Removing metal sheaths holding rear light wire to battery cable

[bauerei]

Hello,

New member here. I've read the Welcome Wagon and have been perusing the forum for a few weeks now. This is a great place.

I recently acquired a 1955 cub and am redoing the wiring. The wire for the rear light is held against the battery cable by a few metal sheaths. Similarly, the battery cable is connected to the console by a clam-shell metal bracket. How do I open or loosen these to get the battery cable and rear light wire out? Is there some kind of expanding metal pliers that you use?

Thanks!

[inairam]

pry them open with two screwdrivers or two pliers

[Stanton]

Welcome!

Glad to read that you already read through a few threads to acquaint yourself with the Forum. Here are some more links:

• How to Upload Pictures to a Post
• Forum Picture Posting And Other Interesting Things You Can Do
• Using the Forum

After your 2nd post on the Forum, you'll have access to the all the free PDF Manuals. They are located via "Quick Links" in the upper left corner of your screen. Hit that and a pull-down appears where you'll find "PDF Manuals". Through that link, you'll be able to download an Owner's Manual (very strongly recommended) and any service manuals that interest you. You'll be able to familiarize yourself with your new-to-you Cub more quickly. Implement Manuals are also available.

Might also enjoy reading through this thread: What to do with a Cub you just brought home

Take some pictures of your tractor and post them. We’d like to see it.

Glad you joined us.

[Dale Finch]

FYI, one of those clamped "sheaths" is supposed to go right where the cable emerges from under the platform, protecting it from being rubbed by the clutch pedal. It's a real pain to get it tucked in there, but it's rather important. After prying it apart, and inserting the wires, I have even used a small hammer to clamp it back tight enough to fit.

Good luck, and WELCOME!!

[bauerei]

Thank you for the suggestions. Sometimes the simple ways/tools are the best. The battery cable was in a sorry state, having had its insulation stripped off by the clutch pedal.

Here is the tractor on the day of delivery, a little more than two weeks ago.

[inairam]

If you replace the cable make sure it is 2 gauge. May people complain about the starting with 6 volt systems. 12v cables on a 6-volt system is usually part of the issue.

I have used 0 gauge but it is hard to get into the and past the clutch pedal. TM tractor sells the correct cable.

Good looking tractor!

[Glen]

Hi,
The Cub looks good in the pic.

Below is a listing at TM Tractor for a new battery to starter cable for the 6 volt Cubs. It is number 2 cable, it says. You can look at the pics. It is made the length to be routed the original way.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/el/2581fp.htm

If you would rather have the original ground, the pic at the bottom of the listing shows that.
You have to have a good battery box, and it works better to clean the bottom of it, and the surface it mounts on, so the battery box makes good contact.

Below are pages from the 1955 Cub owner's manual. The 1st page shows the battery cable routing in the middle pic. The numbers on the 1st page are explained on the 2nd page.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-38.jpg

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-39.jpg

Below is the 1955 Cub owner's manual, the experts on here recommend reading it. It has lots of info about operation, maintenance, and lubrication. It has a table of contents on page 1.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html

[bauerei]

Thank you inairam and Glen for your advice! My battery box is in ok shape. It's not the best, but I plan on soaking it in rust remover. I didn't realize that TM Tractor was a sponsor. I will support them going forward!

Some more pics (sorry for being slow).

From a few days ago:

Battery box and mounting location:

I know this isn't right

[Dale Finch]

Your battery box and the platform are in excellent condition. Assuming you are bolting the ground cable TO the battery box (as originally done, rather than to, say, a transmission shifter cover bolt), you will need to remove any paint or rust where the battery cable bolts to the box and the box to the platform, as well as chase the bolt holes to clean them out. These bolt areas, as you probably know, ARE your "ground wire" points.

[inairam]

Another option is the use a braided ground and bolt to the bottom of the batter box and run the cable up the side of the battery inside the box

https://brillman.com/product/b2000-005- ... eavy-duty/ ( 11" or 14" depending one you battery)

In my opinion, this gives a cleaner install and better ground.

Ground is very important to the products we make at work and we have to go beyond ground that would be a perfectly good ground for most other electrical application. So in addition to removing paint and chasing threads, as Dale wisely suggested, I use stainless bolts in the battery box bottom and a conductive electrical grease on the bare metal areas and the bolt threads to reduce corrosion issues over time.