IH 504 Gasoline 1967-ish Neutral Safety Switch - Need Info!

[SteelSteed]

What is the haps, Cat Daddies,
I have an IH 504 gasoline, was quite unpleasantly surprised a little while back whilst working on it to find that it will start AND drive off in gear. Luckily, it was in Low and I just walked with it and killed it. I was on the left side adjusting carb or something, don't remember, right in front of rear tire.
I have had this tractor for several (10+) years and somehow either managed to have it in Neutral just out of habit or was sitting in seat and had clutch in EVERY other time I started the tractor. Had not even given a thought to the safety switch, happily my safety habits kept me out of trouble.
Guess shorting the starter solenoid terminals on an old Chevy or three with a pocket knife laying underneath builds "good" habits. Starting an old D8's pony motor while sitting on the tracks probably helped too. How did we make it to old age, anyway??
I can't find any info on the safety / neutral switch.

This model has the dash-mounted start button, not the case-mounted floor button next to the shift lever.
I have seen some other models like the 574 that have a clutch lever switch. I cannot find info on the 504 gasoline tho.
I haven't found any connectors or spades terminals on the case to indicate safety switch had been deleted or jumped.
Anyone on here have a 504 or otherwise know where a safety switch "should" be or point me in a direction to look?

If you've seen any of my posts on this thing, it has been mutilated pretty good. I mean, "PO modified and fixed". I got it running really well, not working now BC steering cylinder and case under steering wheel leak horribly, just remembered about safety switch whilst watching a vid with info on my (also work-in-progress) Powermaster 801.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[tomtinker]

I am thinking the farmall one that I had was on the side under the clutch pedal leaver.

 

[504]

My Farmall had one on the clutch pedal,I don`t know about my International.

 

[SteelSteed]

Thanks. I will check around it again. Rained right after I posted.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Case IH | Schematic, Manuals, Specifications and Diagrams for electrical system, safety starting switch, farmall tractors | MyCNH US Store

Find schematics, manuals, specifications and diagrams for ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SAFETY STARTING SWITCH, FARMALL TRACTORS. Find genuine OEM parts for your needs.

www.mycnhstore.com

 

[SteelSteed]

View attachment 93204

Case IH | Schematic, Manuals, Specifications and Diagrams for electrical system, safety starting switch, farmall tractors | MyCNH US Store

Find schematics, manuals, specifications and diagrams for ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SAFETY STARTING SWITCH, FARMALL TRACTORS. Find genuine OEM parts for your needs.

www.mycnhstore.com

Well, good news is that NONE of that is on my tractor, so I can now start over with new parts! Right? Oh, well, my pocket book was just starting to heal those bruises.

 

[used red MN]

Hello SS. welcome to YT! Unfortunately the majority of the parts shown are no longer available through the dealer. This linked parts catalog from a larger dealer in PA will show you all the part numbers that CaseIH decided to delete. Messicks Farmall 504 parts catalog You have to chose Category 06 Electrical, and Diagram 139. Although in this case it doesn’t do you much good because the bracket you need doesn’t show up when you web search the number. Many times even used parts show up by their part number. For some reason Messicks parts catalog isn’t showing the superseded PN for the switch PN375477R91, which is 537641R1 for $115. A search for the first number does show an alternate cheaper part available, not giving more detail on that due to it being from a YT competitor. It looks like the switch bracket would be fairly easy to fabricate.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I don't know when they started putting those on tractors. I know we have abolished most of them since they didn't work long and became a pain in the so we just dumped them out . I think most of our tractors never had one on them. I believe it was some place in the mid 70's they started with that nonsense.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Well, good news is that NONE of that is on my tractor, so I can now start over with new parts! Right? Oh, well, my pocket book was just starting to heal those bruises.

You can simply adopt proper safety procedures such as "shaking hands" with the shifter every time you go to start the tractor, to make sure it's in neutral. or simply NEVER starting the tractor unless you're sitting in the seat.

The tractor may have never had a clutch safety switch to begin with, which then means you have to figure out where to tap into the wiring harness to add one.

 

[used red MN]

I believe it was some place in the mid 70's they started with that nonsense.

More like the mid to early 60s, but I suppose you may be right if you are talking specifically about IH tractors and an actual “neutral” safety switch and not a clutch switch. Many brands utilized a neutral safety switch long before the 70’s, 1939 Ford 9Ns had them. Actually could be considered a life saving feature, those families that lost a loved one due to these not being installed on a tractor or properly connected may not buy into your “nonsense” description.

 

[SteelSteed]

You can simply adopt proper safety procedures such as "shaking hands" with the shifter every time you go to start the tractor, to make sure it's in neutral. or simply NEVER starting the tractor unless you're sitting in the seat.

The tractor may have never had a clutch safety switch to begin with, which then means you have to figure out where to tap into the wiring harness to add one.

Like I said, haven’t had issue w this tractor in almost a decade and many other vehicles and implements in my life. I’m not sure I didn’t push it into gear leaning around to turn on the key or get something while working it. Any “safety” mechanism is an accessory to safe procedures.

 

[Janicholson]

Hello SS. welcome to YT! Unfortunately the majority of the parts shown are no longer available through the dealer. This linked parts catalog from a larger dealer in PA will show you all the part numbers that CaseIH decided to delete. Messicks Farmall 504 parts catalog You have to chose Category 06 Electrical, and Diagram 139. Although in this case it doesn’t do you much good because the bracket you need doesn’t show up when you web search the number. Many times even used parts show up by their part number. For some reason Messicks parts catalog isn’t showing the superseded PN for the switch PN375477R91, which is 537641R1 for $115. A search for the first number does show an alternate cheaper part available, not giving more detail on that due to it being from a YT competitor. It looks like the switch bracket would be fairly easy to fabricate.

A 51GMC brake light switch is identical!! Jim

 

[Red Mercury]

I have a 1964 IH 504 gas--it's a one owner tractor that has been on the farm since new. It never had a neutral safety switch. We have old tractors so it's just a natural habit to do as Barnyard Engineering said. It's a good habit for any tractor, sometimes switches fail.

 

[gmcdeadhead]

I have a 1962 IH 504 , I'm the second owner , bought from original owner , never had a safety switch

 

[Jim Becker]

This is another of those mysteries that only becomes a mystery because of all the details that are missing from the online parts catalog. If you have the paper catalog, you could see the entry that lists the contents of this diagram as a "parts accessory". In other words, you could install it in the field (vs. factory) as a kit. You could maybe also order it factory installed, but that is a separate question the parts catalog wouldn't answer.

If you look at the related parts for a 504 Utility (previous page of printed catalog), you find it as a "parts accessory" for serial numbers 19200 and below. You can see it here (hope the link works), although this is a site that some have questioned the web safety:
504 Utility Switch
So my take on it is that the switch was added to the Utility (only) at serial 19201 (mid 1967) and at that time the accessory kits were made available for backfit to earlier 504s. The switch was probably added for some non-ag requirement, like highway mowers.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

This is another of those mysteries that only becomes a mystery because of all the details that are missing from the online parts catalog. If you have the paper catalog, you could see the entry that lists the contents of this diagram as a "parts accessory". In other words, you could install it in the field (vs. factory) as a kit. You could maybe also order it factory installed, but that is a separate question the parts catalog wouldn't answer.

If you look at the related parts for a 504 Utility (previous page of printed catalog), you find it as a "parts accessory" for serial numbers 19200 and below. You can see it here (hope the link works), although this is a site that some have questioned the web safety:
504 Utility Switch
So my take on it is that the switch was added to the Utility (only) at serial 19201 (mid 1967) and at that time the accessory kits were made available for backfit to earlier 504s. The switch was probably added for some non-ag requirement, like highway mowers.

IH was definitely including them as factory feature on the first 56 series tractors in 1967.

 

[Jim Becker]

IH was definitely including them as factory feature on the first 56 series tractors in 1967.

It may be that the parts required to backfit it onto a 504 were the exact parts used on one or more 56 series models. I'm not going to chase down those part numbers, at least not right now.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

It may be that the parts required to backfit it onto a 504 were the exact parts used on one or more 56 series models. I'm not going to chase down those part numbers, at least not right now.

The parts in the diagram above look nothing like the clutch safety switch on my early 1967 756.

I'm thinking you are probably on to something here, and 1967 was when they started adding the safety switches.

 

[SteelSteed]

Thanks for the input / info everyone.

Since it seems this model tractor didn’t have the neutral switch intrinsic to the design like my Ford Powermaster I probably won’t be re-engineering a safety to install. Is another bracket and switch to get snagged and broken.

 

[ajhbike]

I have a '66 and no switches