Dating Ruckstells

[Chris Instness]

I'm sure the information about dating Ruckstells based on the serial number has been published somewhere, but I was just wondering where to look. I have a Hall Scott Ruckstell I just finished installing in my 1915 and was curious about the year it was made. It's number A 15965 which I assume means it was the 15,965th one made, but I don't know what year. It is a small drum with Hall Scott cast into the backing plate and has the lip for an enclosed driveshaft spool. One additional question, did any small drum Ruckstells come with smooth backing plates or did they all have the extra support ribs?
Thanks in advance,
Chris

[Wayne Sheldon]

The Ruckstell did not hit the market until after the end of the great war. If I recall correctly, some of the early ones used the car's original outer housing, so it would have been possible to have the 1915 style smooth backing plate. It doesn't really matter much. A Ruckstell is not era correct for 1915, so the additional detail of smooth backing plates doesn't make much difference. If it matters to you? Grind the backing plate smooth.
Some early Ruckstells also had poor quality casings with the Hall-Scott name cast into them. I have a badly damaged one that I began to attempt repair of. That was how I learned the casting was of poor quality. I wound up replacing the backing plate with a standard Ford issue, as many Ruckstells already had.
Glen Chaffin wrote a wonderful history of the Ruckstell, available from all the usual parts dealers. I have not read it myself, however, the book can probably answer a lot of your questions.

[DanTreace]

To add to Wayne's...from the club's booklet by Glen on Repairing the Ruckstell.

History page 2 states that the Perfecto axle (Seattle, WA) is the forerunner of the later Hall Scott, aka Ruckstell. That one was offered late 1920, and Glover Ruckstell saw it at the March 1921 Chicago auto show, and from there organized the Ruckstell Sales Co, with contact to build the rear axle by Hall-Scott, Berkley, CA.

To add to the fun, found a memo at Benson Ford Research library, which notes a Ruckstell received for Edsel Ford to inspect, from E.J. Hall to Edsel, who then wrote on the bottom of the memo to Send axle to Dearborn plant attention Jos. Galamb ....March 28, 1922!

[DanTreace]

One method to date would be the style of patent plate on the axle.

Your's appears to the third series plate, with the larger address line on the bottom. The photos are blurry, but someone posted this picture before. Nice comparison. Can almost make out the serial numbers that give hint on age of each plate for dating an axle.

[Original Smith]

I have Ruckstells in all of my T's. The earliest one has a different patent plate than any pictured above. I believe the serial number is 6,XXX. It has a boss in the upper RH corner with some patent numbers stamped in it. Regarding backing plates, I like the late ones made by Eaton, because Eaton arranged with Ford to buy genuine Ford backing plates from them. The advantage of that is the Ford backing plates have a removable brake cam bushing. When rebuilding a Hall Scott unit, you have to bore out the backing plate to accept a bushing. I guess Hall Scott never dreamed that people would be using their product almost 100 years after they were made.

[Chris Instness]

Thanks for the information guys!

[Matt in California]

Chris,
I am married, so I will avoid dating anyone but my wife

Matt

[infotfordnl]

maybe interested,
another plate on my Ruckstell, see the other patent date
its on a 1927 T pickup. Hight number I think so could be installed origional
Bert

[Original Smith]

The plate with the clipped corners is an Eaton plate. Mike Spaziano had a bunch of them made last year, and sold them to Chaffin. I'd like to see a clearer photo of the plate with the fuzzy rh corner. It looks like a pretty early one, like the one I have.
I have a Ruckstell in my touring, which is one of the worst castings I've seen. They must have been having a bad day then!

[richc]

This Ruckstell plate is from my TT rear axle. Given the serial number, it most certainly is a later example.

Rich C.

[Original Smith]

Dan:
I wish you would post another photo. I would like to see the plate in the lower left hand corner. I think that maybe the early plate I have. Your photos aren't that clear!