Farmall A Start with Key Switch

Howdy, my wife would like to start her Farmall A without having to step on the lever above the clutch. What do I need to buy and fabricate to have a keyed Start Switch? I already changed the tractor over to 12 volt negative ground. Thanks.

Key switch. solenoid, cables and wire. Henry

You need a starter that has a stud instead of the button you now have that the foot operated sw mount over. Simpler way would be to make a longer rod reaching up to the steering post then she could just push the rod with her hand to start. That would be far the quickest and cheaper way to change from the foot operated rod. Easy to do i can send you one if you like.

My A starter rod is long enough that I push it with my hand it is 26" long and comes up to the on /off switch plate.

You don't need a starter with a stud. All you need to do is jam the existing starter switch closed somehow.

Cut the wire running from the battery to the existing starter switch and solder on ends to fit the heavy lugs on the solenoid. Mount the solenoid somewhere convenient (under the platform) and make sure it has a good clean place to ground against. Connect the heavy cables to the lugs.

If the tractor has a magneto you have to leave the kill switch alone and use it like always. If it's got a distributor you can replace the ignition switch with the key switch.

There is probably a wire running from the starter switch to the ammeter. You need to relocate this wire to the post on the solenoid that connects to the battery. Otherwise, the lights won't work and the battery won't charge.

Mount the key switch. Run a wire from the alternator side of the ammeter to the +12V post on the key switch. If you have a distributor, you can simply remove the ignition switch and install the key switch in its place, and use the old wire from the ammeter to the ignition switch.

Run a wire from the S(tart) post on the key switch to the S(tart) post on the solenoid.

With a magneto, you're done. Pull out the kill switch, turn the key, and you're off to the races.

With a distributor, connect the wire from the coil to the I(gnition) post on the key switch. Now you're done.

For what it"s worth: If there is a magneto, the "switch" operates just backwarads from the switch on a battery ignition system. Turning a mag switch "ON" actually opens the circuit (in other words, this would be "OFF" on a battery ignition system) so magneto current does not go to ground. Turning it "OFF" completes the circuit and sends magneto current to ground; kills the mag and there is no spark. Just throwing this in because recently I saw a question about this, written, I think, by someone who hadn't had any experience with magnetos.

Thanks for all the good replies. Farmall guys are always helpful.