***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

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VowellArt
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***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Wed Jul 28, 2021 6:28 pm

Maybe some of you been wondering what I've been up too....well, I've been busy sure, but I was drawing also, I thought I had a customer, but since they backed out I thought I'd post them here for the good of the hobby.

These drawings give you the correct part numbers for ordering parts from Chaffin's Garage, because there are no vendor part numbers for these items other than the steel thrust washer 2529 that is used between the Ruckstell Differential Bell and the Differential Housing Assembly and the common rear axle parts for the Right Side of the axle housing.

1913-1925RuckstellShiftLockAssemblyP158A-2.jpg
1913-1925 Shift Lock Assembly.

1913-1927RuckstellRearAxleDifferentialAssembly-2.jpg
1913-1927 Ruckstell Differential Assembly
The differential is exactly the same from 1913-1927, so I didn't see the necessity of making another drawing for what is primarily the same darn thing. Now some of you may wonder why I've not included that fiber washer that everybody was mentioning the last time I asked questions about the Ruckstell Axle....well, the reason it is not on this drawing, is because I WAS drawing these for Chaffin's Garage, but as of today found they've no use for the drawings and so aren't interested in them at all. But this doesn't mean that I regret drawing the Ruckstell Axle, no, they needed to be drawn regardless because they are part of the Model T Ford legacy, even though they were an "after market" product, but then so are a lot of the carburetors I've drawn also. So, if any of you want to furnish me with the dimensions of that washer, I could add it to this drawing as a boxed item.

1913-1925RuckstellRearAxleAssembly-2.jpg
1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly
The Rear Axle Assembly is also one of those that is pretty much the same as the 26-27, at least internally. It is the exterior that changes with the taller Shift Lock Assembly and of course the 26-27 Backing Plates....what was really surprising to me is that there are 3 different 26-27 versions of the rear axle assembly. I'll reference the different part changes and when they occurred on the 1926-1927 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly drawing.
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Kuhner » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:31 pm

I can’t help you on the fiber disc. But Let me say thanks for doing all of these drawings.
In a past life I was a draftsman, and I really appreciate the time and skill it takes to make such drawings. They are awesome and sure to help model T fans for years to come.

Greg
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Will_Vanderburg » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:35 pm

Did Lang’s not buy them?
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by RGould1910 » Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:18 pm

The thickness of the fibre washers was .105" although existing examples measured as thin as .095". The od and id on the originals are a bit different than those being manufactured today and I no longer have any originals to measure. I do remember the thicknesses however.

There were also variations in the shift lock but I wouldn't be concerned about that. You can't be expected to identify minor evolutionary changes.
.

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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by A Whiteman » Thu Jul 29, 2021 4:05 am

Hi Martynn, good to hear from you and thanks again for the drawings,
Kind regards
Adrian


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by RGould1910 » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:17 am

Art, I don't see the sliding clutch. Is it hidden under the sun gear?


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Original Smith » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:57 am

We are currently making the fiber thrust washer. If Lang's decides to sell them, they should be available from them soon. I just started making them last week. As Richard mentioned, the original thickness is .105" for a new Ruckstell. Please be aware that Ruckstells are not new any longer, and may require a thicker washer. Ours are .125", and may have to be sanded down to the required thickness. The way to determine the thickness is to place a standard Ford steel washer in the place of the fiber washer, and measure the the thickness required to meet your application. This can be done by inserting a pointed feeler gauge through an opening in the bell. Don't forget to add for clearance. These have the correct dowel pin holes as original.


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by speedytinc » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:01 am

Original Smith wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:57 am
We are currently making the fiber thrust washer. If Lang's decides to sell them, they should be available from them soon. I just started making them last week. As Richard mentioned, the original thickness is .105" for a new Ruckstell. Please be aware that Ruckstells are not new any longer, and may require a thicker washer. Ours are .125", and may have to be sanded down to the required thickness. The way to determine the thickness is to place a standard Ford steel washer in the place of the fiber washer, and measure the the thickness required to meet your application. This can be done by inserting a pointed feeler gauge through an opening in the bell. Don't forget to add for clearance. These have the correct dowel pin holes as original.
Count me in for a few, Larry


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Norman Kling » Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:07 pm

In your drawing, the axle assembly with the ring gear is faced in the opposite direction of from the axle housings. The large portion which contains the planetary gears goes inside the wider housing shown below it. Otherwise the drawings are excellent.
Norm

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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Thu Jul 29, 2021 4:26 pm

Norman, the bell goes into the standard axle housing, not the Ruckstell housing, because that is where the clutch sliding gear is and that has to go into the Ruckstell housing to mate up with the Shift Lock Assembly that is bolted to the outside of the Ruckstell housing. The Ring Gear is in the same position as it is on all Ford Axles....also on the Ruckstell side of the differential there are no pins for thrust washers and the bronze bushing. The shifting end of the Ruckstell has a very large Thrust Bearing that fits into the housing. Which means that the Bell with those pins sticking out of it are for the Standard Ford housing on the passengers side of the car, because this is only place the thrust washers 2529 and the bronze bushing 2528 are.

1913-1925RuckstellRearAxleAssembly-2.jpg
The Clutch Sliding gear isn't on the Differential drawing because there is nothing to attach it too. You may buy it that way but that is not the order of assembly. It seemed pretty obvious to me that the Clutch Locking Plate (P147) had to be shown installing into the Ruckstell Housing and since the Clutch Sliding Gear (P146) can't be assembled outside of that plate, but actually goes through it from the interior side of the Housing, it had to be shown on the Main Axle Assembly drawing and not the Differential drawing.
I am actually making a cross section drawing that shows the Clutch Sliding Gear and what it engages with when the that gear slides in or out.
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:16 pm

Ok, going back and looking at the 1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly, I decided that the drawing as presented was a bit confusing, so went back and rearranged the elements a bit to take out as many of those bloody compound "dog legs" as possible...a dog leg is a necessary thing in my drawings, but multiple bends aren't a good thing and can lead to some confusion as to what is being presented.

1913-1925RuckstellRearAxleAssembly-2.jpg
Hopefully this gets my meaning across better than my first go, by cleaning up the guidelines some. The parts placement hasn't changed (since they're in the correct positions for this assembly already) but the elements shows more clearly (I think) that the Bell goes into the Passengers Side Ford Housing and that the Ruckstell Differential side goes into the Ruckstell Housing (drivers side).
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Dan McEachern » Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:42 pm

From the peanut gallery- a few comments.
1) The 2526 diff gear spyder must have the ends shortened to fit into the Ruckstell spyder gear housing. The stock Ford part will not work without modification.

2) The Ruckstell high speed gear set was a 13/40 (3.07:1) gear set- not the 13/39 gear set sold for many years by Mark Auto.

The drawing are wonderful! Thank you so much for your work!!

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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:18 pm

Dan, that may be so, but I'm not telling you what needs to be done to stock parts to build up a Ruckstell Axle. All I'm doing is showing you how the parts go together, that's all any IBP (Illustrated Parts Breakdown) does.

As for the ring gear, I drew these originally for Chaffin's Garage and this is the info they had on the ring gears they sold...if there are others available I don't know anything about them, but if other vendors sell these other ring gears I'll add them also to that drawing. Chaffin's doesn't sell everything other vendors do either, for instance they don't sell John W. Stoltz Distributor or his brake system either, that brake system is far better than those damned-able Rockies, but at the time I was thinking "larger brake drum = better braking power"...but with Stoltz's system, Heavy duty drum with Kevlar lined shoes = superior braking power....and they're not the much more noticeable from the ford standard drum, just a bit thicker, but nothing like looking at that cluuge called Rocky Mountain Brakes. The old ones like Larry Smith has work in both direction and will hold you on a hill....but these new Rockies only work in 1 directing (forward) and won't hold you on a hill at all and if they get wet they may not stop you at all.
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Kerry » Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:28 pm

Just a curiosity thing, but original Ford parts books list the USA ratio as 3-1/13 to 1 and Canadian as 3 to 1, no mention of teeth numbers.


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Norman Kling » Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:56 pm

You might be right, however, why is the left housing so much wider? I am not going to take mine apart, however, to inspect it. I can see from the position of the ring gear on your drawing, it is positioned to go forward when driven by the pinion gear.
:roll:
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Kerry » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:28 pm

000_0752 (2).JPG


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by RGould1910 » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:00 pm

Oh yes I see the the sliding clutch now.. I missed it earlier .
Thank you.


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by jab35 » Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:22 pm

Small detail, but doesnt the axle hub key, p/n 2505k assemble with the taper side of the key in the axle keyway and the tapered end near the axle bearing? Respectfully, jb


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Original Smith » Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:01 am

Your description noting 13-25 is misleading. Ford redesigned the housings to accomodate the new style driveshaft bearing spool around 1921. Ruckstell made both styles.


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Scott_Conger » Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:03 am

Look at the actual drawing
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Kerry » Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:03 pm

Larry, Top left corner of the drawings cover your concern on the spool changes.

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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:00 am

James as far as I know that champers of the key faces out, to help locate and mount the wheel hub on the axle shaft....that's the only reason I know of to have a champers in the first place, otherwise, why not just leave that off, but I think it is necessary to help get the wheel on and to keep the wheel/hub from pushing that key further into the seal retaining cup. At least that's how I've been assembling my wheels onto the axles of my car for the last 40 years.
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by jab35 » Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:11 pm

Thanks, Martyn. There have been a couple other posts on this subject today. Not looking for controversy but more of a question for me. As always, I appreciate your sharing these drawings, best, jb


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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by Kerry » Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:54 pm

If there is any doubt about anything, just check in the Ford service book, 639, key taper points towards the housing.

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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:41 am

I've never done it that way I've always believed that the champered end of that key was meant to help pull the wheel/hub up onto the key by offering a path of least resistance. Seems to work every bit as well as how you guys say it is supposed to fit, since you have to tap it into the groove on the axle end anyway, it doesn't travel up the shaft the way I do it either. I was always taught that a champer always goes toward the mating part, in this case the wheel/hub.
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by DanTreace » Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:54 pm

The axle key taper goes down into the inboard axle keyway which has a mating taper, and that end of the key should face the differential. The square outer end of the key mates into the hub keyway, and faces the wheel.

Since the tapered end of the key allows the key to fit flush into the axle keyway, a full flat square surface of the key is presented to the hub keyway. Only way is the correct Ford way. ;)



axle key install direction.jpg
Axle key position.jpg
Axle key position.jpg (134.86 KiB) Viewed 2730 times
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Re: ***1913-1925 Ruckstell Rear Axle Assembly***

Post by VowellArt » Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:41 pm

Ok, here's that change.

1913-1925RuckstellRearAxleAssembly2.jpg
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