Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
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Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Wanted: NOS Ruckstell fiber thrust spacers. These look like the steel Ford spacers, but are .105" thick, and are slightly a larger diameter.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Larry, I suspect Ruckstell used fibre washers of varying thicknesses to account for manufacturing tolerances. Or perhaps the washers were not made to exacting standards.. The one I provided you with the Ruckstell years ago was .010 thinner.
Last edited by RGould1910 on Thu Apr 15, 2021 10:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
If you're considering making some consider using the red fibre used in the 2 cylinder Ford transmissions.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I agree with Richard. I’ve got some red fiber left, Larry. Just yell. IMHO , that is a MAJOR error in the ruckstell rebuilding manual to use a steel washer there , of the wrong size to boot.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
WHAT??? Elaborate please! Recently rebuilt, Bill
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I've done many that way over the years and all are still going strong. Kinda like replacing the babbit thrust washer and using a bronze instead. How many fiber thrust washers have you found intacked when disassembling an original Ruckstell? To date, I've only found three and they were all well worn. To each his own.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Mark, my feeling is with a well rebuilt axle, it’ll never likely be a problem. There is the rub, though. It takes a big effort to properly set up an axle. Good old fiber washer of the right size for me.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I'm sure the fiber will give good service. Either practice will likely give many years of service. I was taught to use the metal spacer and it has proven to work well.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
With wear on the diff housings, wear on the axle gear thrust faces and on the ends of the axles, can a new fibre washer of standard dimensions ever achieve the best result? I replace all the worn fibre washers with a custom made brass/bronze one made from a AU$1.00 coin. There's enough thickness in these to be able to dress them down to the optimal thickness required to make an assembly where axle end float is history.
Allan from down under.
Allan from down under.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I believe the above discussion is in regards to the large O.D. washer inside the Ruckstell bell housing - not between the axles.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Correct Steve: My belief is Mr. Ruckstell knew what he was doing, and had a reason for doing it! I'm not trying to rewrite the book. I just want the correct parts! I have the fiber washers in two of my cars, and haven't had a problem.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Richard: What is the thickness of the material you have? I believe .105" to be correct. The O.D is slightly larger than the Ford Steel washers. The I.D. is the same.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Larry I sold most of my red fibre material to the 2 cylinder Ford guys. It came from a stash found in Australia by an early Ford guy some years ago. Tim got some as did others that frequent this forum. If you're interested contact me by phone and I'll investigate further. You probably have my phone number. If not Kim surely does.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Thanks Steve, I went back and re-read the original post and found I was at cross purposes.
Allan from down under.
Allan from down under.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Larry, I have a bit of Richard’s stuff still here. I believe that’s .250. I also bought a huge sheet of .125 from Eugene Krystoffy, the alphabet transmission guy. I still have a lot of that, and believe that’s what I used on my rebuild.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
If someone decides to make a run of Ruckstell fiber spacers, I would like to get on the list for a couple, thanks!
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Larry there were two thicknesses of the red fiber I had. The stuff I had saved for myself I gave away for the most part when I unloaded my early Ford stuff. I measured the pieces I still have and they are .060 and .110 inches thick respectively. Thanks for catching the decimal point error, Allan.
Last edited by RGould1910 on Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Still confused, where does fiber outperform the specified materials in the Chaffin book? Puzzled, Bill
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I don't believe one outperforms the other - the steel washer is readily available & the fiber one is not.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Rihard, you might like to move one of your decimal points.
Allan from down under.
Allan from down under.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
It's not a matter of one out performing the other! The original design used a fiber thrust washer for a reason. It's not up to us to re engineer the part!
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Kinda like replacing the babbit thrust washers with bronze eh!
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I have enough I can share. Cut your own circles. Let me know size, as I forget. Tmorsher@icloud.com . Tmorsher@icloud.com
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Mark-touche!
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
An interesting note/question. Didnt Ford use bronze thrust washers in early 1916 cars? I had an original 16 with them. Also had an original 1917 car that used babbitt and an original 1919 car that used babbitt. None appeared to have been molested.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
Larry, have you a handle on the reason fibre was used in the design. Enquiring minds wold like to know the benefits.
Allan from down under.
Allan from down under.
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Re: Ruckstell Fiber Spacers
I just measured the only original I have, which is used. It is 3 7/8" O.D. The steel Ford washers are 3 3/4". There is a slight ring around the edge, which shows no wear, and that's where I come up with the .105" measurement. I don't know what they allowed for clearance originally. I have a couple of original Ruckstell installation pamphlets, but don't care to go looking for them! Something in my mind tells me they originally allowed .005".