal, then to Ruckstell High (Ford High) Warford low, Warford direct. Depending on what load you have on the truck you probably have run out of power before this gear. The last shift would be to Warford high. Now you are in High (overdrive) on the Warford, High Ruckstell (Ford Standard High) and High pedal. That is probably only after you are unloaded and headed back for another load.

One of the things you have to figure out is the shift pattern in the aux transmission. They are mostly all different. Some of these also have a reverse in them so you can actually get a double reverse and if you step on the reverse pedal you go forward, etc.

Depends on how much straight gear shifting experience you have but there is a definite learning curve on doing all this and my advice would be to not try to shift the aux trans on the move until you have accessory brakes and have practiced quite a bit in a level field or parking lot. Those old straight cut gears can get hard to slip together and it takes very little speed increase going down a hill to not be able to increase the engine speed enough to match them up, then you are in neutral. Even accessory brakes are marginal if you have any weight at all on the truck. Generally speaking, you CAN NOT shift down to a lower gear going down a hill. You probably should not try to shift up either. Go down a hill at half the speed you could pull it going up is good advice.

I sold a truck several years ago to a guy who tried to shift down going down a hill. He lost it and hit a cement wall at the bottom of the hill. His wife got smacked pretty good and he bent the steering wheel right down around the column.

Make sure your Ruckstell shifts positively--no neutral--and you can shift it up whenever you want, even there, shifting the Ruckstell down can be pretty tricky. You might want to practice shifting one or the other and get comfortable with that before you trying splitting the shift -- going from Warford High, Ruckstell low to Ruckstell High, Warford low, etc.. It's kind of fun going through all the gears when you get it figured out.

You will have to figure out the gearing in your aux trans to see if all this works in sequence. Depending on the gearing, you can actually lose speed instead of gaining it by going Low, Direct, High.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jarret Vaughn on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 01:37 pm:

Thanks for the info. I might possibly be more confused ,but not discouraged! I will try to figure which aux. transmission is in there while playing with the ruckstell. Is there a way to tell the make of the aux.tran. from the casing or will I tell by feeling the shift positions? How fast is slow in a TT truck? thanks for any info.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Sutton on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 02:08 pm:

Stan,

You're the (shifting) man! How about more simplified shifting advice? If there is no Ruckstell but an aux trans with under, direct, and over, how do you shift when it's just you and the vehicle with no load and no hills? Is it:

1. Under/Ford low
2. Under/Ford high
3. Direct/Ford low
4. Direct/Ford high
5. Over/Ford low
6. Over/Ford high

OR

1. Ford low/Under
2. Ford low/Direct
3. Ford low/Over
4. Ford high/Under
5. Ford high/Direct
6. Ford high/Over

OR

1. Under/Ford low
2. Under/Ford high
3. Direct/Ford high
4. Over/Ford high

OR

1. Under/Ford high
2. Direct/Ford high
3. Over/Ford high

OR

?

Thanks!
Craig


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 02:52 pm:

Jarret,

How fast slow is in a TT is relative. Motion can be measure in geologic time terms. Sinking a post nearby would be helpful. The post, a watch, and a tape measure will enable accurate measurement, even at high engine RPM.

Seriously, I have a TT with a 3 speed Muncie. Under/low is a crawl. You could climb a tree, but you must be patient 'cause you'll climb it slowly.

Over/High will get you up to about 30 MPH, assuming you have a low ratio rear end. This combination with a high ratio rear end will produce nearly 40 MPH.

My opinion of the Auxillary/Ruckstell combinations is that I think the auxillary transmission is all you need. Sure, adding a Ruckstell will give you more combinations, but it's doubtfull that you need them all because they're lower than what you already have. TT's are already geared so low that they are not too popular for touring. Unless you're going to haul heavy loads up hills your problem is not how low can you go, it's how can you speed the darn thing up enough to keep up with slow traffic.

Given that the truck is equiped with both, I'd play around with it a little just for fun, then I'd put the Ruckstell in direct and leave it there. I'd use the planetary and the auxillary transmission for regular driving. I've even tried using the planetary clutch and the auxillary only. I find that I can shift the 3 speed just fine and not use Ford low at all. The Aux. under is easily low enough to start out from a standstill.

Anyhow, they're fun to play with. Good Luck!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 02:55 pm:

P.S.

Many of the auxillary transmissions have the maker's name cast in the body of the unit. Look around (scrape off the crud if needed) and you'll probably find something to reveal it's identity.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bruce Atkinson on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 11:28 pm:

I have a 26 wood cab TT with a Jumbo Giant - Ruxtell and 5-1 gears in the rear end. I was clocked at 42 mph on the Winchester Speedway at the centenial.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 11:37 pm:

Craig: Number two.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino on Monday, October 20, 2008 - 10:56 am:

Bruce,

42 MPH is warp speed for a TT. Strong Tailwind?

My big worry when going flat out in my TT (probably about 32 MPH with a Muncie and low ratio rear end gears) is just how good are the 90 year old Bennett brakes? I've relined them and completely rebuilt them, but...

Saturday I was out with my grandson for a drive in the ole truck. I was on a "collector" street, 2 lanes but it moves pretty fast. I was slowing to make a left turn (no left turn pocket, but a legal turn), with electric turn signals and brake lights all working (I added them for safety). Some idiot decided he couldn't wait for the old heap in is way and passed me on the LEFT, over the double yellow lines and in the intersection, doing at least 75 in a 35 zone.

It's not so much me I worry about, it's those other idiots out there. BE CAREFUL!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jarret vaughn on Monday, October 20, 2008 - 11:36 am:

thanks for all the input !! It will be interesting & most of all fun! Thanks jarret


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail:

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration