MTFCA Forum

Hey everyone! Model T newbie here with an easy question for you all. I'm looking for a good first T and I've come across a very nice '24 TT stake bed truck. I've been reading what I can find about TT's and have seen a couple of statements that make me curious. First was a blurb that said the TT chassis was 900 pounds heavier than the standard T? I know, heavier axle and wheels, & longer chassis, but 900 pounds? Second, and more important- do all TT's have the same lower gearing? And how much does this reduce your cruising speed?
I'm asking because I just attended last month's open house- my first MTFCA event. I really enjoyed it, especially Friday's tour. A very nice young man gave me a ride in his depot hack and we were making great time until we experienced an unfortunate navigational error (sorry Rod). Anyways, I don't want to spend the rest of my life being tail end Charlie, with everyone waiting for me to catch up (I already provide that service on group bicycle rides). So can your average TT trucks keep up with the pack on group tours?

John,

A 5 to 1 rear end will impress you as I found out years back. Could get up and cruise at 34 mph all day long.

Hope this helps,

Hank

A stock Model T engine runs well at 1600 RPM. 1800 RPM is about as fast as one needs to run. High gear is 1:1. A stock TT rear axle is about xx 5.8:1 xx (more like 7.8:1) Determine rear wheel diameter and do the math.

This one has 7:1 rear end gears and a Chicago 3 speed with the 23" kelsey rear wheels. The 9 ft wood bed and wood cab makes it pretty heavy. Have never weighed it. I run in direct drive most of the time. 25 mph is where its happy. In Chicago overdrive it will run 42mph . It has a very stock engine with cast iron pistons. Engine balanced and aluminum pistons and advanced cam can increase speeds.$$$ is the only thing you need. I am not really a tour guy so speed is not a factor.

Being last in line has its advantaged. You get to see all those cars without looking in the mirror. If you take a wrong turn, you blame the cars in front.

TT's are fun because you dont see as many on the road. They are useful around the farm for many things. In the photo above, the neighbors wanted to go for icecream.

That's a well-equipped truck. I beleive I was in error previously concerning 5.8:1 being the stock TT rear axle ratio. I'd love to have a TT, but I'd definitely want an auxilliary gearbox.

Dallas, that is pretty cool. Looks like a truckload of Menonites enjoying the day, get ice cream without firing up the ol' hit-n-miss!

Nice pic, nice truck. Good that you got it fixed up to go faster when you want or need it. We like to tour around 28-30, I try to hold mine down to 29, both Clara and especially Isabel the torpedo love to go faster.

Perusing past Forums on actual scale weight from various TT owners; the range of reports varied between 2200 lbs and 2750 lbs depending on equipment. Considering the stock engine/tranny was the same as a T, 800-900 lbs difference coupled with a much lower ratio differential would give up a much slower vehicle. And, John, to answer one of your questions, there were 2 differential ratios. The earliest was the 7.16/1 and later (usually with Ruckstell equipped) was the 5.25/1

I have a '24 TT, and also Drive a '13 T that I'm working on. I've put a BUNCH of miles on the TT. Scat Crank, Aluminum Pistons, 280 Cam, E-Timer, and for a while it had an OD1 Carb on it. I Liked the Power of the OD1, I did not like the Idle of the OD1, so I took it off.

The TT is a Chore to drive.. you don't Drive a TT, you Ride a TT.. They are heavier, Slower, Need to Spin Faster, and not as Comfortable as a Passenger T. A 45 Minute Drive in the TT is Tiresom. a Two Hour Drive in the TT is a Work Out. I can hit 42 with the 7:1 gears( CORECTION 5:1 GEARING.. It was a 7:1 and we changed it ), and a Lane-Warford Aux transmission. Dad had a Cast Iron Warford in it at First, and it'd do 48 MPH!.. But with the Warford, you cant 'Shift on the Fly' like you can with the Lane-Warford. So we switched it and it has a Slower Overdrive, and a Faste Underdrive.. I think this was built for a Car.

However, the '13 Passenger T, a 45 Minute drive is an 'Excursion'.. I'm not as Fatigues as the TT, after the same 45 Minute Drive ( One way to Work ).. I've not done the 2 Hour Drive yet in the '13, but I will when I drive it back to it's Home..

Sit in a TT, and try to get comfortable. Then sit in a T and Get Comfortable.. See which one you like the best.

That said, I'm off in the TT to go to Home Depot to get TWO sheets of Plywood.. The TT is my Only Truck, and I use it as one..

Presently ~3/4" plywood is about $85 a sheet now.. I need to finish up my Wheel Press to put new Spokes in the '13. I'm bringing my bag of Gold, and hope I have some left when I get back..

Cap

Cap wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:39 am

I have a '24 TT, and also Drive a '13 T that I'm working on. I've put a BUNCH of miles on the TT. Scat Crank, Aluminum Pistons, 280 Cam, E-Timer, and for a while it had an OD1 Carb on it. I Liked the Power of the OD1, I did not like the Idle of the OD1, so I took it off.

The TT is a Chore to drive.. you don't Drive a TT, you Ride a TT.. They are heavier, Slower, Need to Spin Faster, and not as Comfortable as a Passenger T. A 45 Minute Drive in the TT is Tiresom. a Two Hour Drive in the TT is a Work Out. I can hit 42 with the 7:1 gears, and a Lane-Warford Aux transmission. Dad had a Cast Iron Warford in it at First, and it'd do 48 MPH!.. But with the Warford, you cant 'Shift on the Fly' like you can with the Lane-Warford. So we switched it and it has a Slower Overdrive, and a Faste Underdrive.. I think this was built for a Car.

However, the '13 Passenger T, a 45 Minute drive is an 'Excursion'.. I'm not as Fatigues as the TT, after the same 45 Minute Drive ( One way to Work ).. I've not done the 2 Hour Drive yet in the '13, but I will when I drive it back to it's Home..

Sit in a TT, and try to get comfortable. Then sit in a T and Get Comfortable.. See which one you like the best.

That said, I'm off in the TT to go to Home Depot to get TWO sheets of Plywood.. The TT is my Only Truck, and I use it as one..

Presently ~3/4" plywood is about $85 a sheet now.. I need to finish up my Wheel Press to put new Spokes in the '13. I'm bringing my bag of Gold, and hope I have some left when I get back..

Cap

After a 10 mile or so run @42, see if you can hold your hand on the rear end center section.
It would be interesting to calculate your engine RPM's I think it will shock you.

Corrected Previous Post.. 5:1 Gearing Now..

Cap

Cap wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:01 pm

Corrected Previous Post.. 5:1 Gearing Now..

Cap

That makes more sense. Still, touch that rear axle, if you havent yet.

Dallas, Dallas, Dallas. Have you forgotten already what is in that rearend. It has the "high" speed ( ) 5to1 gears in it. Am I going to have to give you a refresher course on that old girl? Dave

A couple more points. If you use an auxiliary trans, a set of aftermarket accessory outside rear brakes is HIGHLY recommended because when the aux trans is in neutral, you have no brakes other than the emergency brake, and that can be iffy in a panic situation. Also, the old straight tooth aux. transmissions can be shifted up or down very easily IF, you install an accessory foot throttle. With one of those, you can shift it just as any other vehicle with a straight tooth trans, such as a Model A, by double clutching. As with most anything on a T, there is of course a learning curve. Not difficult at all if you can find someone to give you some pointers. (AKA, us old guys that cut our teeth driving '40's-'50's vehicles) Dave

I knew that Dave. It wont happen again!

This came to me with an unbalanced, likely original build drivetrain and 7:1 gears,
with a Ruckstell. It went OK to about 15 and then the shaking began. At about 20
the vibration slowed and a wound out speed of about 23-25 could be achieved, but
the poor engine was really going !

A rebuild with careful balance was done. A Z-head added, C-race cam, SCAT crank,
and an OF carb rounded out the engine tweaks. Out back, I swapped in a 5:1 gear
set, and with some good tuning, the old dog will kick down the road comfortably at
40, with a top speed of 48 on flat ground. I have no overdrive, but plans are in the
works for a Lincoln 3-speed to get that. The math says this will make 55mph cruising,
with a top speed of perhaps 65 ?

Now, realities being what they are, this is insanity territory for a vehicle with serious
braking limitations and the positive steering of a T.

I use my TT as a truck, and most times it is found either hauling materials or open
road trips like in the photo. Speed for getting "out there" is good, but my pleasure
driving is generally done on Model T era roads, where going much over 25 is limited
by the road itself.

As it was explained to me when I got serious about owning one of these, there are
two sides to this challenge. One is gearing, and the other is developing enough "umph!"
to push those gears on such a limited power range engine. Both sides of this must be
addressed to get a decent cruising speed in all terrains.

Cap, my '13 touring runs so smooth and quiet I can drive it all day and not get tired. Hope urs is or will be that way once you're finished with it. Go for the long haul! You won't be disappointed.

My TT has the 5:1 gears and will cruise at 30 MPH just fine. You can't keep up with a tour unless you go with a aux. transmission. KC Warford makes a real good trans. for the TT that will let you keep up with the speed of the cars. You will still need a good strong running motor in any case.