Ignition Switch Repair or Replace

[alfreema]

If you still have a light switch how many positions does it have 3 or 4?

It's a 4 position light switch, but there isn't a single wire left running to the light switch anymore. I plan on taking that out and cleaning it up and getting it wired back up properly after I get this other stuff figured out.

[Scrivet]

You would have one or the other not two.

A cutout is an older style voltage regulation device where you manually control the charge of the battery by using the first two positions of the light switch L for low charge , H for high charge. You are grounding the field of the generator through the switch either directly or through a resistor (there is also a resistor that looks like a spring on the light switch for dimmming the lights). The four position switch is called a "light" switch but is really a "charge rate and light" switch. The last two positions D dim and B bright are the only positions that have any effect on the lights.

A voltage regulator is a cutout with an automatic charge control built in so you don't need the first two positions of the light switch.

When you take the cover off if it has one wound coil it's a cutout, if it has two or three it's a regulator.

[alfreema]

So at some point did I.H. just switch from cutouts over to voltage regulators then? Like cubs newer than serial number X and below are cutouts but serial number X and above have voltage regulators or something like that?

[Scrivet]

Yes. In 1950 at serial #115403 IH switched to a three position light switch and a voltage regulator. Keep in mind though any of the prior tractors could have been upgraded or butchered by a previous owner in the past 64 years. So date/serial isn't an absolute identifier as to what you have now, just what it left the factory with.

Where did I find that??????????
There's a great database maintained by Raymond Durban on Rudi's manual server.
To get there click on the right hand side Manuals tab at the top of the page.
Then scroll down to IH and OEM Manufacturer's Information and click on Cub Production Information.
Then scroll down to the Farmall Cub Database and click on Cub Production Spreadsheet R4.
Scroll down to page 13. The changes are shaded in pink so they are easier to spot.

[alfreema]

Whoa! Nice!

Since I have the correct 4 position switch would I be best suited to try and find an original cutout (or a good aftermarket replacement) or go with a voltage regulator? I guess I am not super keen on trying to remember when I should change the switch from L to H or vice versa.

But I have no experience with any of this, so what seems to be the preference out there?

[Scrivet]

There's a reason most everybody knows what a regulator is and few know what a cutout is. They work without the operator thinking. I would go with a quality regulator wired correctly and just have two off positions on the light switch. In my opinion, the only time to use a cutout is if yours is still working or if you have to have EVERYTHING EXACTLY like it came from the factory. Which by the way is impossible but that's another topic.

If you want to go with a cutout I believe they are even more expensive than a good regulator. Don't worry about switching from L to H unless you are using your Cub several hours a day it'll be on H. A Cub doesn't generate enough electricity on L to keep the battey up during the limited use most see. Even on H with the lights on you most likely are slowly draining the battery.

[alfreema]

Right on, a voltage regulator it is.

[alfreema]

Is there any way to replace the entire thread topic with "Restoration: Charlotte, 1948 Cub (Kansas)"? I was thinking I would just turn this into my restoration thread.

[Don McCombs]

Start a new thread.

[alfreema]

Ok so I have thoroughly cleaned the original ignition switch and as I posted earlier, a PO had ground or broken off the tabs on the main body. So I could JB Weld the back plate to it, and hope the JB Weld holds up to continuously pushing/pulling the ignition in and out ... but ... I had this idea:

The main body is almost exactly 1" in diameter. 3/4" conduit is specified to be 1.050 in OD. So I was thinking it would be cool to take a 3/4 - 14 NPT die and cut threads into the main body so that I could then screw a 3/4" conduit bushing right over the plate, onto the main housing, in order to hold the plate in and still be able to remove and service the switch in the future. It would look great and be functional. My only concern is that the main housing is too thin to cut threads into.

Thoughts?

[havoc1482]

Yes. In 1950 at serial #115403 IH switched to a three position light switch and a voltage regulator. Keep in mind though any of the prior tractors could have been upgraded or butchered by a previous owner in the past 64 years. So date/serial isn't an absolute identifier as to what you have now, just what it left the factory with.

So any tractor before that year would have had a cutout from the factory? And all tractors after that year used only regulators from the factory and not either/or? I'm curious if the 1950 switch to the regulator the same for the other models? (Super A, C, H, ect?)

[Jim Becker]

Yes. In 1950 at serial #115403 IH switched to a three position light switch and a voltage regulator. Keep in mind though any of the prior tractors could have been upgraded or butchered by a previous owner in the past 64 years. So date/serial isn't an absolute identifier as to what you have now, just what it left the factory with.

So any tractor before that year would have had a cutout from the factory? And all tractors after that year used only regulators from the factory and not either/or? I'm curious if the 1950 switch to the regulator the same for the other models? (Super A, C, H, ect?)

That date/number is specific to the Cub. Other models changed at different times. The effective serial number for most models can be found in that model's parts catalog.

[Rick Spivey]

Ok so I have thoroughly cleaned the original ignition switch and as I posted earlier, a PO had ground or broken off the tabs on the main body. So I could JB Weld the back plate to it, and hope the JB Weld holds up to continuously pushing/pulling the ignition in and out ... but ... I had this idea:

The main body is almost exactly 1" in diameter. 3/4" conduit is specified to be 1.050 in OD. So I was thinking it would be cool to take a 3/4 - 14 NPT die and cut threads into the main body so that I could then screw a 3/4" conduit bushing right over the plate, onto the main housing, in order to hold the plate in and still be able to remove and service the switch in the future. It would look great and be functional. My only concern is that the main housing is too thin to cut threads into.

Thoughts?

Not sure that the main body would stand up to threads. I also don't ever remember any "tabs" on the back of the magneto switches.I would use epoxy or JB Weld, or even "Gorilla Glue" to paste the composite back into the metal shell. Originally the edges were slightly bent ("crimped") over the edge of the composite part. My attempt to make one stay by crimping it again didn't work well. Glue is the way to go.

Those switches (original style) are still available on ebay and such, but you are taking a chance anytime you buy one. Some work, some don't, and others are temperamental.

Not sure if your earlier question about its function got answered. This switch only grounds out the points, and stops the engine from running. To me it is better described as a "kill" switch rather than an ignition switch, but since it has a positive stop in both the "run" and "stop" positions, I guess I can accept the term "Ignition switch".