First Tractor, TO20 -- Questions

chevymanar

New User
I am new to this site. It seems like a great place for information. I just bought my very first tractor, a TO20. I will use this tractor for cutting and plowing around my deer camp.

I have two questions that I would like to ask:

1. One thing that I noticed when I got it was that it will crank in gear. I know this was not the factory configuration and wanted to know if there was something simple that I could look for to see what a previous owner might have done to bypass it. I assume there is a switch that is pressed when the gear shift is in the "S" location.

Do these switches go bad over time and folks just bypass them? I assume this is what happened. To me this is dangerous, the last thing I want is for someone to reach up and crank the tractor and it take off and hurt someone/something.

2. The finger tip control is VERY touchy and will drift down with vibration. Is there something that originally was there to lock this control into place?
 
First You have come to the right place the people are Friendly.
1. there is a switch behind steering column and yes they some times wear out to activate it you pull up on the shifter when in the S position.
2. yes there is a cork or leather washer in behind (or was) for a friction to hold the leaver in position.
Ypop their are others that are more knowledgeable than me IE John UK
 
It would probably be easier/cheaper to wire in a spring loaded switch that would mount under the clutch pedal so no voltage would go to the starter selenoid without the clutch down and just leave the rest of the wiring the way it is if it is working good.
 
If you can post a picture of what is on there now for a solenoid
we can give you some good direction. It may be that the
original start switch went bad and a new one was not available
so an alternate means was used. You may just need a new
switch to put in. I just had to replace mine for just over $20 at
Tractor Supply.
 
Thanks for the responses.

The key switch is definitely not the factory one. It looks to only be a few years old.

I am pretty knowledgeable in electronics so that will not be an issue. Was the original design:

BATTERY --> SHIFT SWITCH --> KEY SWITCH --> STARTER SOLENOID?

I am not sure where to look to take the photo. Is the shifter switch located under the plate that the shifter is mounted onto?

How about a wiring diagram, I have the manual but it doesnt have a wiring diagram with it. It also may be worth noting that this tractor has been converted to 12V.
 
This is the switch you are looking for. If you have a solenoid your wires would go on this switch and your ignition wire comes off of the hot lead to your key.
a168971.jpg

a168972.jpg
 
Thanks guys. I will give it a look when I get home this evening and see what I can find.

Another thing, can you verify my line of thinking here....At the moment I can't get the shifter out of gear (it is still on my trailer). It has a bush-hog attached to it and I assume that it maybe is just in a bind (I can't rock the tractor because the bush-hog is lowered all the way down). I'm not sure if that is common or not, I have had several ATVs that required some rocking to get out of gear. I need to just press the clutch and crank it to get the bush-hog up enough that I can rock it back and forth.
 
Did you drive it on to the trailer? If you did, then you know that the clutch is OK. The gears may be in a bind from the load of the bush hog. It should release when you start the tractor.
If you're anywhere close to Little Rock, my TO20 is still apart enough that you can come by and see how the starter button operates.
BillL
 
(quoted from post at 17:08:03 09/16/14) At the moment I can't get the shifter out of gear (it is still on my trailer). It has a bush-hog attached to it and I assume that it maybe is just in a bind

Likely you've already solved this little problem, but in case not.... my TO30 has a tendency to get stuck in gear if there is weight on the hydraulics (even if much of the implement weight is resting on the ground). For example, if I'm using a blade and then attempt to change gears sometimes I cannot get it out of gear. In those cases since the engine is running I can release the clutch ever so slightly to slide it out of gear, or I can fully release the pressure from the hydraulics (push the quadrant lever all the way forward). If yours has sat on the trailer for an extended period and is still stuck this is likely not the problem. But.... just for what it's worth.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and responses. Tractor came out of gear and was fine once I pressed on the clutch.

The switch has in fact been replaced with a standard solenoid that is connected to the key switch. I just need to remove this and get the shifter switch on order. It wont move over to the "S" position at all, the shifter just wont go there. To replace the switch, is it just a matter of taking that plate off (the plate which the shifter is mounted to)? If getting in there is too difficult, I considered just placing a toggle switch on the dash that would serve as a reminder that the shifter needed to be in neutral.
 
(quoted from post at 12:56:53 09/18/14)
To replace the switch, is it just a matter of taking that plate off (the plate which the shifter is mounted to)?

The switch is the piece that the battery cables are connected to in the pics Tom H posted. To replace it, disconnect the negative cable at the battery, remove the cables from the switch, remove the two 1/4" (7/16" wrench size) bolts from the plate and remove the switch. It looks like a foot-operated dimmer switch that old cars had. Here's a picture-
http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/Ferguson-TO20_Starter-Switch-Manual_181679M1.html
You can check the operation of the starter switch lever when the switch is out. Move the shifter to the "S" position, and you should see the lever rise up, which pushes the starter button and activates the starter. If you can't get it to shift to "S" you have other problems we can help you with.
I'll try to add some pics for you tomorrow.
BillL[/url]
 
I plan to order a new switch soon. I assumed since the shifter wouldn't move that I had to take off that plate, good to know that may not be the case.

So I have more than likely solved my original issues.

I have another question now. The rear of the tractor (PTO) seems to be leaking quite a bit. What does it take to repair this seal? I will post photos shortly.
 
(quoted from post at 18:47:14 09/26/14) To get shifter to move to start position you have to pull up on shifter

Dang I didn't know that. I'm sure it is clear as day in the User Manual.

Any advice on the leaky PTO?
 
I don't remember that shifter trick being in the Manual, chevymanar. Different tractors are different, and sometimes you have to hold your mouth just right. My TO-20 was kind of tricky to get into reverse, until I got the feel for it.

My PTO had a pretty good drip from the seal/bearing around the shaft. Nothing like yours, though - you probably also need the paper gasket behind the shaft cover/bearing carrier.

Mine also had one of the mounting bolt holes broken off, and no threads for a PTO cover, so I replaced shaft, carrier, bearing, seals and all, in one unit. (You can get all the parts separately, too, if you want to go that way.)

Once the fluid was drained, it was an easy job. (As long as the shaft isn't twisted.)
 
Please look into an over-running clutch if you are
using a brush mower. We don't want to see you get
hurt.
 
I haven't been around a TO-20 for a long time but
check diameter of pto. don't know if it is 1 1/8 or
1 3/8.
 

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