Ruckstell axle question

[Commander_Chaos]

Some of the cars I'm seeing on line have the aftermarket 2-speed axle. Since my understanding that a stock T's too speed is around 30mph I assumed that the two additional speeds were make the car go faster.
However I was watching a video where a guy was saying the additional speeds were for low for climbing hills and towing. Is this right? More pointedly, is 30 mph what I should reasonably expect from a Model T?

[Oldav8tor]

Welcome to the hobby... good luck in your search!

Don't buy a Model T if you're looking for a speedy antique. A comfortable speed for a T is in the 30-35 mph range. I've had mine up over 45 or so on busy roads but it isn't a comfortable feeling, especially in an open car. Also, why beat your engine up? It is a century old after all.

I don't have a Ruckstell but those that have them seem to find them more useful in hilly country where additional gears are helpful. I'll let a Ruckstell user fill you in.

A Model T body is held on by only a few bolts. I know a couple of guys with Roadsters who routinely remove the turtle deck and install a small pickup bed when they want to carry more gear.

[Steve Robbins]

My Ruxtel is an underdrive. In Ruxtel low it helps me start off on a hill then I shift into Ford for cruising.

[DanTreace]

The Ruckstell 2-speed rear axle gives the Ford an 'intermediate' road gear.

With the std. Ford rear axle, the drive ratio in high is 3.6:1. When you are in low pedal, planetary gears spinning, your ratio is 10:1.

Quite a spread for the std. Ford 2 speed.

Add a Ruckstell, and you can shift to a 5.5:1 ratio, that means a nice intermediate gear, good for parade or climbing a hill without foot held down on the low pedal

Of course when shifted to Ruckstell 5.5:1, when you step on low pedal you get a powerfully slow 15.4:1 ratio, good for bogging or pulling slow into the trailer. When in reverse, you get 22.3:1 way under the std. 14.5:1, slow backing is easy in Ruckstell, you can't run over anything faster than a snail.

[HPetrino]

In simple terms, a Ruckstell does not give you more speed. They provide 2 gears, direct drive and under drive. The low gear provided is not as low as Ford low, so it's useful when you're climbing a hill but don't need the benefit of a really low gear, just a little boost.

[2nighthawks]

Allen - To add a bit to what Dan and the guys have explained about the Ruckstell 2-speed rear end, it is one of the very few, in fact, perhaps the ONLY accessory that Henry Ford ever approved of! He may not have come right out and said it outloud, but he saw to it that Ruckstell parts are even listed with Model T Ford parts, which would indicate that even Henry realized that there are some occasions when an intermediate gear is needed between "low" and "high"! FWIW,.....harold

[KWTownsend]

Allen-
Welcome to the affliction.

If you have a strong engine you can put 3:1 gears in your Ruckstell. It will give you a little more top end speed, but generally a lower engine RPM at higher speeds.

What is more important than how fast you can go is, how fast can you stop?
Speed is optional, stopping is mandatory.

: ^ )

Keith

[GrandpaFord]

I have the Ruckstell rear end with 3:1 gearing in my 1915 touring car. I have a strong engine but it does not pull any better than a car with stock gearing on hills when in Ruckstell high. The main advantage with the 3:1 gearing is that the engine does not turn as fast for a given mph. Dropping down into Rucksell low I can pull steep hills easier and don't have to use Ford low band. I don't usually shift to Rucksell high until about 25 mph or higher so there is no lugging on the engine. The Rucksell low is 1:2 which makes a nice intermediate gear between Ford low and Ford high. To save my low speed band I will start out in Rucksell Low, Ford Low, especially starting out up hill. I then shift to Ford low, Ruckstell high, then Ford high, Ruskstell low, then both high. So it gives me a 4 speed car. I use the Ruckstell low when maneuvering in tight places, like backing into the garage and putting the car in a trailer. The Ruckstell rear end is a great addition to the Ford Model T.

[Norman Kling]

With a 3-1 gearing you can get a little more top speed with the Ruckstell and might be good in flat country. We have quite a few hills here in the San Diego area and a few years ago we had a national tour here. It was headquartered in Barona, an Indian Reservation which has a big hotel. In order to get there you had to climb a grade for about 10 miles. The first day several cars had a problem pulling the grade because they had higher gearing and also because they were heavier cars such as sedans or a town car. Those cars were parked and the people rode with others the rest of the tour. My car has a Ruckstell with standard Ford gearing differential. I had no problem climbing the grades. Anyway depending on the weight of your car, whether the engine has any modifications to increase the power, and how flat your usual driving area is, would determine which ratio is best.
I have another car a 22 Roadster which has a 3-1 ratio. I need to shift to Ruckstell to start out from a stop sign or signal on any grade other than flat or downhill. But when I get to rolling I can pull a 6% grade about 25-30 MPH in high but the cars with a standard gear ratio go about 22 MPH, so when I am on a tour unless I am the lead car, I must use Ruckstell. Anyway, that is my experience. The Ruckstell is great for hill climbing.
Norm