new guy needs help

I just joined your forum. I also bought my first tractor on Sunday. My daughter and I spent a lot of time on line and found a 1962 850 ford. It does not look great but it is all there and runs. we spent most of the first day looking for serial numbers to comfirm we had a 850. It has a front loader and gannon box.
My wife and I retired in Jan. 2005 and sold our home and moved 75 miles to the high desert where we had bought an old 5 acrer home sted in 1989. the guy we bought it from homesteded it in 1947. we took shovels and rakes and cleand the inside and had new subfloors. lanolium, and carpeting put in . we used it for 16 years as a weekend get away.
We built a new house and a four car garage for my toys(old mussel cars).
I bought the tractor to do some land scaping and to dig out for a new brick drive. We ( californians) can;t grow grass due to the water shortages so we will decorate with a brick driveway.
Now my real reason for joining. Can anyone tell me how to wire the starter, battery and switch? I still have it on my trailer and was going to charge the battery and when I hooked it up my charger pegged out. I have charged a lot of batteries over the years and never had that happen. I remembered MY first job after getting out of the navy and it was a garage and I recalled back then (1963) that Ford always used a positive ground. So I checked my manual and sure enough it said positive ground. So I wondered what else was wired wrong. Sooo if anyone can help me I would greatly appreciate it. The manual does not have a wiring diagram.

Thanks

Tommie

ouch.
sorry, can't help you with a wiring diagram, but welcome to the forum - I'm pretty sure answers/suggestions will start rolling in tomorrow.

off topic and being nosy:
when were you in the navy?
what rating?
what ships?
which coast? (pacific river canoe club?)

Welcome to Net Tractor Talk Tommie. Yep, sounds like you figured out the positive ground issue. Surprises me that they were still doing that in 63. I had an 8N that was originally a 6 volt system. By the time I got it someone had done a half assed conversion to 12 volt. Everything turned into electrical problems. Otherwise I loved that tractor.

I saw some wiring diagrams for Ford with positive ground. Now I just have to find them again. I'll dig em out and post them here for you.
In the mean time, enjoy and post often.

Photos of your muscle cars would be awesome!

Tommie, WELCOME!

Does this help any??:

wiring diagram

Thanks Mark,
I sent you an email. I am still a little green on these forums so I;m not sure how I am supposed to send back. a post. I have sent replies to some of the other guy's but I guess I sent them directly to them.
As I said in my emial to you I don't do well before my second cup of coffee in the mornings.
Now I am on my third cup and have printed you diagram. I went out to the tractor to check but it started to rain. But in So. Cal. it won't last long. I will atempt it again later.
I have read almost all the history on Ford tractors I can find. I think the early 60s Fords came out with a 12 volt system. The guy I bought this from knew more about horses than tractors. The front tires were off the rims and he could not keep the tractor running for more than a min. or two. It took about 10 tries befroe he got it on my trailer. But I think I got a good deal. I paid $2500 and it has a front loader and gannon box and it all works.I made a list of things I have to do but they are simple like replacing all the hydrolic hoses, checking all the fluids and making sure there is no water in them. new tire for the front are not about $70 each but getting new for the rear made me choke a little $600 for both. that includes mounting.They still hold water so I think I will wait until I run it for awhile to see if any other major expense comes up.

Thanks again Mark
ps I think this is a very friendly group you have here

Tommy, If you just want to get it running OK. If you want it for the long haul go ahead and convert it to 12V neg ground now and save yourself a lot of head aches in the future. It's not really hard and most shops have a conversion kit with a alternator and the brackets. You will just need to do a little re-wiring and change the head light bulbs. Your starter will work fine on 12V and you can install a ballast resister for the ignition. You can also get an electronic ignition after the conversion. (Petronics) is the one I have. I have a 1946 2N that has been converted to 12V, Neg ground, electronic ignition and electronic tach. It took a little work, but it starts everytime.

Yes Tommie,

I got your email…and I’m useless untill my third cup of coffee!

I should warn you up front that although I’m a lover of all models, probably my least experience* lies with Ford gas tractors. I only stumbled upon the diagram a while back and remembered where it was for ya’!

Fortunately, NTT has a very decent Think Tank of members who are very familiar with the Ford lineup. *Hope they chime in and help you along with diagnosing and the repair of your new acquisition. In my opinion, any tractor that runs (or try’s to) and has a front end loader is worth what you’ve spent.

Mark

Also Tommy when you convert, normally you will use a 1 wire Delco alternator that has an internal regulator so you won't need the old mechanical regulator any more. (those things are a constant problem

Doc, Thanks for the reply. I must be getting old . all of my pics are pics. I will copy them in the next few day and send them to you. I have a 67 Chevell SS 396 with a 4 speed and posi. Out of the hole she is quick but top end these kids and their new cars will pass me but they never look me in the eye because they could not believe I blew them off at the light.
Nexy I have a 68 cady convertable. It needs a lot of TLC. A 77 vette it was in my garage up till I bought the tractor. But I am close to taking it in for a new paint job.
I also have a 51 GMC 2 ton flat bed, it belonged to my dad back in Okla. So I drove back, bought a 20 ft. gooseneck and hauled it back here to Cal. I got 5 mph we were looking for gas station all the way home.
I thought I would have all kinds of time after I retired. Wrong!!!

Tommie
ps our kids don't fight over who will get land houses or ?? they fight over who gets dads Chevelle!!!

Hello guy's, I'm back. The weather was bad today so I went back to the trailer/tractorand studied the wiring. by the time I would get back to the garage. (That where I live. Grama got a new house . Grampa got a new garage with a bathroom, phones and a desk.) So I finaly made a drawing and discovered it is a one wire setup from the alt. All those wires and find it is just one! How dumb can I be? So I took the battery out of the Chevelle.(It fits better than the long one that was there.) I tried it and got one click from the starter by jumping to the battery then lots of sparks. Maybe I should have sign as stupid and not Tommie. Is there any thing I should know before I go any farther? I bought this thinking how hard can it be its just a four cylinder motor with a honkin set of gears.

Thanks again Gentlemen

Tommie,

Nothing stupid about it. Countless threads have been about Ford Tractors, new owners, and the frustrations of redoing the electrical.

I'm thinking that with a one wire alternator, someone has already done (or attempted) the 12V conversion. The sparks (obviously) indicate either bad or loose connections and/or a dead short.

(It appears haffasst has been down this road before.)

Is it possible you could attach some pictures of your current setup?

<<edit>> Tommie, maybe it's time to start a new thread in the "Ford - New Holland Forum"? This will put your post and questions more mainstream and highly visible to other members who frequent that forum.

New guy gets it running

Thank all of you for helping me and supporting me. I drove to the auto parts
store Sunday and bought a battery, selinoid and altinator. Today I got new
10 ply tires for the front.
I still have it tied down on my trailer. So I turned it on and it started after a few tries.
Someone ask when and where I was in the navy. I joined Jan 1960 and got out Dec 1963. I was on the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA 31 a carrier. I spent the whole time on this one ship.
Doc I ask my youngest daughter Robyn to help me set up all my pics. She designs web sites. MY oldest daughter has two masters in IT and IS but none of their knowlege rubbed off on me.
Thanks again folks.I will be a stedy visitor

Tommy, if it has the original 6V starter, and it probably does. Don't overwork the starter. It will last many years on 12V but if you grind it to long it will overheat. Try to get some pic's of the wiring and we will try to walk you thru it. It's not hard and most of the original wiring can be scrapped.

1.) you need a wire #12 to the ignition switch from the battery(+)
2.) you need a wire #12 from the ignition sw (on) to the coil.
3.) you need a wire #12 from the ignition sw (start) to the solenoid.
4.) you need another wire #12 from the ignition sw (on) to the alt.
That will make it run.
The other wires are for lights etc.

If you have a 1 wire alt it may not stop. You may need a diode or small light in the wire from the alt to the switch.

Pic's and we can wire it for you.

Tonny, I forgot to mention, if your tractor has an amp meter, take it out and buy a volt meter to replace it. The older machines actually measured the current leaving the generator going to the battery. These days they just measure the voltage at the battery. Hince all the new cars just have a meter showing 12V 14V etc. If you get the new meter hook one side to ground, and the other side to the (on) pos on the ignition switch. Take all the larger wires from the original amp meter and throw them away.

halfasst,
Just an FYI. If you need to add to or change a post, just click the edit button in the bottom right hand corner of your post. This can be done within Doc's preset time limits to edit.