I have a Farmall M with a foot peddle starter mounted to the lower steering post. This setup seems to not press on the starter button very straight, causing it to bind, and causing me to go through starter buttons about once every 6 months. I like how simple and clean the design of my C starter is with the rod type starter. How can I convert mine this way? Do I just have to find or buy a starter for a late Super M? I know almost every SM I've seen has this style starter. Is there anywhere I can buy this style starter? I'd like to do this while I do my 12v conversion. Thanks!!
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John M
Well-known Member
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- Nunyafn business
A buddy of mine did this by putting the case from a Super M. He used the guts from his M starter. The switch has to screw down to the case IIRC.
armand tatro
Well-known Member
The simple and cheapest fix is to mount a solonod(sp.?) where the push button is and a pushbutton on the light bar(this way orig. cobles are used} or get longer cables and move the big push button high up on the steering colum like is used on the farmall H. It baffels me to this day why they did not used the H style push button mount on the M. Armand
rustyfarmall
Well-known Member
No, you do not need a new starter, and no, you do not need any kind of solenoid. All you need is the steering post mounted bracket which puts that push button starter switch right up where you can reach it with your left hand. It mounts opposite to, and uses the same bolt, as the ammeter box.
rustyfarmall
Well-known Member
Years ago I had a Super M with the pull rod starter. That "rod" is hardly a rod. It is more like a piece of wire and it got to the point it would actually make my finger hurt to pull on that rod. I much prefer the post mounted switch.
Weird. The one on my C is probably 1/8" in diameter, and very sturdy. I like the way it works. Plus the wiring diagram I have for a 12v conversion is for the saddle mounted starter, so that will make my wiring change easier IMO. It's all personal preference. I don't have a problem with the steering post mounted starter, that's how my H is too, I just like the pull rod starter on my C a lot.
greyfoxxca
Member
I will second what oldts said that the starter from the super series have 3 bolts and will not fit. I have two super W parts tractors and the starters will not fit on the farmall m that the bendex died on.
George
George
Around half the SM tractors used a starter just like a M. All the diesel were 3 bolt but 2 different diesel starters were used. All the SM non diesels with 3 bolt mounting used the pull switch on top. Without going to check I think the pull rod is 1/4 inch diameter.
Most gasoline type starters of that general time period used starters that the motor part of the starter will work on a 2 bolt housing.
I have a M now with a farmall 300 starter motor bolted to the 2 bolt starter housing.
Most gasoline type starters of that general time period used starters that the motor part of the starter will work on a 2 bolt housing.
I have a M now with a farmall 300 starter motor bolted to the 2 bolt starter housing.
The reason for the foot operated switch is to get a more positive contact, more power on the foot than the hand. They apparently figured it took more current to handle the starting task on the M than the H. Thing is they didn't perfect the alignment problem. I have redone a lot of them over the years to make that rod or pedal type push the button straight. It didn't always produce desired results. I changed my own M to H style when I went through the tractor a couple of years ago. When you push that button though you need to give it a good hard push to reduce arcing in switch contacts. Far as the hand pull like a super, well, the new switchs you get are not very well made,(even worse than the hand push mounted type) and when you burn into that stud in starter it is a lot more work to replace stud than just a hand push switch. Have soldered many new ones in over the years.
Starter drive housings unbolt from the motor part. If the bushing is good in the drive end of a M starter all needed was to bolt the 300 big end and internals onto the M drive housing. You can also put a pull type starter motor on a M drive housing. As already mentioned, if the M starter is okay and you dont want the push or kick type switch. Cheapest would probably be to just get a starter switch like used on lots of fords and others. Push button switch or key switch with start position on it would be needed to use though. Also the starter switch has a terminal to bypass a coil resistor for starting if wanted. You can get a water proof push button switch that will fit in one of the holes in the hydraulic operating rod support or somewhere else.
gene bender
Well-known Member
How are you going to put a saddle sw on a M starter it doesent have the buton nor does it have the holes drilled and tapped for one.
gene bender
Well-known Member
Wont the starter from the C fit and work. Then if it works you can get a starter for a C then install it and you will have the pull rod set-up. You need the starter with the button for the saddle type. If your M was drilled and tapped for the saddle sw you could have the stud replaced with the button but yourM starter isnt drilled and tapped for the saddle sw.
Guess I wasn't clear. Use a stage 2 SM gas starter or similiar (motor) back housing and parts and install them on a stage 1 SM or M drive end housing. I wouldn't go to the trouble to do it on a M, but if thats what he wants it can be done. Lots of starter parts will interchange on those old tractors. Some 300 to 450 6 and 12 volt gas starters will work on a M if the M drive or mounting housing is installed on the starter.
rustyfarmall
Well-known Member
The Super H AND the Super M both use the same 2 bolt starter with the button contact, and a brand new, not remanufactured, starter will cost less than $200. I don't think the 3 bolt starter came into play until the 400s and 450s, and possibly the SMTAs, but my catalogs show only the 2 bolt starter for the SMTA.
rustyfarmall
Well-known Member
Yes, and I can get the saddle switch also.
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