9N Battery Grounding

[privatebrian]

Hello - My 9n has a cast aluminum one-piece dash. I"m finishing up restoration and about to install the battery...I bought a 5 1/2" long positive cable (braided uninsulated type) and can"t seem to find a logical place where the ground end attaches to the tractor!! Embarassing I know, but can someone tell me if it bolts to the back of the dash somewhere or do I need a longer cable to go to the battery platform?? What was the factory design position??
Thanks, Brian

 

[Dell (WA)]

Brian.......originally, the 9N flatbraid positive ground strap bolted to yer RUSTY battery tray summwharrs. I don't care about originality, I recommend using the LONGER 11" flatbraid GROUNDED to enny convenient steering gearbox bolt. WHY? 'cuz RUSTY grounds make fer sloooooow rumpas-rumps. Grounding yer battery to CASTIRON tranny top makes yer 6v starter ZING-ZING. Trust me on this. You want it to be original or want it to start??? yer call ......Dell

 

[HCooke]

Brian, I grounded mine to the aluminum battery tray on the right side. Spins the starter moter just fine.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I would and do run them to the starter mounting bolts, starter pulls more amps than anything else on most tractors or trucks .

 

[Dell (WA)]

Rusty......surprizingly enuff, the 8"-5/16 starter screws DON'T carry much of the 150amp starter current. Its actually the starter motor end-bell housing that transfers most of the starter current into the castiron tranny. Therefore our constant reminder to people, WIRE-BRUSH the GAP between the starter motor and the tranny. Just alittle bitt of paint between starter motor an tranny will dramatically slow yer starter motor. .......respectfully, Dell

 

[DrLarryE]

I have a related question. What is the advantage of the braided ground cable over a regular (large size) battery cable?

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 07:42:47 11/19/09) I have a related question. What is the advantage of the braided ground cable over a regular (large size) battery cable?

t looks like the one that came on it from the factory, which cost less due to no insulation. Bends easy.

 

[privatebrian]

Thanks to all for the great information. I want to stick to the factory look, so I'll try running it to the tray first. It would really be a great help if an image could be posted of the as-built connection, since the Dennis Carpenter catalog lists this short cable as correct. Maybe batteries were just not as tall back then (but the hold down straps seem ok).
Brian

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 10:35:17 11/19/09) Thanks to all for the great information. I want to stick to the factory look, so I'll try running it to the tray first. It would really be a great help if an image could be posted of the as-built connection, since the Dennis Carpenter catalog lists this short cable as correct. Maybe batteries were just not as tall back then (but the hold down straps seem ok).
Brian

o picture, but look for a close by dash to hood mounting bolt.

 

[privatebrian]

OK will do.
Thank you.

 

[don b 1]

Brian...the 9n ground strap for the aluminum dashes should be 10-11" long[5-1/2 long for steel dashes] and was either connected to one of the bolts that connects the air cleaner to the battery tray or if the starter button on the tractor is located on the tranny,it was connected to one of the bolts that connects the tool box to the battery tray.
If your starter button is located in the top left of the dash,the battery should be orientated so the neg. post of the battery is located closest to the dash.If starter button is located on the tranny,rotate the battery 180 degrees.This was how they were originally.
Don't have a clue as to why Dell thinks the battery trays on the 9n was steel and rusty. don b1

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:31:34 11/19/09) Brian...the 9n ground strap for the aluminum dashes should be 10-11" long[5-1/2 long for steel dashes] and was either connected to one of the bolts that connects the air cleaner to the battery tray or if the starter button on the tractor is located on the tranny,it was connected to one of the bolts that connects the tool box to the battery tray.
If your starter button is located in the top left of the dash,the battery should be orientated so the neg. post of the battery is located closest to the dash.If starter button is located on the tranny,rotate the battery 180 degrees.This was how they were originally.
Don't have a clue as to why Dell thinks the battery trays on the 9n was steel and rusty. don b1

lad you saw this Don. I remembered that you and several others went into this at length a year or two back, but was never sure (or didn't remember) exactly what the outcome was & even now don't have a clear picture in my mind of the position of the two different length cable's connection points. This one is the long one & is clear on your tractor, but the short one?

 

[lha]

Whoever posted the pic.:GREAT looking tractor I love the peice of art that are these tractors[my wife thinks I'm ready for the insane assylum] to me the best place to bolt a ground is a nearby large bolt into substansial metal,thus the argument against the battery tray posed by Dell---lha

 

[privatebrian]

Thanks, Don.
That's exactly the information I was looking for. I'll order a 10" cable from Carpenter. Oddly, their catalog shows that part for an 8N only.
Best -
Brian

 

[don b 1]

JMOR.....the short cable was connected to one of the bolts that connects the hood to the dash-steering column[upper left,sitting on tractor].This strap could be connected there after the starter button was moved down to the top of the tranny and the battery orientation was changed to having the positive post of the battery closest to the dash.The steel dash had six additional 5/16" bolts connecting it to the steering column in the center. don b1

 

[don b 1]

Brian....Dennis Carpenter just sells parts and don't know much about tractors.Nuff said!As you found out,there is no place to connect a 5-1/2" ground strap to an early 9n,but if your starter button is located on the tranny,you can connect it to the bolt that holds the hood to the dash.Just remember....6 volt systems require all electrical connections to be,CLEAN,BRIGHT and TIGHT. don b1

 

[Jerry Kirkpatrick]

Beautiful restoration, Don B. I'd put that in my living room...

JK

 

[don b 1]

IHA....JMOR posted the pic of my eary 9n [8840]that we restored here at nnalert.This was the hardest tractor to restore that we have ever tackled,and we have restored bunches of them.I gave that tractor to my grandson and he got Mr.Harold Brock[Chief Engineer for Ford on these tractors]to autograph it.That tractor, two 8ns and a 53,all restored correct,are on display in our showroom.Come visit us sometime. don b1