MTFCA Forum

Hello T-people

I have a small drum axle half with a Ruckstell housing where the axle tube is very badly bent.
Now I plan to remove the Ruckstell housing and use it to convert a large rear drum.
I know that the length and alignment of the outside has to be exactly right in the end. Will I encounter any more difficulties?
Does the diameter of the axle tube have to be machined to fit into the housing?
What should I use so that the connection is tight at the end?

I'm happy about cartwheels.

Greetings from Switzerland

A friend a few years ago sent me these photos that may help you.

He did the same, removed the axle tube from the Ruckstell housing, by cutting off the tube, then drilled out rivets, then put saw cuts down into the axle tube with a SawsAll, to help collapse it, then beat the remains of the stub axle tube out of the Ruckstell housing.

Before you cut up the Ruckstell talk with Chaffins.
A few years ago I sent some out there to be made onto
Ruckstell. They could only use one cause the tube was too small to use.
They could also give you some pointers, think they have done a few. Dan

If you are going to replace the tube, purchase schedule 80, or extra heavy 2-inch dismeter pipe. This will give you the correct inside diameter for the tube and be sufficiently strong.

Dan gave some good advice however if memory serves me correct, cutting the large drum donor tube right at the junction of the tube to the pumpkin/differential case, you’ll have the correct length to insert into the Ruckstell housing. Don’t try to drill the holes right away rather mock the rear axle all the way up including radius rods driveshaft yada yada yada. Now you can be sure you’re in alignment and can adjust a bit. At that point I think we drilled the rivet holes took the rear axle apart then bucked the rivets. That was a decade or so ago when finding Ruckstell housings was tough.

Dan's method is definitely better than attempting to bore out the tube remnant like I did. Alignment of the backing plate is critical. John's suggestion of putting everything together before riveting is good advice.

Thanks for your feedback

I worked on my Ruckstell axle again today. First press out both pipes on the housings. That went without a problem.
I made a split plate with a hole and welded it together to press it out.

To align it, I attached a plate to the housing and the outside, which gave me the alignment specifications when I put it together on the workbench.

Then pressed in under the press with some Loctite. The fit was very tight.

Finally checked for straightness in the lathe. The outside is approximately 0.15 inches from the center. I just have to adjust it with a little heat and then everything will be perfect.

Greetings from Switzerland