Projects Uh Oh, here comes trouble with a capital T

thank you. It has a weird problem. I cant find neutral and I suspect the clutch pack is stuck. When I jack up the rear wheel and rotate, the torque tube moves forward about 5/8". Any idea what allows that?

 

It's interesting to see how these blessings unfold, no need to apologize. I guess it casts a certain light on this project, enjoy the journey may it be the rest you need.

 

Several things come to mind. Now keep in mind I’ve owned a Model T for like 10 minutes.

Thrust washers rear differential.....
These can fail suddenly or gradually. Sudden loss maybe a pop, then no brakes.
Gradually, damage is noted to rear hub or wheel brake as the axle shafts move.
Binding because of out of spec axle shafts may be the reason for the movement.
Thrust washers need to be replaced. The originals were babbitt and they do not hold up.

Hand brake adjustment

Adjustment of brake rods

Brake adjustment ( Rear wheels)

Band Adjustment (inside the hogshead)
The bands may be too tight. If the car has not been driven in a while the drums may be rusty or sticky.
It would be great if all it needed was to run a drive a little.

Bearings in the torque tube

Loose rear spring bolts


Hopefully it’s something simple.

 

Great thread! I miss my touring.

Little trivia. In It Happened One Night the driver if the T That Gable ended up with was Alan Hale, dad of Alan Hale Jr. The Skipper on Gilligan's Island. And if I remember right there's a shot of him locking up the bands the proper way in a panic stop, pushing down on all 3 pedals.

 

One day took my daughter and niece out for a ride.
Suddenly they broke into a song
"O I'm an old piece of tin...
Nobody knows where I been...
Got four wheels, Two runnin' boarrds...
O I'm a Ford O I'm Ford...
Honk Honk rattle-rattle crash beep-beep...
Honk Honk rattle-rattle crash,,, beep-beep

 

That stop is a great shot.
Alan Hale was a great character actor. He was Little John in Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood. He was also in several WWII dramas.
The bus driver was the great Ward Bond in an early roll. He worked Capra again playing the police officer in “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Bond was great in the Searchers but my favorite roll of his was the Chief in “They were Expendable”. He was also great as the backwoods man in Drums Along the Mohawk, all John Ford films.

There is a plot hole about the Model T in “ It Happened One Night”, the Model T was stolen.
It can be assumed that Alan Hale, a road pirate had stolen the car. The move shows Paul Warren (Gable) acquiring the car from Hale after an off screen fight.

I guess this plot hole can be solved by Warren’s ( Gables) character.
A stand up guy like Paul Warren would have tracked down the rightful owner and bought it. The car was tagged.
He may have been a little screwy but he was not a car thief.

Thanks for the comments.