MTFCA Forum

I am learning to drive my model t and have a couple of questions.

1. My model t as with many t’s wants to run forward when cranking. I’ve jacked it up or put wheel chokes in place to keep that from happening. Can the car be started with the parking/emergency brake engaged.

2. I have big feet so operating one lever and three pedals in a tight space is a challenge. After starting the car and getting it going can I move the brake lever all the way forward leaving it there and just use the clutch for shifting into 1st and 2nd as well as putting clutch pedal half way up for slowing down in neutral. i.e. not using brake lever for neutral.

3. When I release the clutch to go into 2nd the model t wants to shake a bit until I accelerate a bit. Is this customary? Am I shifting too quickly, too early or something.

Can the car be started with the parking/emergency brake engaged.

Yes. But sometimes cold starting is easier with the brake off and a rear wheel jacked off the floor. When starting with all wheels on the ground, wheel chocks are a good idea even with the brake on. I won't bore everybody with my embarrassing story again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKERRm95ARI

With the emergency handbrake engaged, when you are cranking the car you are fighting to break the clutch discs loose. That is why it is better to jack up a rear wheel, and allow the transmission to drive that wheel until the oil is heated up a bit.

Shuddering shifting from low to high may be a function of not matching the engine speed to the car speed as best you can. Throttle off as you let the pedal up for high gear and throttle on when the clutch is engaged. Or else, you may be changing into high gear without enough speed up for the engine to pull away smoothly. Have a play around and see. It all comes with practice.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Allan wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 08, 2024 7:25 am

With the emergency handbrake engaged, when you are cranking the car you are fighting to break the clutch discs loose. That is why it is better to jack up a rear wheel, and allow the transmission to drive that wheel until the oil is heated up a bit.

Shuddering shifting from low to high may be a function of not matching the engine speed to the car speed as best you can. Throttle off as you let the pedal up for high gear and throttle on when the clutch is engaged. Or else, you may be changing into high gear without enough speed up for the engine to pull away smoothly. Have a play around and see. It all comes with practice.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

How fast should one be going before shifting to high? I've had this problem ever since I got my car two years ago and I don't have much time to practice. I've heard it both ways: shift as soon as you are underway and shift when it's going faster. One of the things I tend to do is drop the throttle and THEN release the clutch. Maybe I should be doing those together for a smoother transition?

Regarding your shoe size, try these; works for me

Model Ts do not like thick oil, especially in cool weather. Use a good 10W30 oil. In colder weather. 5W20 will do a good job. I run my T on full synthetic 10W30 or 5W30. I drive it for miles on end at speeds of 40 to 45 MPH and have been doing so for over 15,000 miles, often in 100F weather. Thick oil will not lubricate the engine properly and will make starting more difficult, especially in cool weather. Ford recommended what today is called 20W oil. Multigrade oil is better. Modern oil is far better than the best oil available in the T era. Take advantage of it. My car competed in the Montana 500 race, averaging 53+ MPH over a 500 mile course running with 0W20 full synthetic oil.

Model T's could use a gear between low and high but you have to deal with what you've got. I accelerate to around 16 mph before shifting - To shift I reduce the throttle fully while releasing the low pedal. I advance the throttle after the clutches are fully engaged. I may experience a moment of stumbling during the transition which smooths out by the time I reach 20 mph.

I have huge feet - 14 extra wide. I use extenders on all pedals.

Hi Michael! As a fairly new T driver I can’t say that what I do will work for everyone, but most of my driving is in heavy city traffic, so I like to keep it flowing. But first I’m confused and nervous for you. How could you start with the hand crank and not have the brake handle pulled back to neutral? Does the car have a good adjustment for neutral with the e brakes applied? Maybe I misunderstood, and maybe I’m missing out on some fun but ive never jacked up a wheel and started in gear even when cold as I don’t seem to need to. My car just barely tries to creep when it’s really cold, but I may be a little anal on the neutral adjustment and like to keep it working.
What’s funny to me Is that sometimes I wish I had bigger feet than my 8’s when I’m slipping off the clutch pedal and trying to keep going! I try to teach as many people as possible to drive it and the last guy was wearing 14’s. It was definite tricky for him, and I really don’t have any advise for you as good as trying the $#!%kickers
For my car a smooth transition from low to high requires momentum. I try to switch right when low gear runs out of acceleration and the car can freewheel just briefly. I always retard the timing a bit, and drop the throttle to reduce rpm’s, reintroducing them as the car picks up speed. Uphill starts are a bit trickier, and if I miss the sweet spot then some finagling is required, but don’t slip the clutch. I just really drop the rpm’s and dump it, then let the car pick up the load as it likes. Can’t worry about the cars behind you, just smile and wave! It can be a bit frustrating for sure but I agree with Allan that practice is the key, and after four years I still totally blow it sometimes…
Good luck, stay safe and have fun! -Chris, in Boulder

Since the clutch plates are steel, there isnt much slipping that you can do to make it a smooth shift. If you do, the plates will get hot really quick. Tune the engine as best that you can to be able to dump the clutch and regain.
Ot- Oldavi8tor, I like your pedal grommeting that you have. Did you make it yourself?

After driving your car park it and put the brake handle all the way forward. This will put the car in high gear and force the oil from between the clutch plates. This will minimize drag when starting the car and tend to eliminate any forward creep when starting the car.

Thanks all for driving tips

Driving and shifting the T depends on many things. If you are starting out going uphill you might need to keep it in low until you reach the top of the hill whereas if you are in high and going faster when you encounter the hill you might be able to climb all the way in high. With these things in mind I don't pull over to let anyone pass until I get to the top because if I can't keep moving I will be even slower when I start going again. However when there is a slow moving vehicle lane, I will opt for that. One thing that bugs me is these new fangled cell phones with a camera. Many times when I am in the slow vehicle lane someone pulls along side me to take a picture and then when the lane ends, I cannot merge back.
Also, I find that when I wait for a stop sign or a signal, for very long I like to use the parking brake lever to hold in neutral because the bands and disks will last longer. With the foot, it is easy to push too hard and drag the band or not push hard enough and drag the disks. So I usually pull the lever into neutral and then push down the pedal to start out and move the lever forward before shifting into high. You also need to anticipate the speed of the engine after the shift. So, when shifting from low to high push up on the throttle as you shift and then pull down the throttle to gain speed in high after the shift. But when shifting from high to low you pull down the throttle as you shift and then adjust to the speed you wish to go. When you want to slow down or stop, you first push up the throttle then pump the brake pedal. The idea is to keep the oil between the band and the drum when you use the brake. If you have Ruckstell, there are other things to do when you shift the Ruckstell.
Norm

My first 2 Model T's were purchased within months of each other. One shifted between low and high smooth as silk. The other shifted hard with a bump and if I tried to shift by "slipping the clutch" it would not slip- it would just go bump-bump-bump (bouncing).
After meeting an experienced T owner it turned out that the smooth shifter T had FORD clutch plates that slip slightly upon engaging. The other T had had JACK RABBIT plates that are designed to "grab" upon engagement (not slip). With practice, a driver will learn to engage the JACK RABBIT smoothly by coordinating the throttle with engine speed/ground speed. There will still be a slight "bump", but the life-span and greatly exceeds the FORD plates, for me anyway.

600wt wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 09, 2024 1:39 pm

My first 2 Model T's were purchased within months of each other. One shifted between low and high smooth as silk. The other shifted hard with a bump and if I tried to shift by "slipping the clutch" it would not slip- it would just go bump-bump-bump (bouncing).
After meeting an experienced T owner it turned out that the smooth shifter T had FORD clutch plates that slip slightly upon engaging. The other T had had JACK RABBIT plates that are designed to "grab" upon engagement (not slip). With practice, a driver will learn to engage the JACK RABBIT smoothly by coordinating the throttle with engine speed/ground speed. There will still be a slight "bump", but the life-span and greatly exceeds the FORD plates, for me anyway.

That's the first time I'm hearing of this. I wonder if that's the problem with mine. I assume it was restored some 50 years ago...maybe less. When did they start using the Jack Rabbit plates? I don't suppose there is any way to know unless I take the transmission apart?

A T will shift from low to high as smooth as silk if it is running right, adjusted right, and the controls are handled right. Smooth downshifts can be done, too. An engine that is out of tune and linkages out of proper adjustment will make smooth driving more difficult, and even impossible. The car should not buck, lurch, backfire, or shake when shifting from low to high and and picking up speed. It should pull smoothly in high gear down to 5 or 6 MPH, or less, on part throttle and level ground. On level ground, a smooth shift from low to high can be made at 5 to 8 MPH if everything is working as it should, and the car should pick up speed smoothly on part throttle with spark retarded a little. When you reach 10 to 12 MPH, you can apply more throttle, if needed, and advance the spark. A car with a performance cam may not perform as well at very low speeds, but smooth shifts can be accomplish and revving the engine in low is not necessary. I don't think higher compression matters, as long as each cylinder has the same compression and the ignition is in good shape and the spark advance is managed properly.