Who's bright idea was that?!?

Dan T in MO · May 16, 2014

Bought a new to me loader tractor today, a TO-30 Ferguson. Anyway, the seller tells me to get up there and try it out before I decide which only makes sense to me.

I finally get into the seat, kick it out of gear, push in the clutch and twist the key. NOTHING! A Ford N series would at least crank, but I get nothing out of this contraption no matter how much I twist the key. I'm looking all over for another interlock, or maybe to see if it even has a battery in it when the seller comes over and moves the shifter to an embossed "S" position. Really? The starter switch is in the shifter?

Anyway, it's gonna be a whole lot easier cleaning out hog pens.

Bob Bancroft · May 16, 2014

Sure way to have it only start in neutral though isn't it?

JustIn Case · May 16, 2014

Really it works pretty nice. Keeps you from starting it in gear. I know some of the fords have an interlock on the stater switch too, but quite a few tractors don't. Enjoy the Ferguson,

Dan T in MO · May 16, 2014

Ford had a better idea

Anonymous-0 · May 16, 2014

you aint been around much have ya LOL .pretty well standard on all rainbow of colors .. lol.. Congratulations for Joinining the elite Group of tractor nutz .... .lookin forward to hearing how well that to 30 steers ,,, hope it has live hydraulics ,, not impossible t o operate without ,,, but a real pia clutchin and shiftin,,, I used a 8n ford
one time to level out gravel in a house basement,,. like wrazzlin a octopus,and a alligator , worse thing ... it had a runaway governor that I fixed the next day

paul · May 16, 2014

Grey and red Ford has to have the shifter in N, 5200 has to have the hi-Lo shifter in N, 7700 and TW20 need the clutch pushed in, 1720 needs the top shifter in n and the pto off.

That goes back to 1955 through late 1990s.

Paul

redforlife · May 16, 2014

My 235 MF has to be in nuetrol on the high low to start. Well it did from factory. When the switch went bad, I just wired past it. Didn't really see that it was much of a safety thing since anybody that starts it is pretty much going to be sitting in the drivers seat anyways.

Dan T in MO · May 16, 2014

My Ford 2600 has to have the shifter AND the hi-lo both in neutral.

paul · May 16, 2014

I bought the 5200 at an auction, saw it run, they started it again when they sold it.

Then - couldn't start it after I bought it..... Figured it would be the clutch in like my others, nope. Tried it with the main shifter in neutral, nope. Tried a few other things, pto and such, until I just stumbled upon the hi-Lo being the one that has to be in neutral.

Was funny.

My 960 has that vertical shifter 5 speed. Neighbor was running it for dad, older experienced farmer. He couldn't figure it out, made no sense to him that it wouldn't move around, me a little kid at the time had to show him how to shift it.

Pau

ShadetreeRet · May 16, 2014

Unless they made some that I am not familiar with, TO-30s did not have live hydraulics, nor p/s. They are great little tractors, but as you stated, a real PITA to use with a bush hog and a few other implements.

Anonymous-0 · May 17, 2014

Get a new safety switch! Way too easy to forget if it's in gear if you reach over to start it from the side. The S embossed on the trans. stands for start. People have been killed starting tractors standing beside them.

Anonymous-0 · May 17, 2014

I'll take a Fergie over an N series Ford any day.

Blackhole49 · May 17, 2014

There"s something wrong with your n series if it cranks twisting the key.

ericlb · May 17, 2014

it keeps people from wiring around the switch , then the family tried to sue somebody because the factory didnt tell them that idiots and tractors dont work togeather

ericlb · May 17, 2014

the problem with tractor like fords is they get "fixed" so they start with a key turn, them the tractor gets sold so somebody who shouldnt have one, and they get killed when they start the tractor in gear while standing on the ground next to it

ss55 · May 18, 2014

The safety starter interlock will only fool you once. Now that you know about it, it will quickly become second nature to you. "Park" and "Start" shift positions have been common since the 1960's.

Dan T in MO · May 19, 2014

You're right. The N has a big starter button down by the gear shift. I was thinking of the 2600 that you gotta twist the key.

W_B · May 19, 2014

(quoted from post at 03:42:52 05/17/14) My 235 MF has to be in nuetrol on the high low to start. Well it did from factory. When the switch went bad, I just wired past it. Didn't really see that it was much of a safety thing since anybody that starts it is pretty much going to be sitting in the drivers seat anyways.

Uhh, no. Pretty much start my old tractors standing at the side, they won't crank unless in neutral, built in safety. Hope you don't kill yourself of one of your loved ones. How about fixing the switch instead of the hillbilly modification. Sorry, no tolerance for stupid here.

Old Iron · May 19, 2014

(quoted from post at 13:50:44 05/19/14)

Uhh, no. Pretty much start my old tractors standing at the side, they won't crank unless in neutral, built in safety. Hope you don't kill yourself of one of your loved ones. How about fixing the switch instead of the hillbilly modification. Sorry, no tolerance for stupid here.

How about sitting your butt in the seat (where it belongs) when starting a tractor,... or, do you also stand beside your car and pickup when starting them?

Bret4207 · May 20, 2014

(quoted from post at 13:03:18 05/19/14)

(quoted from post at 13:50:44 05/19/14)

Uhh, no. Pretty much start my old tractors standing at the side, they won't crank unless in neutral, built in safety. Hope you don't kill yourself of one of your loved ones. How about fixing the switch instead of the hillbilly modification. Sorry, no tolerance for stupid here.

Click to expand...

How about sitting your butt in the seat (where it belongs) when starting a tractor,... or, do you also stand beside your car and pickup when starting them?

The need for neutral safety switches always baffled me too. I suppose some people really do need to be protected from themselves. Whatever.

Who's bright idea was that?!?

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