Advice on Shifting a Ruckstell

[popeyet]

I'm shifting my newly rebuilt Ruckstell pretty well. But looking for experienced methods of shifting from Ruckstell High to Ford High. Advice?

[Norman Kling]

Anticipate the speed of the engine after the shift is made. If shifting down to Ruckstell, leave the throttle down and adjust after the shift is made.
When shifting to Ford high, the engine will be going slower so as you move the shifter move the throttle up as you push the clutch into neutral and then after the shift is made, let out the Ford clutch to slow the engine. Than adjust to the amount of gas you need after the shift is made.
Norm

[Kerry]

I have a 27 T with a Rux and the spring load shifter and drive it the same as my truck days with an Eaton diff, just get to speed in Ford top and Rux low and throttle off at the same time as shifting to Rux Hi. feet stay away from pedals. Your question of Rux Hi to Ford Hi is just driving a normal T.

[Original Smith]

I don't believe there is anything called Ruckstell high! You are either in Ruckstell, or you are not!

[Kerry]

Ford called the Rux a 2 speed axle so a low is obvious in the thinking and yes, the other a direct but the Canadian Rux's that came to Australia mostly had, as the parts books called it a, Crown gear and pinion of 3 to 1 ratio, so although still a direct drive it was higher than a stock rear end therefore I'm still happy to call it Ruckstell low and high.

[Allan]

Perhaps it is time to recognise that a Ruckstell axle is a very handy gadget to give a T model a gear between bottom and top. The only time a Ruckstell is usually used is to change to Ruckstell low to help pull hills which are too steep for the T to climb in high gear, or to crawl in Ford low gear in a parade. The so called Rucktell high is just a direct drive like a standard T. Forget Ruckstell high, it is Ruckstell low which is desirable. So, when you are taking advantage of your Ruchstell you are using Ruckstell low.

Allan from down under.

[Dliepelt]

I've had 3:1 in a '26 Ruxtell and Rockys in my '15 Touring for 25 years. Its my daily driver 8 months of the year. Yes, its a Mid-West Flatland T because thats where I live. Every day I lift the crank. That Ruxtell makes it such a joy to live with.

I made a left shifter from a p-brake lever with pillow blocks on top of the frame so the lever comes up thru the very rear of p-brake slot, and extends above the "door". Its very comfortable to get to without reaching too far.

I start off in Ruxtell low every stop. Get to Ford hi and wound out, I blip the throttle closed and open at same moment I push lever to Ruxtell hi, No Clutch. It just slips in.

Coming to a sharp turn, or up hill, or to a stop, I tap the clutch as I pull back to low. Thats it. I shift up and down same as manual trans, every curve and every rise. Makes life a joy.

And I truly cant imagine why anyone would run a Ruxtell with the early non-sprung shifter assembly. Those assemblies are interchangeable. Ruxtell changed the design for a reason. So many people have got hurt. That spring keeps it in gear! Even then Ive down shifted a few times on a hill pulling and it slipped in between for a moment. All the early assemblies should have been destroyed.

[Stephen_heatherly]

The ruckstell instruction book refers to the 4 speeds you have with a ruckstell equipped car as follows

1 being the lowest and 4 being the highest

1. Ruckstell low (Ruckstell shift lever pulled back and transmisson in low)

2. Ford low (Ruckstell shifter forward and transmission in low)

3. Ruckstell high (Ruckstell shifter pulled back and transmission in high)

4. Ford High (Ruckstell shifter forward and transmission in high)

Using the terminology from the Ruckstell book, the terms Ruckstell and Ford refer to the position the Ruckstell shifter is in. Ruckstell means the Ruckstell shifter is back and the planetary reduction gears are in operation.Ford means the shift lever is forward and the planetary reduction gears are not in operation. The terms low and high refer to what speed the transmission is in. Low the pedal is depressed and high means the pedal is released.
Using a combination of these words, the four speeds can be described. It's a little confusing but makes sense after a while.
Stephen

[rickd]

From a Ruckstell pamphlet.

[Allan]

So, we have two standard Ford gears. Then we have two lower speeds courtesy of the Ruckstell. When the Ruckstell is engaged, it is in low.

Allan from down under.

[Kevin Pharis]

Whew! Not that the terminology is settled…

I'm shifting my newly rebuilt Ruckstell pretty well. But looking for experienced methods of shifting from Ruckstell High to Ford High. Advice?

It’s all about timing… and reaching thru the steering wheel with your left hand… and throttling back… but not too far back… with a little clutch… but not too much clutch… a quick shove on the lever at just the right time… and “CLICK” you nailed it! Now you just have to put your hands back in the right places, sharply correct the steering, throttle back up, re-acquire potential road hazards, and off you go! Ahh the good ol days… when a vehicles performance was a measurement of a drivers skill. Now days, anybody can make driving look easy

[bobt]

I own two T's and each have a Ruckstell. The only thing I can add is "shift the Ruckstell with AUTHORITY" When shifting in or out, don't try to ease it gently but that doesn't mean yank it like the strong man from the circus either. I rarely use Ruckstell low but I use Ruckstell high all the time. Ruckstell high allows me to cruise at 25 mph without having to hold the clutch pedal down. Some folks think that a Ruckstell rear end is a high speed rear when it it actually a mid-range gearing system. Try all of the methods listed above and you will find one that works for you. bobt

[MikeRobert]

Shifting from Ruckstell High to Ford High in a newly rebuilt Ruckstell can be a bit tricky. Here are a few tips:
Smooth acceleration: Gradually accelerate to avoid sudden jolts or strain on the transmission.
Timing: Shift at the appropriate RPM range for your specific Ruckstell model. Consult your owner's manual for exact guidelines.
Clutch control: Use a smooth and controlled clutch release to minimize shock to the transmission.
Practice: The more you practice shifting between Ruckstell High and Ford High, the smoother and more efficient you'll become.
Remember, each Ruckstell model may have slightly different shifting characteristics, so it's always a good idea to consult your owner's manual for specific guidance.

[Dan Hatch]

It is easy. “Drive it like you stole it.”

[Allan]

Mike, how does one shift from Ruxtell high to Ford high? Ruxtell high means the Ruxtell is already in Ford standard high gear. Do you mean from Ruxtell low to Ford high?

Allan from down under.

[Stephen_heatherly]

Mike, how does one shift from Ruxtell high to Ford high? Ruxtell high means the Ruxtell is already in Ford standard high gear. Do you mean from Ruxtell low to Ford high?

Allan from down under.

Ruckstell high means, the Ruckstell under drive is engaged(shift lever pulled back) and the transmission is in high. Ford High means, the Ruckstell shift lever is forward and the transmission is in high.

Stephen

[Dliepelt]

You have Ruxtell Low and High. (The Lever)

You have Ford Low and Hi. (The Pedal)

2 gearboxes. 4 combinations.

[bobt]

..............

[A Whiteman]

This is fun

From the brochure:

"Fourth Gear" = "Standard Ford High"
How do you get it? - Ruckstell 'high' (lever forward which is a 'direct' gear) + Ford high (pedal OUT)
Used? Normal road driving
Used most of the time

"Third Gear" = "Ruckstell Intermediate High"
How do you get it? - Ruckstell 'low' (lever back which is an 'under drive' gear) + Ford high (pedal OUT)
Used? Dirt roads, rougher tracks, maybe slight uphills on paved roads, whenever you feel if works best for you.
Used often

"Second Gear" = "Standard Ford Low"
How do you get it? - Ruckstell 'high' (lever forward which is a 'direct' gear) + Ford low (pedal IN)
Used? Starting off, heading up (steep) hills
Used 'normally'

"First Gear" = "Ruckstell Emergency Low"
How do you get it? - Ruckstell 'low' (lever back which is an 'under drive' gear) + Ford low (pedal IN)
Used? Really heavy loads up hill, up a long and/or steep hill, whenever you feel the need for extra pull but this is SLOW
Not used much

BONUS

"Second Reverse Gear" = "Standard Ford Reverse"
How do you get it? - Ruckstell 'high' (lever forward which is a 'direct' gear) + Ford REVERSE (reverse pedal IN)
Used? Normal reversing
Used most of the time when going backwards (I hope!)

"First Reverse Gear" = "Ruckstell Emergency Reverse"
How do you get it? - Ruckstell 'low' (lever back which is an 'under drive' gear) + Ford REVERSE (reverse pedal IN)
Used? Reversing up hill, with a load on or when you just want to go slowly (into a garage for example)
Whenever you need that extra low down power


Now for some real fun - with the overdrive in my TT I get 8 gears forward and 4 reverse:

Oh never mind it got a bit complicated to explain them all .......

[bobt]

This is my understanding---Leaver pulled back = You are IN Ruckstell. Leaver pushed FORWARD = You are OUT of ruckstell. You are either IN Ruckstell or you are OUT of Ruckstell Then, HIGH speed and LOW speed are controled by the pedal.

[Kerry]

You might as well just call it hi or low as Ruckstell is not a ratio but a brand name.

[Allan]

Forgive me Stephen. I did not realise that Ruckstell high was when the axle was in low!

Allan from down over.

[popeyet]

Thanks for everyone's input, though I think it got kind of silly.

From the explanations and opinions I determined that I was being a bit too shy with the shifter. I have settled in on running up to about 28 mph in Ruckstell with the pedal up in high gear...then reducing the spark, moving to neutral(ish) and popping quickly into Ford gears.

This is working well, sometimes very smooth, sometimes a little noise, but not having problems with the shift anymore.

Thanks,
Chris

[A Whiteman]

Thanks for the feedback Glad you are getting the hang of it, enjoy!