MTFCA Forum

All of the 13-25 Shift Lock Assemblies I've seen, the housings all look like this one with a thicker lower mounting flange than like the upper flange, even though the one in the books shows it as a thin flange all around. Not sure if this is something that maybe was a re-design later or if the ones in the books are just artists conceptions (they're not photos, they're all hand drawn, real "Chicago House Illustrator" style).

I have one on the shelf - it's the same thickness at all four mounting holes.

Thin flange all around? Got a picture of it?

I'll attempt to get one for you today.

My spare TT Ruckstell has a Hall Scott shifter:

Hi Martynn,I plan to tear it down for you over the next few days. (The spring and seal may well have been 'lost' by the previous owner).
Cheers
Adrian

Detail pics in email:
Cheers
Adrian

Martynn - my TT shifter is the same as Adrian's.

Martynn, you might want to revise the dates. I believe the trucks were introduced in the late teens, so a 1913 Hall Scott two speed would be way ahead of its time.

Allan from down under.

Allan you're absolutely correct, don't know what I was thinking (got all corn-fused with the cars versions)....here's the correction and I'm now drawing the Hall Scott Shifter also, not sure if it is an aftermarket or one that was used on foreign trucks, but it is obvious that it needs doing.

I have several TT shifters Martynn and all of them have the same flange thickness for all 4 bolts - never seen one raised at the bottom as you have drawn ?

I believe the first TT trucks came out in 1917. Where does this information come from?

Original Smith wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 11, 2022 10:35 am

I believe the first TT trucks came out in 1917. Where does this information come from?

https://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/1917.htm

Martynn,
From what I know, there were 3 different TT Ruckstell shifters. The earliest, and weakest, was the bronze housed Hall-Scott shifter as is shown above. I don't believe that this one had the upper spring and retainer. The next is the cast short Hall-Scott shifter, like the one you have drawn. It does have the reinforced bosses at the bottom. The latest is the long nose Ruckstell shifter. If you need or want better pictures of this I can send them as I have a really nice one in my stash.

Thanks for posting the shifter photos - always something to learn !

For the passenger cars, I've seen many broken and cracked shifter housings, but have never seen a broken bronze one. I have two 1913's with the bronze shifter housings, and neither have ever given me a problem.

I've seen two of the bronze TT shifters broken on the part of the housing where the steel shift arm shaft goes through.

The TT shifter has a lot more force applied than a car one, so that may explain the weakness in bronze vs car ones?

Ok, soooo, it seems likely that the bronze Hall Scott TT shifter would span between 1918 and 1922 for use with the 2 pinion axle. Then in 1923 thru 1925 change to the one I drew first, being a reinforced housing due to the problems with the 2 pinion housing, it seems they'd expect that the new axle 4 pinion configuration would put even more stress on that part of the housing. Then in 1926-1927 the "Bottle" style would start. I also assume that these changes and the times they happened would hold true for the cars as well.

For which I don't have any of the part numbers for the springs (because they are not the same as in the cars axle) or the plunger (which does look like the cars version, but I'm sure it's a bit bigger) or the arm (because it's got to be bigger).

If anybody has part numbers for these parts, please let me know, thanks.

Revison