1940 9N ignition switch -- key or toggle?

A while back, I mentioned my friend with the 9N. It's been sitting over winter, and now time to think about getting it going.

It has a 12V conversion -- dunno whose, and haven't looked yet to see if negative or positive ground (battery is gone).

Someone has been . . .uh . . ."working" on the wiring since the last time it ran. The ignition switch is AWOL.

Looking at the sizes of the holes in the rear panel, I'm figuring that one was ignition and the other for headlights (both switches gone). Both are the size of toggle switches.

Before I try to figure out the wiring, I want to get an ignition switch. Am I correct that it was a toggle?

The key switch on my 9N's and 2N's were all mounted on the left
hand side of the steering column, up under the angled casting.
They were not mounted through the dash and they took the same
key switch as the 8N and some other ford tractors.

(quoted from post at 23:47:37 03/11/20) The key switch on my 9N's and 2N's were all mounted on the left
hand side of the steering column, up under the angled casting.
They were not mounted through the dash and they took the same
key switch as the 8N and some other ford tractors.

Click to expand...

ut all 9Ns were not the same in that regards.

On the 1940 9n it would be a key switch. Alot of them have been change out the toggle or push/pull button. I have broke off keys on my '40 with my knees cause of my long legs. I
have cut the key in half what sticks out and it helps but if I were to replace again i would put a push/pull button instead of key switch.This way when my knee hit it does brak
just shuts tractor off.

Of course I should add if it's an early '40 the key switch is higher up on the dash and won't be a problem.

NO, not all 9N and 2N ignition key switches were the same nor in the same location. I also advice not to use a toggle switch either; it?s just plain stupid on many levels. Denny Carpenter sells the OEM new repop switches. The first early 9N?s, ?39-?40 were designed with the ignition key switch on the RH Dash Panel (SEE PIX) at the 3 O?Clock position to the oil gauge. In early 1940 at s/n 12500 Ford changed the switch location to the lower LH dash panel and also changed/added the safety interlock pushbutton starter button and moved it from the LH dash to the top of the gear shift cover. At s/n 80770 in late 1941 Ford moved the switch again to the LH Steering wheel column where it remained thru 2N production. Next, even though there were 12V generators made, one of the advantages of changing over to 12V from 6V/POS GRN is to also use an alternator. 12V and the alternator functions ideally with a negative ground connection. There is nothing ?wrong? with switching over to a 12V/NEG GRN setup, if done for the right, practical reasons. Many fellas don?t understand the 6V/POS GRN setup and then think it needs to be changed to 12V when they begin having starting issues, and that is just wrong thinking. Either way, it is imperative to know how the system is wired whether 6V or 12V. BOTH 6V and 12V setups using the front mount distributor must use the OEM Ballast Resistor too.Having the OEM essential manuals are valuable tools to have. Understanding how the OEM 6V/POS GRN system wiring is will better help you be prepared to switch over to 12V. Having the correct Wiring Pictograms by JMOR are also important to have.

FORD-FERGUSON 9N ? EARLY 1939 ALUMINUM DASH- note IGNITION SWUTCI ON RH DASH & STARTER BUTTON ON LH DASH:


NOTE: AT S/N 12500 SWITCH MOVED TO LH DASH PANEL AND SAFETY NEUTRAL STARTER PUSHBUTTON ADDED & MOVED TO GEAR SHIFT COVER.


1941 FORD 9N ? DASH KEY SWITCH CHANGED AT S/N 80770; NOTE - IGNITION SWITCH MOVED TO LH STEERING COLUMN:

FORD 9N/2N WIRING 6V & 12V:

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR 9N-12250 BALLAST RESISTOR:



FORD 9N/2N TRACTOR ESSENTIAL OWNER/OPERATOR/PARTS/SERVICE MANUALS:


Tim Daley(MI)

Thanks, everyone!

S/N is 24xxx, so I'll hunt on the left side for switch, wiring, etc.

I think I'm going to go ahead and buy it from her, to get it out of her way and put some money in her pocket, then get it running and put it on CL.