MTFCA Forum

You won’t know until it shorts out. The stud should not turn. Can you take the switch apart and hold the contact in place while you install a thin jam nut and lock washer to lock the stud in place? You can then check the washers to be sure they are still intact. If they are okay, you can use the regular nut to tighten the cable against the jam nut. Jim Patrick

I reported on the construction of these repro switches in 2021 & several others have done so since.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18248&p=138840&hili ... ch#p138840

There are two causes for the switch to fail. One is the construction of the switch and the other is in its installation. The installation issue is when the head of the plunger is to high above the floor, note that it shouldn't be more tan the travel distance to make the internals contact. When its to high additional pressure on the plunger will cause the shroud around then plunder to bend around its base, this then puts it on an angle and only one contact is engaged. As a result the driver, out of frustration, applies even more pressure and at sooner or later a short follows
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This plunger appears to be too high, given the travel distance needed for the switch contacts to meet.

When tightening or loosening the cable connection on the starter switch, if the stud turns it is not necessarily a problem. I recommend using a thin wrench to hold the lower nut when turning the outer nut, same on the starter motor...even more important for the starter motor because spinning that stud will damage it.

One problem using a modern tractor starter button is a tractor starter button is depressed with the hand and not the foot. Using a replacement tractor starter button sold by farm stores and some model T parts vendors and stepping on it by the heel of a foot may put a side load on the plunger that it will not handle. Also, like some model T repo parts, many tractor parts available today are made in China and are not comparable to the quality of the original USA made parts. This is one of those parts that is better to find an original and restore it.

I agree. The way to go is to find and refurbish an original Ford floor button. That is what I have on my 1926 coupe and it is very well made. Solid steel instead of thin pressed sheet metal. I found mine on eBay in 2010. Very well made and reliable like most original Ford parts. Jim Patrick

Find an original Ford starter switch.
The foot switch nuts and bolts contacts have to be treated the same way as the starter stud bolt where the cable attaches to. They aren’t really backed up internally enough to really tighten them down. Use a thin wrench to use on the outer nut and tighten down the cable with another wrench.

You're not an idiot. You just lack a little foresight.

The trick is, since the top side of the bolt used in the starter switch can't be accessed, you can take a thin cut-off wheel in a die grinder and grind a slot in the stud that keeps spinning. Take a blade screwdriver and insert it in the slot and hold the stud while you tighten the nut. Get it good and tight so it won't twist again. Now, place the battery lead on the stud, a star washer on top of that, and the second nut.

I have been running a Ford script original starter switch on my car for the last 18 years with no problems. They turn up at swap meets from time to time. The tractor starter switches are the next best thing. You don't need to convert it to a solenoid. Keep your contacts clean and tight.

By the way, The Great Race is one of my favorite movies. I remember seeing the cars at the Movieland Cars of the Stars and Planes of Fame Museum when I was a kid. There was a different car for every function of the Hannibal 8. They were all powered by Corvair engines. There were multiple Leslie Specials there, too. It's just a great movie. Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk were hilarious.

Hope this helps.

I agree with modeltspaz. A Model T doesn’t need a solinoid. It’s better to keep a Model T as intended. Next time you go to a swap meet find an original starter switch and restore it if it’s necessary and it would be a learning experience. Most Model T hobbyists learn by doing. I know I did and still learning.

Dan, that is not the best quality switch to buy.

The starter switch is not a good place to save a dollar.

I had the top rivet come out on mine and engage the starter when I was driving about 30 miles an hour.

This was a fire truck and the battery box was on the running board, so it was easier to open the circuit.