Installing a Ruckstell by removing axle housing

[DHort]

How hard is it to install a Ruckstell with only removing the left axle housing? How do you deal with the spring tension? Isn't that the way they did it in the 20's?

[A Whiteman]

The easiest is to remove the rear axle completely,

[ModelTWoods]

Use a spring spreader, if I'm following what you are asking.

[Kerry]

Your not saying remove and replace so assuming you want to fit a ruckstell side, will need to have it out of the car to set the ring and pinion lash.

[Humblej]

Dave,
I believe one way to add a Ruckstell back in the day was to remove and replace the left half of the rear axle while still on the car, but as others have already stated it is best to remove the rear axle to take it apart and put it together on a stand to get the clearances right.

When I take a rear axle off a car I leave the rear spring on the car and remove the rear axle, driveshaft, and radius rods all together. The spring tension is not hard to deal with. I follow the Ford Service Manual paragraph 661 "Installing Rear Spring" and do that in reverse to remove the spring shackle safely. Jack up the body and put a block of wood under the spring eye as shown in Fig 366 and play with the height of the jack to find the sweet spot where there is no tension on the spring shackle, then tap it out with a drift and a hammer. You can also loosen a rear spring perch to check for tension on the spring if you are not sure you have it right. If the perch is neither in compression or tension you found the sweet spot. Once you have one spring shackle off there should be no tension on the other shackle.

To lift the car to get the rear axle off I remove the muffler and the rear wheels first. Jack up the rear axle high enough to get the frame a good height, just slightly higher than normal vehicle height, and put a 4x4 across the bottom of the frame held up by tall jack stands. The 4x4 needs to be long enough for the jack stands to clear the rear axle radius rods. Then raise and lower the rear axle as needed to relieve the spring tension at the shackle.

[DHort]

Looks like I will have to remove the entire rear axle. I was hoping to be able to do just one side. When Dean Yoder tells you that the rear needs to be checked, you do what he says. I thought in the advertisements that a Ruckstell could be installed without removing the entire axle, so why not do the same thing by removing just the rear axle housing even though there is not a Ruckstell. . I either have a bad sleeve or a soft axle. No more trips to Detroit until that is fixed. Thank you for your input.

[speedytinc]

Back in the day when everything was new, yes. You could count on every part to mesh & fit to design spec.
100 years later the fits wont match. Repo gear sets & worn parts require checking & refitting all the parts to correct variations & wear.
If you had an all New Old Stock ruckstell kit, yes I might consider it.

I have done a gear set & carrier replacement out in the field by removing the left housing from under a car on a tour.
That rear end has been in service for better than 25 years since. I used all very good original ford parts.

[Dan Hatch]

Back many years ago I have done what you are trying to do. Jack up car and repair rear axle one side at a time. We would not even remove the radius rods or brake rods just let them hang. So yes it can be done. But if you have a way to remove the whole thing it would be better.

[AndyClary]

There was a fixture for holding the right axle housing in place while you installed the ruckstell parts. Can’t imagine it saves much time. I’d much rather have the whole rear end in the stand at a comfortable height than working under the car. Especially now days as you always find extra stuff needing attention.

Andy

[Allan]

In the car, how can the pinion gear mesh be checked?
How can the thrust washer/plate stack be measured to keep the centre assembly properly set?
How can the thrust washer and plates be switched to get the correct rolling fit on the ring and pinion gears?

Allan from down under.

[babychadwick]

It can't be done with 3:1 gearing, the ring gear doesn't clear. I wanted to just check a piece in my ruckstel so I figured pop half off and save time. Wrong . .