Ruckstell housing question

[Mark Gregush]

I have been collecting parts to put a Ruckstell together for a while now. I had gotten the housing which had the axle tube cut off which will allow me to ether go small or big drum setup, but that is not my question. Has anyone sleeved the casting where the thrust bearing goes? As it is now, the hole is somewhat wallowed out, so bearing fits loose and rocks a bit, otherwise the casting is good. Would be worth the time and effort to fix this or should I just look for better housing, this is something I would have to farm out and don't want to use sleeve/bearing lock.

[speedytinc]

I would look for a better housing. Having the thrust bearing area fixed would be more costly than its worth & would the housing be correctly re-machined?? The axle tube being cut does have bearing in the decision. The old tube would need to be removed from the Diff casting & replaced anyway.
I certainly wouldnt consider grafting another axle tube & backing plate to the cut off axle tube.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Mark, I am kind in a similar quandary as I have a Big Drum Ruckstell that I need to either convert (-or exchange) it into a Small Drum. If I convert mine, I will need to remove and install a Small Drum tube. I would do all the machining in-house.

As far as the direction I would go if I were in your shoes is, I would either look at using a tailpipe expander tool (-available at Harbor Freight or Amazon) and use it along with your torch to expand the tube enough to tighten the fit into your present housing. The other option I would look at is to MIG weld the end of the tube to build-up the perimeter of the tube, and then have it machined to a thou or thou and a half press fit.

[Mark Gregush]

The cutoff tube has been pressed out so would only need to trim the tube on different one and press back in. I saw in the past that Stan had suggested plug welding the doner tube in instead of riveting.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Mark, I am kind in a similar quandary as I have a Big Drum Ruckstell that I need to either convert (-or exchange) it into a Small Drum. If I convert mine, I will need to remove and install a Small Drum tube. I would do all the machining in-house.

I think all you would need to do is to swap out the backing plates. Really though, I would just try to trade the large drum housing for a small drum type.

[Original Smith]

Having a Ruckstell or a standard housing could be bent. Good idea to have them checked.

[Karl Von Neumann]

I have a spare housing with the tube cut off the guts had issues of you want another hosting I'd sell it

[Mark Gregush]

Thanks Karl but not looking for another project. The housing was given to me and because it was free, was the only reason I was messing with it.