How to tell 6V from 12V system

Hi,
Here is some info about what electrical systems the Cubs originally had.

IH changed the Cub electrical system during 1950.
If the serial number of your Cub is 115402 and below, it originally had the electrical system in the pic below, from the 1949 Cub operator's manual.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-33.jpg

If the Cub is serial number 115403 and above, it originally had the system in the pic below, from the 1955 Cub operator's manual.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-39.jpg

In your pics it looks like the Cub has a Battery Ignition unit. They came out at serial number 115403, but some Cubs that had magnetos have had them put on.
The generator is gone in your pic, it goes on the bracket on the engine. It has a belt that runs it, the pic doesn't show if the belt is there.

The Cub operator's manual will help you learn about maintenance that the Cub needs.

Below is the 1955 Cub operator's manual. The experts on here recommend people read it. It has lots of info about operation, maintenance, and lubrication. There is a table of contents on page 1.
It shows how Cubs originally looked in it. The lube section begins on page 14.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html

They have said on here that IH didn't make a new manual every year.

Cubs made before mid 1964 originally had 6 volt, positive ground electrical systems.

The Touch Control fluid talked about in the manual was changed later to Case IH Hy-Tran fluid. It is sold at Case IH dealers.

I would check or change all the oils before using the Cub. Using it with low oil in a gear housing can damage the parts in the housing.
There are 3 separate gear housings, with 3 separate oil levels to check, in the rear area of a Cub, the transmission, and 2 final drives.

The transmissions in Cubs commonly get water in them, from rain, or condensation inside the housing over time. :)
 
Thanks so much. Since there is a 12V coil on there, is it safe to assume that the tractor has been converted over to a complete 12V system? Am I safe to get a new alternator and put onto the tractor? My goal right now is first to make sure that the motor is free, or able to be freed. After that I want to see if it will turn over. That's why I'm trying to start sorting out the electrical system. Thanks again everybody for answering my beginner questions!
 
Since you have a 12V coil, and a ballast resistor reducing it to 6V to the points, I think you’ll be fine to get an alternator and wire it with a 12V battery. You don’t want 12V going to your points on this one, they won’t last long and your ballast resistor has you covered there. There’s a wiring diagram somewhere on here.
 
Great! Any recommendations on the best/cheapest alternator? I'm seeing that the mount is also important, so seems like the best bet may be to buy a kit. I'm not interested in making a mount myself.
 
Don McCombs":2crh81tl said:
I would recommend that you determine whether the engine is free before spending any money on the electrical system.
Click to expand...
Agreed!!!! You can get the engine running w/o a gen or alternator. There's some posts about what to check/do to a "new to you" tractor to get running: if the engine will turn over either with a battery installed or with a hand crank you can check the compression, prime the oil pump, check for firing at the points/plugs, fuel flow delivery/quantity/carb condition/starter condition and operation, etc. You only need a 12v battery or hand crank to investigate.
EDIT: Your zipcode indicates North GA, The first CUBFEST of the year is in Sneeds FL next month. If you can attend, you will greatly benefit from the activity to learn more about your cub. If you could bring it to the event there will be lots of help and knowledge to get it running. Contact Mr. E who is the host for the event.
 
Eugene":wx3lmeb5 said:
That gray piece just below the coil is a ballast resister. It's used to drop 12 volts down to around 6 volts. And used with a 6 volt coil when the tractor has been converted to 12 volts.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't a 12V coil be internally resisted and not require the external resistor?
 
Yeah, like I said I plan to make sure the engine is free, or can be free before I spend any money on parts. One problem is that (In true Paw Paw fashion) the hand crank is missing, so attempting to free the motor that way isn’t an option. I may have to take the head off and tap the pistons.
Shane N, is there a mounting bracket that fits with that alternator you’d recommend?
Thanks everybody!
 
MiCarl":34ihqtfs said:
Shouldn't a 12V coil be internally resisted and not require the external resistor?
Click to expand...
12 volt coils can be purchased with and without an internal resister. Just depends on how the vehicle manufacturer designed there ignition system.
 
calebpalmer86":1j70su1m said:
One problem is that (In true Paw Paw fashion) the hand crank is missing, so attempting to free the motor that way isn’t an option. I may have to take the head off and tap the pistons.
Click to expand...
Remove spark plugs. Soak piston heads with solvent. Tractor in 3rd gear. Rock the tractor using a rear tire.
Shane N, is there a mounting bracket that fits with that alternator you’d recommend?
Click to expand...
Grandpa probably used a Delco 10SI alternator.
 
Not sure if he still is making them, but Bill (aka Barnyard) had some nice handcranks for sale. You might send him a PM, if you want to make things easier on yourself.

Also, if you do a search, you will find postings with several different ways to use your existing bracket for an alternator. Or you can post on the VINE a request for one...there are forum members who make brackets for alternators.
 
I'd encourage you to fully utilize the Search box in the upper right of each screen. By typing in a word or phase, you can get quite a listing. But each set of returned results has its own Search box above it on the left side, where you can search that listing for more specific terms.

For example, I typed in "hand crank" in the Search box (upper right corner of screen). That resulted in 2153 matches on the forum. By the way, if you use quotations marks, it will hit all the posts that have the two words "hand" and "crank" together, as well as individually. If you leave out the quotation marks, then it will only return those two words wherever they alone show up. In this case, hand crank returned a list of 2758 matches. Moving on from there, once you have the first batch of matches to the phrase "hand crank", then go over to the left side of the screen above the listing and you will see another Search box. In that I typed "dimensions" (I didn't use quotes in that box since it was only one word). That search returned 34 matches containing the words dimensions, hand, crank. I went to the 2nd posting by Don McCombs and there was a PDF dimensioned drawing of a Cub hand crank. Here it is:
http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=102682&p=812240&hilit=hand+crank+dimensions#p812240

Here's a thread in the How To Forum on properly hand cranking a Cub: http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=145&t=46811&p=386701&hilit=hand+crank#p386701

Earlier, I also gave you a link to a posting back in your first thread "Confusion about year of my cub" on What to do with a Cub you just brought home. In it are many, many good tips on what to do in your situation.

You mentioned that this Cub was inherited. I would also suggest that you go back to wherever this Cub originally rested and ask or search for the hand crank and any other Cub-related items. Unless the property was sold, you should have family access and rights to look around for it. Now that you can have a dimensioned drawing, you'll know what to look for.

You're doing good by asking questions. Members here are anxious to help.

I know it would be a 5 hour drive from the beautiful hills of Blue Ridge, Georgia, but if you could make the time to travel to Sneads, FL on Feb 14th and 15th, you'd have such a great time and learn so much from fellow Forum members. They'd welcome you greatly! Here's the links to the CubFest calendar and Deep South CubFest.
CubFest Calendar
Deep South CubFest
 
Without going back and reading all the posts has anyone thought that this is a 6v tractor that used a 12v coil with a resistor because a 6v coil was not available?
 
Gary S.":tc2tjh9y said:
Without going back and reading all the posts has anyone thought that this is a 6v tractor that used a 12v coil with a resistor because a 6v coil was not available?
Click to expand...
The ballast resistor is used to drop the voltage through the coil and to the points by about 50%. Using the resistor on a tractor with a 6 volt electrical system would drop the voltage to somewhere around 3 volts.

The points need to operate in the 4.5 to 9 volt range.

A 12 volt coil will work ok on a 6 volt electrical system.
 
Eugene":1ool232n said:
calebpalmer86":1ool232n said:
One problem is that (In true Paw Paw fashion) the hand crank is missing, so attempting to free the motor that way isn’t an option. I may have to take the head off and tap the pistons.
Click to expand...
Remove spark plugs. Soak piston heads with solvent. Tractor in 3rd gear. Rock the tractor using a rear tire.
Shane N, is there a mounting bracket that fits with that alternator you’d recommend?
Click to expand...
Grandpa probably used a Delco 10SI alternator.
Click to expand...
Agree with Eugene, remove the plugs and soak the cylinders with your favorite penetrating oil/witches brew. You can't do any harm and it will lubricate the cylinders, maybe free the rings. I would not remove the head unless there is no other choice. The head bolts are notorious for breaking if not been removed in a long time. They penetrate into the water jacket and the threads are usually rusted making them difficult to remove. If you remove the starter you can try moving the crank with a pry motion on the teeth of the ring gear. Try to move it in both directions. While the starter is off you can test it for operation by connecting it to a battery with jumper cables. 12v won't damage the starter as long as you run it briefly. A family tractor is worth a lot of effort to save it, IMHO. Don't give up :surrender: and Good luck, wish I were closer to your location. :hattip:
 
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