MTFCA Forum

For the number of rear ends I have pulled apart never payed attention to the ring on the inside center section end. My question is; When installing the tube into a Ruckstell housing, is it there just to limit the movement of the bearing so would not be needed?

What is the tube you are referring to? Is it the torque tube? If is, it's the same procedure as a standard rear end. The early bearing spools have a lip, and the later ones don't.

Axle tube into housing.

That is a bearing sleeve stop ring and nothing else. Not needed for the Ruckstell.

Hope this Helps,

Hank

Nice looking job, well done

Very useful posting Henry.
What glue are you using please?

Les, I set mine with about a .0015 clearance, JB Weld reduced with acetone, nice coat then it presses in with a mallet impact to set the length on the money. Let set overnight, drill and tap 1/4" X 20 grade 5 Phillips head machine screws with epoxy on the threads, after installation, fill heads with epoxy. Works excellent.

Hank

Great that helps quite a bit. Thank you for the info and photos.

Of vital importance is the alignment of the backing plate with the center casting so the radius rod fits. I removed an early style backing place on a Perfecto housing to install a 26-27 backing plate. I discovered that the new backing plate had to be exactly aligned or the radius rod would not enter the hole in the torque tube at the ball end. To make sure I had things aligned, I first attached the torque tube to the axle housing with the radius rod attached tightly to the torque tube at the ball end. I then pushed the backing plate onto the tube, just enough to hold it there, making sure the two holes in the radius rod aligned perfectly with the two holes in the backing plate. Since the backing plate was pushed on just enough to hold it, I found I could move it around until it was right. (Another approach would be to attach the rear end of the radius rod to the backing plate before pushing on to the tube. Its easier to move the backing plate into alignment by moving the radius rod. In this case you move the radius rod until there is perfect alignment with the insertion hole near the ball of the torque tube.) Once that was accomplished, I carefully made alignment marks on the tube and backing plate and pressed the backing plate on to the tube. It came out good. I wont tell you how I discovered the importance of exact alignment. I hate to break down and cry on a public forum.

Richard; THAT is a great suggestion and think you for the tip. Didn't even think about the radius rods lining up or not.

Since the donor tube needs to be machined to fit the Ruckstell housing anyway, centering from the brake cam shaft well. I use my tool post on the lathe and go in and out as required following a linear path on axis. That is what the scribe mark is in the photos. Overall length from flat plain of housing to the very outmost of the end of tube at seal end is 26 7/8”.

Hank