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dclarke

1960 Suburban 400 kill wire

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dclarke

It’s my understanding that the engine kill wire connects to the throttle lever bracket on this tractor. Anybody have any pics of how it’s connected? Mine looks like something is missing. 

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WHX??

I had that same question a few years ago Denny @Racinbob can maybe chime in here. I had originally thought that the throttle cable was long enough to hit the spark plug for a kill. My 400 with a Clinton I went a different route. Clinton or Kohler Denny?

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WHX??

Here we go Denny...I had originally thought the same but could be dead nuts wrong. Bob will know fer sure

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I thought the tail hung down to short. but not so sure .. this is what I ended up with but again a Clinton. 

This is eventually what I ended up with but again a Clinton.

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Edited by WHX22
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dclarke
20 minutes ago, WHX22 said:

I had that same question a few years ago Denny @Racinbob can maybe chime in here. I had originally thought that the throttle cable was long enough to hit the spark plug for a kill. My 400 with a Clinton I went a different route. Clinton or Kohler Denny?

Mine’s a Kohler, Jim. I’m not sure it’s original tho and there’s a wire hanging from the points. I just thought it might connect to the throttle bracket somehow to kill the engine but I don’t know much at all about these Suburbans. Thanks for the pics, I never thought about a wire touching the spark plug. 

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wallfish

A plastic insulator goes in that hole to isolate the screw which the kill wire connects to and then the lever makes contact with the screw head to ground it.

I'll see if I can find a pic with the insulator and screw.

 

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Edited by wallfish
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WHX??

It looks deceiving Denny... Is that right 'Fish ... I often wondered about that but had nothing to go off of. 

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wallfish
2 minutes ago, WHX22 said:

It looks deceiving Denny... Is that right 'Fish ... I often wondered about that but had nothing to go off of. 

Would I steer you wrong?

Yes, that's how it goes but the problem was the ground connection. By the time it goes through the lever bolt, the assembly mounting screws on the hood, the hood mounts ect. ect. They eventually fail so people just disconnected them. Fine idea when the tractor is new but after some weathering and vibration over a few years, well....

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dclarke
16 minutes ago, wallfish said:

A plastic insulator goes in that hole to isolate the screw which the kill wire connects to and then the lever makes contact with the screw head to ground it.

I'll see if I can find a pic with the insulator and screw.

 

20160808_194549.jpg.527b3feb88075e0bb38a1c6277374ef5.jpg.dbe429b871f1dd07d66e8147a76de702.jpg

 

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Thanks, John. I can understand it having trouble grounding. Maybe I should just leave well enough alone and continue using the button on the points cover. 

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WHX??
12 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Would I steer you wrong?

Oh heavens no... your solution beats throwing  the BFH at it tho! :lol:

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WHX??
10 minutes ago, dclarke said:

Thanks, John. continue using the button on the points cover. 

Ace in the hole Denny! 

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wallfish
1 minute ago, WHX22 said:

Oh heavens no... your solution beats throwing  the BFH at it tho! :lol:

I'm to delicate for that kinda violence! :D

 

4 minutes ago, dclarke said:

Thanks, John. I can understand it having trouble grounding. Maybe I should just leave well enough alone and continue using the button on the points cover. 

It does work if all of the hardware contact points are clean. Plus you can always push the button if it has trouble. More of just an originality thing in my opinion.

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Racinbob

John's spot on. I remember my Dad fiddle with the throttle lever to kill the engine not too long after he bought the 400 new. It wasn't a very good set up. That's why I put the kill button that was on the engine shroud in the hole next to the steering wheel. :)

 

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Edited by Racinbob
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dclarke
29 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

 That's why I put the kill button that was on the engine shroud in the hole nest to the steering wheel. :)

 

 

That sounds like a good idea, Bob. Think I might have to find a button to fill that hole. 

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Racinbob

Originally a rod was used to connect the choke rather than a cable. This is the best shot I have of it. :)

 

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WHX??

That's pretty much my choke setup too Bob, made the wire out of an old cable.

Is that hole in the dash where you have the kill original? Sounds like there is one on Denny's too. I don't have a hole there.

Edited by WHX22

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Racinbob

It was there when I got the tractor. It's my understanding that was actually for the 500 ignition switch but Wheel Horse wasn't too concerned about them ending up on a 400 and just plugging the hole. Then again, mine could have actually been a 500 but I see no indication of a battery ever sitting in the tool box. :confusion-shrug:

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dclarke
2 hours ago, WHX22 said:

That's pretty much my choke setup too Bob, made the wire out of an old cable.

Is that hole in the dash where you have the kill original? Sounds like there is one on Denny's too. I don't have a hole there.

Mine does have that hole, I'm looking around now to see if I can find a vintage push button or toggle to fit the hole. So far without much success. 
 

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WHX??

Awhile back Denny ther was somebody who had a source for the the repro brass ones that were used on some RJ's. Might have been @buckrancher??

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Racinbob

There's a few NOS and used ones like I used available. Search Kohler engine kill switch. :)

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Racinbob

I did have to do a bit of filing to get it to snap in place. 

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dclarke
12 minutes ago, WHX22 said:

Awhile back Denny ther was somebody who had a source for the the repro brass ones that were used on some RJ's. Might have been @buckrancher??

Thanks Jim. Bob got me set up with one. 

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WHX??

Even pre-patined!

very old NOS stock. Shows slight oxidization.

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wallfish

Early 400s won't have that hole, like Jim's is. It was created for the key switch for the 550 and then they just used an electric panel plug to fill the hole for the 400s. Less expensive and easier to have all the hoods made the same and minimal cost for a small plug to stick in the hole.

 

Small chainsaw switches work well for grounding magnetos. But they're generally toggle switches like the old RJ switch. They'll show up on epay by searching Homelite chainsaw switch. Sure others are available too but that's just what I'm familiar with.

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AMC RULES

:rolleyes: You'll find them original single pole switches are a challenge to find though.

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wallfish
1 hour ago, AMC RULES said:

:rolleyes: You'll find them original single pole switches are a challenge to find though.

 

The one I thought was original on my RJ looks like this

 

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