Hope I spelled it correctly. Anybody ever heard of a PLANATOR made by STAR in LA. (assume CA) I haven't seen it, but described as a gear box that is installed in the drive shaft/ torque tube. Assume it is a reduction rather than OD. Any info will help. May install rather than Ruckstall because of price - but wonder about quality etc.

They are outstanding if in good shape. Work just like a Ruckstell. If you need parts you are completely on your own.

I have two nearly identical ones that I am rebuilding for a guy in Texas, if I can get caught up on carbs to where I can take a break I will be finishing them and delivering them to Texas in January or??? I was fortunate to buy a parts one after looking for a couple years, it will provide much needed parts for the two I am doing.

The only real problem I see with them is that they are a 50% reduction. They use a reduction system based on the T differential gears, locking one side so the carrier turns, effectively cutting the driven speed in half from the drive speed.

I have a ton of photos of these, I can post some or send you some if you want but not today. I am trying to get 3 OF's and the Schebler D off "Jack Benny's" Maxwell in the mail. Making tiny little parts for an added idle circuit. Driving me crazy. He needs it back for parade season in California.

Back to the shop.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/331880/366101.html?1370871637

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/125498.html?1266025196

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/61396.html

I have a Jumbo Planator on a 1915 touring that I am selling. I took the car to Hershey this year (no takers on the car) and many people were interested in the Planator for either they had one or they never heard of one. I like it because it is an underdrive and therefore gives me a low low and a low high. I don't drive over 35-40 so having one with an overdrive doesn't mean that much to me. It works great for parades and when you have a long 2 or 3 mile grade that would normally get you into low gear. I just put it into the low range and high gear. No fatigue holding the low speed for an extended time.

I have one in my '27 and it is great for those steep mountain roads in the Adirondacks and for a true free neutral. I would not use one without auxillary brakes because they can occasionally get stuck in neutral. They are pretty simple and use a lot of stock Ford rear end parts.

I have one in the Town Car. It uses mainly Model T gears, indeed there are only two unique gears. One is similar to the gear on the model T axle and the other a sliding dog clutch. At one time I had two in the shop and both had bad sliding gears. I bit the bullet and had two made by a shop in AZ. I also managed to get the original gear repaired by an expert welder. I still have one of the sliders if any one needs it.

Charles Star held the last patent for the Perfecto Axle which was the forerunner of the Ruckstell axle. This was the patent which Ruckstell bought and then redesigned it. Star then wet on to design the Planator.

Had I won the lottery on Wednesday I would've took that 15 touring off your hands. I must have looked it over 3 times.

I have a TT rear end assembly with a Jumbo Planator transmission. Here is the data plate on the unit.

Rich C.