MTFCA Forum

As my T build nears completion, I'm already thinking of ways to improve it in a few years.

I'm thinking about adding a Ruckstell. However, I live in a place with few hills of any consequence. So....my question, other than hills and an ultra-low gear for parades, what are the reasons for having a Ruckstell?

My biggest need for a ruckstell stemmed from almost everyone on tour having one. If you get behind someone ruckstell equipped you can spend a lot of time on the low pedal.

If you only plan to drive locally and you can take all of your local hills in high, then the need for a Ruckstell is minimal --- except for those times when you're climbing a hill in high and someone in front of you slows down to turn and kills all of your momentum. Then you can either creep up the rest of the way in low, or shift into Ruckstell and save your left leg and low band.

I sure like mine.

AndyClary wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 15, 2020 3:36 pm

My biggest need for a ruckstell stemmed from almost everyone on tour having one. If you get behind someone ruckstell equipped you can spend a lot of time on the low pedal.

Don, Andy said it best. Considering the relatively flat terrain where you live, a Ruckstell will keep you from riding your low pedal in parades or tours by allowing you to gear down, even if your Ruckstell has 3 to 1 gears which for your area, I would recommend. in high Ruckstell, it would allow you to cruise. In low Ruckstell, you'd have a lower gear for slower traffic.

A lot easier on the band, I just get the T rolling in rux low then slip into rux high, T low then T high and away we go

If you don't drive in the mountains very much you likely don't need one. However it also depends on what kind of car you have. It is a very heavy car such as a Fordor or Depot hack and if you haul big loads (includes a full load of adult passengers) you might find it easier to shift into Ruckstell than low. If you attend many national tours, especially in the west, you will encounter mountains and hills. We had a tour in the San Diego area which was centered out of Barona Indian Reservation. It is a two land road in either direction from there to other areas where we traveled during the week. One car(I think it was a Town Car) didn't have a Ruckstell. They went out the first day and parked the car and rode with others the remainder of the tour. A light car such as a Runabout with standard Ford gearing, might have done the whole tour in high gear, however, a Ruckstell is much more convenient.
Norm

I'm back. I have a question for Cudaman. Why do you have those straps on the rear axle? Do they go around the spring or the chassis? I haven't seen anything like that before.
Norm

Those are rebound straps, they limit the amount of rebound from the springs over bumps. Reduces the "ejection seat" effect. They were a period accessory. I made mine from the beefiest leather belts that I could find at Walmart. They go over the frame. I have them on the front and rear, they actually help.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/41 ... 1409704166

Early Corvettes and some British sports cars had them from the factory.

I really like the Ruckstell but I really don’t like a 3:1 gear set!! A 12 tooth pinion so you have either a 3.25 or 3.33-1(depending on 39 or 40 tooth crown) I think is a great option for a Ruckstell where you live.

Once you have a Ruckstell it’s hard to go back. With the Ruckstell engaged and in Ford high gear, it’s like having the second gear the car was meant to have.

Low in the transmission is 2 3/4 to 1 and high is 1 to 1. That is quite a difference between ratios. There are plenty of hills too steep for high but not quite steep enough for low. That is where a ruckstell comes in handy. When you can't get up a hill in ford high simply downshift to ruckstell high and up you go about twice as fast as in Ford low. With a ruckstell you have four forward speeds. These are the speeds from lowest to highest.

1. Ruckstell low: Ruckstell shift lever back and pedal in low
2. Ford low: Ruckstell shift lever forward and pedal in low
3. Ruckstell high: Ruckstell shift lever back and pedal in high
4. Ford high: Ruckstell shift lever forward and pedal in high.

Basically a ruckstell gives you an additional 1.54 to 1 under drive when the shift lever is pulled back. With the lever forward the additional reduction gears do nothing and the car drives as if the ruckstell were not even there. If your car climbs the hills in high where you usually drive, you don't really need a ruckstell. If you tour or plan on driving in an area with larger hills, then a ruckstell is a great addition to your car.

Stephen

Just plan on building it or REbuilding it. My Ruckstell was functional but I had to replace nearly every part during a recent rebuild. After that experience, I would never spend the money they usually bring for an original in unknown condition.

In my opinion, based on owning Ts since 1954, the two best things you can do to a T are a good carburetor and a Ruckstell. Once you've had one......
Then buy some good brakes.
Go drive.

I know you didn't say WARFORD but if you have neither you might want to consider it. I have an old alum Warford and Really Love it. The super low for parades and overdirve for the freeway!! Wouldn't be without it.

The best option would be to find folks in your local club who have either a Ruckstell or Warford, and drive both. Make your decision from there. If you go the Ruckstell route; I would highly recommend getting the newly manufactured unit from Chaffin's. Newly manufactured CNC machined parts are really nice to work with...particularly if you are a beginner.

As I have said many times, you are either in Ruckstell or you aren't.

Norman Kling wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 15, 2020 4:23 pm

I'm back. I have a question for Cudaman. Why do you have those straps on the rear axle? Do they go around the spring or the chassis? I haven't seen anything like that before.
Norm

Period accessory

I would be concerned by two things;
1. The straps are very close to the center of the differential and risk bending the housing from a big bump.
2. The right one seems really close to the exhaust outlet.

I would like them if they were located as far out as possible!!

StanHowe wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 15, 2020 11:44 pm

In my opinion, based on owning Ts since 1954, the two best things you can do to a T are a good carburetor and a Ruckstell. Once you've had one......
Then buy some good brakes.
Go drive.

I would add a Bosch front plate to that list.

There are two Model T types.
Original down to the last detail. Show and parade car.

Touring car. Ruxstell, wire wheels, carb, better ignition,
better crank, scoops, Rocky Mountains, etc.
If it is not dependable, it just sits.

I've had a couple with distributors on them. Seems like it takes too much away from it being a T if you don't have coils to beat on or cuss at on a tour. Can't hear them on my current 27 coupe but on the older ones I like to hear them singing going down the road, too.

I also don't like Rocky Mountain Brakes. I've had several other sets of accessory brakes that I liked, trying to round up the money for a set of Sure Stops for this coupe, but I didn't like the Rockies.

I have a nice Aluminum Warford that may end up in the Coupe but I also scored a very nice Ruckstell last fall. Under an old hay wagon, like new inside, straight housings and etc. I dunno. Seems like a Ruckstell is a little more "Model T" than a Warford but they are both good.

To each his own.

For a good tour car you also need a couple whistles. I have an Aermore that will burn out a hearing aid when you pass somebody on the open road and a couple other whistles just for fun. Give you something to do while you are waiting for the slow guys to get there.

Don,

The Model T Ford Club of Tulsa Chapter has some great information on making a reliable tour car.
The Technical Page address is: http://mtfctulsa.com/Tech/index.htm

And they have put effort into it so that some of the articles are more factual (we ran the same car over the same hills with these modifications and found the following differences) so they are comparing apples with apples so to speak. While some of the articles are more subjective (I feel it ran better...).

The "Power and Torque" article at: http://mtfctulsa.com/Tech/power_and_torque.htm specifically discusses rear axle ratios, Ruckstell axles, higher compression ratio heads, CAM etc.

"IF" you decide to install a Ruckstell or auxiliary transmission remember to factor in the cost for the accessory brakes. (In theory a properly functioning Ruckstell will not get stuck in neutral. But in reality you find out they are no longer properly functioning when they do get stuck in neutral. And the old straight cut gears in the original auxiliary transmissions can get you stuck in neutral. And that neutral means the standard transmission brake stops the transmission but does not NOT stop the car...which is free wheeling at that point.)

Good luck with your decision. And the advice to ride with someone who has some of those options should help you decide which one(s) are best of you.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Before you spend money on a Ruckstell or Warford, buy a good timer and a set of coils rebuilt by somebody who knows what he is doing.
Then buy a new timer to power them.
Buy or borrow a good a accessory carburetor. Go drive the car.
Be realistic about the power you have and the power you need. It is a Model T.
For $400 bucks you can buy a Prus head. Or similar.
Or borrow one and try it.
Now you have about all the power you are going to get out of a T with a stock cam and crank, etc.
If you need another gear because the wife and the two daughters are pushing 900 lbs. Buy a Ruckstell.
If you want the convenience of that extra gear. Buy a Ruckstell.
Don't be foolish and buy 3 to 2 gears for it unless you have a light roadster or speedster and want the speed.
A good Ruckstell will cost well over $3000 if you build it up right.
I love em. I've rebuilt or built up about 70 of them.
But it's a pretty big investment and if your engine doesn't run well it isn't going to help much.

Before you spend money on a Ruckstell or Warford, buy a good timer and a set of coils rebuilt by somebody who knows what he is doing.
Then buy a new timer to power them.
Buy or borrow a good accessory carburetor. Go drive the car.
Be realistic about the power you have and the power you need. It is a Model T.
For $400 bucks you can buy a Prus head. Or similar.
Or borrow one and try it.
Now you have about all the power you are going to get out of a T with a stock cam and crank, etc.
If you need another gear because the wife and the two daughters are pushing 900 lbs. Buy a Ruckstell.
If you want the convenience of that extra gear. Buy a Ruckstell.
Don't be foolish and buy 3 to 1 gears for it unless you have a light roadster or speedster and want the speed.
A good Ruckstell will cost well over $3000 if you build it up right.
I love em. I've rebuilt or built up about 70 of them.
But it's a pretty big investment and if your engine doesn't run well it isn't going to help much.

Thank you everyone, for the insightful and thoughtful advice.

It is exactly what I was looking for as I decided what to do.