MTFCA Forum

A Whiteman

Thanks Leo

A Whiteman

I am looking for advice and guidance on refurbishing a Stewart speedo dial. As can be seen in the picture below, the dial has been affected by copper verdigris. Can this be easily removed without also removing the black lettering? I have pondered using a mild acid like lemon juice or vinegar. If cle...

A Whiteman

Many thanks to Justin of the museum for these pictures. It seems the museum has a real life STAUDE tractor conversion on site:

A Whiteman

Dan made a good point. "Quick fix" is swap polarity on the old battery now and again, and keep those points clean.
Given usual T mileage, that has not been an issue for me (yet)

A Whiteman

I have run my truck on battery for years. I have a separate 12v battery (the lights, starter, horn etc still run on 6 v) wired to the 'MAG' position and keep the 6V still on the 'BAT', that way I can be sure of always having spark! The 12V is 'total discharge' - meaning it is not hooked up to a Gene...

A Whiteman

Roll On Summer!

(At Frog Rock, North Canterbury, New Zealand)

A Whiteman

I would suggest getting modern linings bonded to the shoes, champher the ends and you are ready to go. A lot easier than rivets

A Whiteman

Yep, my truck gets used around the land too

A Whiteman

OIL, -- you will get many opinions :-) Yes, most modern oils are better than those back in the day. Also we do not as high viscosity (thickness) as was needed back in the day due to technology improvements. I run a 'non EP additive' 140 weight oil in my TT with a Ruckstell. It is most important to u...

A Whiteman

Bone stock we have been told some topped out at 25 mph. Noooo. My first TT was stock with 7:1 rear and had a top speed of 17 mph, just like it was designed to have. Driveshaft whip and vibration were bad over 17 mph. This is more like it, maybe a mile or two faster if your engine/trans/drive train ...

A Whiteman

It's always a good idea to take a look.
First of all, there might be something on that wreck that is actually worth something.
Also, the seller may have other items of interest that he may be willing to sell.
You don't know until you get there.

Ahh, I think like you too

A Whiteman

Please see the dealership in the Gallery at: https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/1316

Does anyone have a picture of one 'in the flesh' you could add?

A Whiteman

Hi William, Welcome to the hobby!! T driving is fun and you do meet the nicest people :-) Thanks for posting here and asking - that is a good thing to do. Please look around for the nearest T club in your area and join in a run or two. I am sure you will be allowed to have a supervised drive if you ...

A Whiteman

Cadmium appeared in the 30s and 40s as a plating for iron, so came too late for the T. Good old zinc was what was used as Steve says: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmium

A Whiteman

Welcome!
Love the motorcycle tyres - fit the description nicely

A Whiteman

Have a read of this document, it explains the process.
Cheers

Ruckstel operating instructions.pdf: (1.44 MiB) Downloaded 87 times

A Whiteman

Develop a website, post your products on here with a referral to it and get over it. Is that not advertising? Is that not banned? I do miss discussions of 'new products' and information - both positive and negative. Helps keep me 'edumacated' and 'up ta date'. Such discussion cannot possibly hurt t...

A Whiteman

Welcome to the hobby and especially to Model Ts. A good start is to look around for the local T club (maybe someone can chime in with the directions). Spokes are not that hard to replace yourself if you are careful, check twice and follow the good instructions available. Do a 'google search on this ...

A Whiteman

Well Christopher, TTs are FUN, and you can use them for a lot of other things around the home too! So don't be shy to use it

A Whiteman

Looks good on my tractors too

A Whiteman

I use vinyl decals from the local sign writer shop. They cut from a graphic. My TT has had them for over 11 years now, still look just as good as when applied.

(1 son and 3 daughters so the 'daughters' is a little larger by ratio

)

A Whiteman

IMHO, probably the major cause of broken cranks in a 'non-souped up' engine is a misaligned 4th main and then line boring of mains not properly done 'in line' (it is scary how many 'professionals' can't get that right!). If all mains don't line up 'square' the crank flexes just a bit = stress fractu...

A Whiteman

A good polish does not remove much material. Abrasive ones should be avoided - that is like sandpapering the parts. Cheers

A Whiteman

I have a regular 'rendezvous' with the nickel (and aluminium) in my 1924 Morris. I found that metal polish works best BUT not all polishes actually work as advertised. U.S.Brands are different to those we have in New Zealand, so naming a brand my not be helpful. It took me several attempts with 4 di...

A Whiteman

A Whiteman

Martyn Vowell has done a lot of research on this: app.php/gallery/album/59

A Whiteman

Have a look in the gallery section: app.php/gallery/album/48/page/2?sk=n&sd=a
good luck!

A Whiteman

Hi there, welcome to the T forum! To answer your question ….. well, it depends! My suggestion is to meet up with some Model T folk near you (this forum will smoke them out!) and just see if the T 'gels' with you. The T is either loved or not it seems. Next, yes, some mechanical ability is pretty muc...

A Whiteman

I believe that trucks used 'old style' (1925) guards right through production. They did not use the updated car style fenders. Henry thought why waste the stock on hand for an old truck?

A Whiteman

Whew! That is a good find!
Nothing like a bit of grease to smooth the way

A Whiteman

Hi Steven, Good question, I can't recommend what to do. Do you have the MTFCA book on differential rebuild? Well worth getting that and it covers setting clearances and provides advice what to do. Mine is in the workshop across the year and I can't recall that passage by heart... Generally the clear...

A Whiteman

Thanks for the pictures!

Also, see Martynn Vowell's great line drawings here in the gallery section. He spent a lot of time getting the various versions and assemblies in order: app.php/gallery/album/59

A Whiteman

Welcome to the TT world. It is 'different' but the 'same' as T cars :-) You are doing the best thing possible - Asking and Thinking and Checking :-) There is no 'neutral' between gears in the T/TT transmission like a 'normal' stick shift gearbox has, but the unit does in fact have a clutch with plat...

A Whiteman

I have been enjoying Steve's latest adventure posts and those pictures make me want to join in the ride. Even with the rain and the security guard moving him on, it seems like I am missing out on something not being there :-) - Thanks Steve - keep the posts coming! I can appreciate Steve's frustrati...

A Whiteman

I meant to add, if you have the later long nose shifter, that is a plus. Better spring tension to keep the selector engaged.

A Whiteman

Could be a broken bronze gear casting. That broke on my TT and I had the same problem - no more standard drive, only low. It also gives a nasty 'neutral' if you shift into standard, no braking either in that case. Tear down and see if you can replace the casting if possible. It usually cracks near t...

A Whiteman

OK, this is sort of related to Ts, in that the video features the biggest Kingston 5 Ball Carb you are every likely to see. The carb is fully reverse engineered and made from scratch for a Roberts aircraft engine, which is itself, also made from reverse engineering. Other clips show the engine start...

A Whiteman

Many thanks Herm, that is what I wanted to know, good summary

Cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

Thanks guys, as I originally posted, the 'new strong spring' is fitted (first thing to do). Strength I mean durability and resistance to slipping. The standard metal plates do tend to slip with time - they are under more load in my TT than in a car when in overdrive, hence my interest in the options...

A Whiteman

Your ideas and advice on the merits of the Jack Rabbit and Turbo 400 clutch plate sets would be appreciated. My main issue is the clutch not slipping under load in Albert (1926 TT). I carry a bit of weight and the standard plates tend not to 'hold' over time, therefore 'strength' is my main goal. A ...

A Whiteman

Yes, is it "over engineered" or "built right"

I am leaning to your definitions

Do it once, do it well, built to last..

A Whiteman

Very nice Brent, You are so right about the old trucks drawing out folk. I told my (then) teenage son he could borrow Albert as its a real 'chick magnet'. ?? Yep, just look - every female you pass down town will stop and stare! Its true, but he thought that teenage girls may be more interesting to m...

A Whiteman

The caution tape is a good idea. You don't want to find those brackets the hard way.

ahh, hmmm

My project now has a 4x2 length screwed across the gap[ between the brackets....

Should protect the shins a bit better....

A Whiteman

but a 30 to 40 cc 4 stroke model plane engines usually has a carby some 30 to 40% of the engine size, True also, however they are designed for high power output, and often high RPM that needs a lot of breathing. These small scale engines on the other hand are not powerful and only run short periods...

A Whiteman

Well, I was lost for words. Skill, time and patience....

She even sounds like a T when running!

A Whiteman

A Whiteman

I like it that you can also carry all sorts of things too:

A Whiteman

I plan on some tool boxes for mine as there is no place to haul tools or fuel and water. I have some boxes from another bed for patterns.

Ha ha! You are so right! It might be a truck but until I mounted the tool boxes I had no where for my lunch box

A Whiteman

Albert (1926 Colonial Body TT) has been here before, but for newer members, here he is:

: P1010899 (Mobile).JPG (50.24 KiB) Viewed 2677 times

And a few years ago now, but here is Albert working for a living

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX-EIAYe7E4

A Whiteman

Well, it is 'T' related a little as I found this in a club members garage where we were inspecting his T Speedster project.

I believe this is a Buick engine, and 'man o man' I feel sorry for the chap who had the 'Bad Day' way back when:

A Whiteman

Duane, I found it useful to 'hard wire' the earth return if you are having earthing issues. Wiring back to the other side of the battery is more work, but you always have good connection.
Cheers
Adrian

: Schematic.jpg (25.41 KiB) Viewed 675 times

A Whiteman

Big, Green and really cool. You guys know I like it!

Ha ha - I wonder why

cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

drool..

I do like trucks!

Glad to hear you are enjoying it

A Whiteman

Scott,

You forgot the last bit:

'Sadly some just don't seem to learn at all!'

Usually they are they ones who never ask and if they do they never listen, and in any case they already know it all anyway.
Ah well, life is interesting

A Whiteman

Very pleased to read that you plan in advance, that is the nature of the T. Beware of 'TORU' they can catch you out when they see that planned gap in front of you I would agree with Scott, if lots of force is needed that does suggest a problem with the bands (worn maybe) or the linkage adjustment. F...

A Whiteman

Hi Duane, Welcome to the hobby. Be careful, often the first T leads to a second!! :-) I had to learn to drive my truck much as you are doing. Just keep on practising. I would suggest 'ignoring' the aux trans at first - what I mean is don't try changing gears in it, just focus on getting the basic pe...

A Whiteman

Adrian, I believe the problem child here is from Brassworks, not Berg's.

Thanks Steve, I stand corrected, and my apologies to Bergs,
Cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

So are you confirming that Berg's jig has an error in it?
This seems to be a common problem, so maybe a kindly word to Bergs about modifying the jig would solve the issue going forward?

A Whiteman

Or - (pointing at the crank handle) "How far do you get before you have to wind it up again?"

(The worry is that we actually believe (some/most/all) of the stuff the news folk publish...…)

A Whiteman

Nice! Up to now I thought the only answer was a spell on the grinder to thin down a spanner?

A Whiteman

Top Up.
Mainly to keep the fabric stretched and free of crinkles and head off cracking.
I put a soft cover over the top to keep the dust down.
Cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

(sorry - meant the indicators I installed already! - see my PDF)

A Whiteman

Hank, that is a nice touch and looks easy to add it in to the existing wiring. Might give it a go

A Whiteman

I installed a USB charger too. Here is the notes for that:

USB Charger.pdf: (530.68 KiB) Downloaded 46 times

A Whiteman

A circuit diagram for my Morris is attached in the PDF, but the smoke travels the same way in the wires in a T as well ;-) 6V variants are available for the components. The PDF is a bit of a story covering all the installation written for the Morris Club. It includes a few 'Anglo' terms, but I think...

A Whiteman

Wise man

A Whiteman

One other thing to remember is the size of tires you use! Some have taller side walls - they effectively increase your final ratio over the road compared to lower side wall heights. A club member with the same worm ratio as mine, but with lower height side wall tires actually went faster than me ove...

A Whiteman

Umm, probably not a helpful reply - I find any oil works fine, it seems to keep running right out faster than any sediment can build up

(I am told 'ThreeBond" is a good sealant

)

A Whiteman

Probably just a large "U" bolt.

A Whiteman

To confuse things, the 'Vintage Rims' in Australia (are not the last rim maker like they claim) are not the same as 'Vintage Rims' in New Zealand, which in turn is not the same as the Vintage Rims company that makes the actual rims in New Zealand.... The actual rim maker in New Zealand does not have...

A Whiteman

I use modern oil seals. I am sure Henry would as well if they were around back then...

A Whiteman

I have a set of 6 (never know, you may need an extra spare ;-) ) Very good high quality, rolled not spun. What that means is the thickness of the metal does not vary, so there are no 'thin spots' on the edge curves (when you look at the cross section). The profile is run through several passes of do...

A Whiteman

Hi Tim, Welcome to the hobby! Thankfully there can't be that many things that go wrong as the electrical system is frailly simple (that was pun btw!). With out "knowing the problem" the best advice I can offer is to start at the battery and follow the wiring to the switch, to the lights etc. in orde...

A Whiteman

Thanks Martyn

Really neat to see these in the drawings. I have had the privilege of holding one and being 'on the edges' of a rebuild. A very rare bit of kit.

,

A Whiteman

I found I had to remove the clamp from the spring pack then chisel each leaf off one at a time....

A Whiteman

The TT radiator is standard T - so anywhere you can get a T radiator core is good.
Cheers, and enjoy the TT

A Whiteman

Hi John, thanks for sharing your new baby with us, and welcome to the T hobby,
Cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

Don't be afraid

Ruckstell rebuilds are not that hard to do. Recommend that you get the MFTA booklet on the job though, this is an excellent guide through the process and common faults.

Cheers

A Whiteman

Ummm, black maybe

A Whiteman

Have a look at BUSES in app.php/gallery/album/48
Some interesting machines there to see

A Whiteman

Why not get a brake shop to bond new pads on?
No rivets to come loose or damage the drums.

A Whiteman

Please follow the link:
app.php/gallery/image/998

Have a read of Wayne's observations and please add your wisdom.

Cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

Very well done!
Great work.

A Whiteman

Yes, like Mark says, the Ruckstell is either 1:1 ('Ford direct'), or it is in underdrive. It is 1:1 in the sense that it does not change the Ford standard ratios in 'direct'. The Ruckstell operating instructions actually refer to the gears as 'Ford' and 'Ruckstell'. The idea of using the terms 'high...

A Whiteman

Anyone know the 'standard' number for a 9/16" castle nut?
That is the size of the brake expander nut Martynn is after.
Cheers
Adrian

A Whiteman

Hmm, yes my old TT does about 45 mph but, I only noticed grey hairs after driving it that fast for the first time! :( Albert will cruise comfortably at about 30, but he does not really like going much faster. I have even had old Albert "sideways" on gravel corners - now that was an unexpected bit fo...

A Whiteman

Well, it seems that even railroads proved to be a great market for the Model T.

I have uploaded a few Railroad Ts in the gallery:

app.php/gallery/album/48

Enjoy

A Whiteman

Quite possible Alan,

By the way, King Dick still lives! https://www.kingdicktools.co.uk/

They used to make motorcycles as well:
https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hsx/2 ... 36871.html

A Whiteman

A question for any English members who can help: Is this an English T tool kit wrench - or an aftermarket item? It would be uncommon for Ford to allow his brand on an aftermarket item though? In New Zealand most Ts are Canadian and early ones US, so we usually have US and Canadian tools. I was intri...

A Whiteman

You probably have checked this, but make sure the caster on the axle is correct. It should 'lean back'. If the axle is straight up and down - no caster - then dodgey steering will occur.

A Whiteman

They are from Spain and France.

By the way - add them to the gallery section -= we have an advert part just for beauties like this

A Whiteman

The repro 'outer sleeves' for the TT rear axle are pretty good. However they do not come with the grease cup hole or the locating dimple in them. What do you do? Well, marking where the grease cup hole should go and drilling it to size is easy enough when you use an old sleeve to locate the hole cor...

A Whiteman

Looks good Martynn.
Nice way the backing plate is shown attached and exploded.

A Whiteman

Click on "Gallery" with the camera icon at the top of the page, just beside where you log in...
Enjoy

A Whiteman

Hi Wayne, That is the beauty of the 'either /or' foot feed solution. I use the hand throttle most of the time myself and prefer that, but I will confirm that the foot feed makes changing the auxiliary gearbox a whole lot safer and easier. No more writhing arms over and under to hold the steering whe...

A Whiteman

Mine may not be the prettiest, but it works allowing 'either/or' operation. You can use the footfeed or the hand throttle. It is pretty much 100% home made (we just bought the pedal 'button'): Foot Feed Dec 10 (1).JPG Foot Feed Dec 10 (2).JPG Foot Feed Dec 10 (3).JPG Foot Feed Dec 10.JPG

A Whiteman

Hi Martyn, I believe that the top picture I posted is an early parts book, but I don't have the pages with the descriptions. I think the late date of the latter pictures must include the AA truck, which essentially used a TT rear axle for the first year or two before going to a crown wheel assembly ...

A Whiteman

These extracts may be useful too:

A Whiteman

I believe it is number 1018.

A Whiteman

Good idea.

May we have a section for 'non-US' chapters, as this may be another way to advertise the events around the world to those of us non-US based users?

Cheers
Adrian W.

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