MTFCA Forum

Made a shakedown run on a non-Ruckstell '24 TT. Acquired it a few years ago. Seller claimed engine and trans were rebuilt. Engines runs and sounds good. Low gear and reverse gear excellent. High gear not so good. Seems to not engage fully. Very very slow and unable to climb a slight slope even at full throttle. What might be the cause? Any tips to remedy the problem? Thank you.

Check first that the handbrake/clutch lever is fully forward and clutch is engaged. Sometimes floor board shifts and causes the handle to not fully release the clutch spring.. verify by looking up under to be sure the adj. bolt on the clutch lever arm clears the cam on the cross shaft.

Then most likely the clutch needs adjusting, follow the procedure in Ford Service book, adjusting the 3 clutch screws in side the inspection cover.

jaybee47 wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:08 pm

Very very slow and unable to climb a slight slope even at full throttle.

Sounds like the average TT to me... Maybe nothing is wrong with it? Find an experienced TT owner and see what their opinion is.

A TT that won't climb a slight slope is possibly normal? With a worm drive?

there's a problem.

If high is slipping, and it's a standard Ford clutch, it'll likely be a simple adjustment as described earlier. If it is an aftermarket clutch, it is adjusted the same way, but is intolerant of slipping and may quickly be ruined. If adjusting the fingers does not work right away, you must stop driving it and take Adam's suggestion and ask for experienced help to possibly avoid significant repairs in the near future. TT's are slow, but will pull heavy loads and not even blink at a hill.

Actually, he really didn't say the clutch was slipping,....he just said "very, very slow and wouldn't climb a slight slope, even at full throttle". He also said the engine sounded good, so I would think "at full throttle", he'd know if the clutch was slipping,......???

I think Dan and Scott said it. My TT with high speed gears will haul 17 people in high gear up hills with no problem. Thats over a ton of people. Standard gears should be even better. If its at full throttle and not able to climb a small hill, I would see if brakes are dragging or clutch slipping.

Harold

I don't know what jay "knows". He states it runs fine in low and reverse, but will not climb even a small grade in high and asked for help. There are not many things which will hold back a TT when it is operating correctly, and because of that, there are not many choices to look into.

Scott - Yeah,...we really need a bit more information. Not only on how well the engine actually runs, but I'm thinking that maybe sometimes, somebody that's new to Model T's may just have too high "expectations", and for that matter, a T engine can seem to sound pretty good to a "newby" that isn't really sure how a healthy T engine sounds, and can fire pretty evenly on just two cylinders,....if it's the right two cylinders, right?

My non Ruckstell '24 TT C Cab would not pick up speed after shifting into high gear. At full throttle in high gear, it would go very much slower than a crawl when compared to a standard high gear speed when the road is flat and even. When there is a slope on the road, with the TT in high gear, it was unable to move forward until a shift to low gear was made. Reverse and low gears have normal and prompt responses.

The previous owner told me that the engine, trans and drive line were rebuilt. I trusted that information and proceeded to completely restore, refurbish and replace all sheet metal and other components as necessary. These were completed a couple of months ago. The weather was good recently and a shakedown run was made and the high speed dilemma was experienced.

I've had T's since 1982 but am not an expert by any means. I have always relied on the advice from other T enthusiasts and from the T manual. I have two TT's with the first having a fully rebuilt engine, transmission and rear end that I contracted to a professional. When comparing the two TT's, their operational characteristics and engine sounds are very similar, almost equal, except for the high gear condition on the second TT.

I suspected that the problem was due to a clutch adjustment. Before I proceeded to tighten the clutch fingers and adjust the low speed connector clevis and lever screw, I thought to post my dilemma into the Forum with the hope of affirming my prognosis and to also garner additional advice.

Attached are pictures of the TT C Cab. Not a complete OEM factory replica but reconstructed to suit my personal choices and preferences. Just having fun.

I appreciate all comments and advice. It is a way for me to learn more.

I forgot to attach the pictures.

More pictures

Nice looking TT Jay. Keep us posted as to what the problem is after checking some of the advise above.

OOOOH Eye Candy!!!! Nice Ride!

Hank

OOOOH Eye Candy!!!! Nice Ride!

Hank

It is about Hanks color green. Its a real looker Jay.

LOVELY truck!

the other thing that I failed to mention in my earlier post is the possibility that even with the brake lever thrown fully forward, the shift lever's bolt is not clearing the cam on the brake shaft completely. That or there is just a little tension on the clevis when in high gear, or very possibly, the slot in the floorboard needs to extend a little further toward the firewall (see if the brake lever is being held back a tad by the floorboard).

I think you're very close to having a running truck, but as I mentioned in another post, since you do not know what brand of clutch is in it, you scarecly dare to let it slip anymore.

Best of luck.

What Scott said! Wow.
Keep the information coming. These guys will get it.

Do both trucks being compared have air filters?

Both trucks have air filters. I prefer to not have any thing sucked into the carbs. A few years ago several spider cocoons that nested in the engine area of my friend's T were sucked into its carb. Ever since I've been cautious.

"spider cocoons" Just a little upper lube when the eggs get smooshed! LOL