Starter button on M's

Chuck W1945 · Apr 14, 2012

hi, I am new to the tractor restoration world so this may be a stupid question, but do all farmall M"s have a foot starter button. I am asking this because I received a m form my uncle to restore and the starter button is located on the steering post. Also all the tin is marked a an M . Thanks to anyone who can answer my question .

AARON ANDERSEN · Apr 14, 2012

yes thats where its supose to be.if you buy a new starter button,make sure you tell them you want the long shaft one ot else the foot lever wont hit button.hope this helps.

504 · Apr 14, 2012

No, all Ms did not have a foot button.

randy hall · Apr 14, 2012

yes all m's had the starter button down at your feet. the earlier ones were a rod through the post and the later ones had the little step on pedal.

rankrank1 · Apr 15, 2012

Never had an M, but I do have an H - The H's have the starter bracket mounted to the steering post and the button is pushed by hand.

Possibility: I have read where many people have coverted their M's over to the H style starter buttons after several failures with replacement M starter buttons being offered. Their reasoning was that it is much easier to change the H style starter button if you do have a problem.

armand tatro · Apr 15, 2012

IH had the right idea by mounting the starter button on the H where you could push it with your hand and it was up out of the dirt, crud,and moisture that is down on the deck. that design was NOT BROKE! What was their thinking when they moved it to such an out of the way place? Oliver on the 880 had the same push button on the dash(even going back to the66/77/88 models!). Armand

sflem849 · Apr 15, 2012

(quoted from post at 08:51:43 04/15/12) IH had the right idea by mounting the starter button on the H where you could push it with your hand and it was up out of the dirt, crud,and moisture that is down on the deck. that design was NOT BROKE! What was their thinking when they moved it to such an out of the way place? Oliver on the 880 had the same push button on the dash(even going back to the66/77/88 models!). Armand

I would assume they moved it to the floor so you would have both hands free while starting. One for the choke and one for the starting fluid or throttle.

Central Illinois · Apr 15, 2012

If you are restoring it then do whatever you want to do with it. I have an M that the previous owner put the starter switch on the light bracket and it is really nice up there and easy to reach. If I ever redo it I am planning on leaving the switch right where it is. It's just my opinion but sometimes I think it is o.k. to leave modifications that have been done alone. They give the tractor character.

pete 23 · Apr 15, 2012

When I worked over my own M, I moved the starter switch up on steering post , using bracket from an H. I worked on M's for many years and never liked that foot operated one. Nine out of ten of them do not push squarely on the switch and therefore they tear up the switch shortly. I reworked many with several different approaches and usually improved them but I still did not like them. My problem with moving it up is it messed up the battery box to get the cable to switch and still look neat and out of the way. Had to remake the box and cover some. I think they probably made it foot operated so you could give it a good hard push easier with your foot as the M takes a lot of juice to starter so you need good hard pressure on that switch.

CNKS · Apr 15, 2012

The early H's also had it on the lower steering post-- then it was moved up. Pete 23 may be right about it needing more pressure, I don't know why it wasn't moved along with the H's otherwise. Actually, with a cold engine I usually start my tractors from the ground because it is easier for me to manipulate the choke, thus I use the starter button instead of the rod. I grew up cranking tractors so it is ingrained in my brain to be sure it is in neutral first. I also let them warm up for a couple of minutes while I do something else.

Starter button on M's

Chuck W1945

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AARON ANDERSEN

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504

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randy hall

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rankrank1

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armand tatro

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sflem849

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Central Illinois

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pete 23

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CNKS

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