MTFCA Forum

Is there anyone near Reading PA that has Ruckstell axel rebuild experience? When I bolt in the driveshaft the pinion binds. Using the modern driveshaft spool. The spool is set per the instructions. I think at this point I need hands on help.

Thanks

Bryan

If you are using the non-adjustable modern pinion bearing setup, you can adjust the pinion depth in the housing by stacking the thin gaskets that go between the driveshaft and the housing.

https://www.modeltford.com/item/2583G.aspx

There may be better ways, hopefully others will chime in.

It is that type. I’ve added the amount of shims as per the instructions. There is binding at one or two spots in the ring gear rotated. The rest of the time it turns freely.

If you are not using the special lock washers on the spool/driveshaft tube bolts, when you tighten up the first couple of bolts the lock washer may hit and shift the tube to one side just a little that can cause a slight bind. I just ran into this problem and if I had hair I would have pulled it out before I found the problem.

Fixing such a problem should not be done by drawing the pinion gear out of mesh using shims. If the pinion is set to the correct depth in relation to the ring gear, the mesh should be adjusted by shifting the ring gear away from the pinion. That way, the correct rolling fit in the gear teeth is maintained.

It is decades since I rebuilt a Rucktell, but getting the diff centre assembly fitted to maintain the correct mesh involves fitting shims on either side, either at the ball bearing on the Ruckstell carrier or behind the steel thrust washer on the right side. On a standard T axle the job is easy. On a Ruckstell it may be just as easy, but it has been a long time since I biult mine.

Others may be more familiar with the process.

Allan from down under.

After reading his Facebook post, pretty sure he is using the adjustable setup.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Fordmod ... &ref=notif

oliverguy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 25, 2023 8:13 pm

Is there anyone near Reading PA that has Ruckstell axel rebuild experience? When I bolt in the driveshaft the pinion binds. Using the modern driveshaft spool. The spool is set per the instructions. I think at this point I need hands on help.

Thanks

Bryan

What pinion bearing set up are you using? If it's a fun projects style, I'll bet the bolt head on the clamp collar is rubbing on the inside of the torque tube, preventing the drive shaft from turning.

Stephen

If it's a fun projects style, I'll bet the bolt head on the clamp collar is rubbing on the inside of the torque tube, preventing the drive shaft from turning.

Yes. Some tubes have a protrusion inside. Easily fixed with a little grinding.

Hi Bryan,
Are you rebuilding the complete rear & shaft or just replacing the the pinion bearing? The head of the clamping screw in the collar
can hit inside the tube, grinding the head to a cone shape helps. The first one of these pinion bearing assemblies I installed drove
me nuts ( for me nuts is so close I can walk) until I discovered the bearing bore was not concentric with the pinion housing so if I
turned the housing the it changed the gear clearance. As I had not thought of this I did not mark the housing in relation to the rear
end housing. Once I figured this out it was a simple task to just rotate the housing until the gear mesh was correct and then orient
the drive shaft. If to many shim gaskets are needed to get the correct mesh consider making a metal shim so the paper shims don't
compress over time leaving the pinion housing loose.
Craig.

I agree with the comments regarding the head of the set screw on the shaft collar hitting a bump on the inside of drive shaft tube. I have experienced this on two rebuilds using modern pinions. Either clean up the inside of the tube with a small grinder or knock the corner of the set screw off with a grinder. I think that will solve your problem.