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Starter switch finesse

Yesterday's Tractor Forums
M

mblair441

Member
on my 59 Cub, 6 V positive ground, I’m having trouble getting the starter switch to make contact. I bought a new switch and it wasn’t any better, leaving me to think that the contact nub on the starter itself is worn to the point where the switch will not make reliable contact. I can get the switch to make contact on the bench, but as soon as I install starter and the battery cables, it goes wacky. The old switch had a rubber gasket between it and the starter that was shot, so I cut a new one from an old bicycle inner tube. I don’t think that the gasket thickness would be enough to affect clearance on the switch? Does anybody have any suggested workaround to make a normal, reliable starting system, improve the contact situation without too much modification?
 
The gasket thickness very much will affect clearance on the switch. It's between the switch and the starter body.

Define "goes wacky" please.

How does the contact look on the starter body? Does it look worn down? If it looks worn down it probably is.

The correct fix is to replace the contact. Unfortunately, while the contact does thread in, it is soldered in place after it is threaded in, so it needs to be unsoldered from the inside to be changed. You need to be careful unsoldering the contact to avoid unsoldering the windings as well.
 
I will try it without the gasket, and then, if it works, put in a thin gasket, and see if that works. There seems to be a bit of play for the bolt that connects to the cables that goes through the housing. Is that any sort of adjustment?
 
mblair441 said:
on my 59 Cub, 6 V positive ground, I’m having trouble getting the starter switch to make contact. I bought a new switch and it wasn’t any better, leaving me to think that the contact nub on the starter itself is worn to the point where the switch will not make reliable contact. I can get the switch to make contact on the bench, but as soon as I install starter and the battery cables, it goes wacky. The old switch had a rubber gasket between it and the starter that was shot, so I cut a new one from an old bicycle inner tube. I don’t think that the gasket thickness would be enough to affect clearance on the switch? Does anybody have any suggested workaround to make a normal, reliable starting system, improve the contact situation without too much modification?
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We have worked on dozens of Cubs. Never seen any sort of gasket between the switch and the starter. Think about it this way, the gasket is useless,you run 2 screws through the metal switch into the metal starter and that gasket is now doing nothing.
 
I suppose a gasket there might help keep moisture out. That said, I have never seen a gasket there either. The old one found in there was probably home-made and added for some unknown reason. Possibly he lost one or both of the insulators inside the sides of the switch allowing an occasional short inside the switch. The gasket found may have been a misguided attempt to eliminate that problem.

Put it together without the home-made gasket. If you still don't get good contact, open the two screw holes into slots that let you slide the switch a little closer to the nub on the starter.
 
The Weather in Texas isn’t very cooperative today so I’ll have to try that later this week. Thanks for the tip.
 
mblair441 said:
The Weather in Texas isn’t very cooperative today so I’ll have to try that later this week. Thanks for the tip.
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Removing the gasket might do it! if not use a small chainsaw file to elongate the holes in the switch mount to move the switch toward the stud in the starter motor. Usually 1/8" will do the trick. A Dremel tool with a carbide bit will also be workable. Jim
 
What passes for the Cub parts book shows a gasket between the switch and the housing. Before sn 224400 (6V ), pn 1 912 376. I doubt that the gasket is the problem.
 
riverbend said:
What passes for the Cub parts book shows a gasket between the switch and the housing. Before sn 224400 (6V ), pn 1 912 376. I doubt that the gasket is the problem.
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Removing the gasket gives you just a little less clearance between the contacts and the nub to allow them to contact. This buys you a bit more time before the replacing the nub. My not be the way it is “supposed to be” but it works.
 
The stud is removable. Take it out and turn it around for a fresh contact surface

If you wish for the switch to be sealed, put a bead of RTV along the edges of the switch and squish it down with the screws. This way it can be sealed without sacrificing switch contact clearance.
 
Fritz Maurer said:
The stud is removable. Take it out and turn it around for a fresh contact surface

If you wish for the switch to be sealed, put a bead of RTV along the edges of the switch and squish it down with the screws. This way it can be sealed without sacrificing switch contact clearance.
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Sure it's removable. But the average person ain't gonna have a heavy enough soldering iron to attach everything back together 😧.
 
I replace the Replace switch hold screws and star washers to bite into thru stwich paint and rust to make good contact if rusted. Also clean threads in starter case

I think you did good withv bike tube for gasket , that will keep dirt oil grease and especially gas spills from getting close to switch arcing
 
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