Hooking Jumper Cables Directly to Starter.

[HarryVanderpool]

Today I talked with a friend and found out that his 45 year old son was run over by a large tractor that he was working on.
Before he even began to tell me the details, I had already guessed what had happened.

Many people have been killed while working on farm tractors and making the decision to connect jumper cables directly to the starter motor as they stand alongside the tractor, in front of the rear wheels.
Of course, the tractor is in gear and runs over them before they can even blink.

I know what you're thinking, "Oh, I can do that any day of the week. I would NEVER be so stupid to try that with the tractor in gear!". Really?

A few years ago, a friend of mine who was a manufacturer of industrial equipment and a MUCH MORE highly skilled mechanic than most people I know was attempting to start an old John Deere. Finally, he drove his car right in front of the tractor, popped the hood and as his grandson sat on the tractor seat, connected the jumper cables from the car battery to the tractor starter. The tractor popped, jumped forward and smashed into the car with my friend directly underneath the rear wheels, crushing him to death.

I am writing this to ask you to think about this:
PLEASE don't recommend this deadly procedure on TBN.

I'm sorry to say; many posters on TBN clearly have a very low level of expertise as a mechanic. They do not need to be given this advice, willy-nilly.
Please save the heartbreak that their families will have to endure.

Here's the advice to give:
If your batery is bad, replace it!
If your battery is low, charge it.
If you charge the battery and run it down trying to start ANY engine, then jump the battery and run the other battery down; FIX THE PROBLEM!!!

And I don't care how many hundreds of times you have "safely" jumped the starter, so save your breath.
Please don't play Russian roulette with shade-tree mechanics.

 

[coolreinfarm]

Amen, I read many posts that include jumping the starter solenoid from the positive cable to the coil stud, same thing can happen. That’s why neutral safety switches are used, test the wiring circuit first.

 

[4570Man]

Or you could just connect the starter side first...

 

[jaxs]

You are right of course. After getting by this issue,what about dangers with gasoline? What are we supposed to do when we see kids ridding with dad mowing? Chain saws and tractors are dangerous.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Amen, I read many posts that include jumping the starter solenoid from the positive cable to the coil stud, same thing can happen. That’s why neutral safety switches are used, test the wiring circuit first.

No Kidding. I have a 1942 Ford 2N that has a neutral safety switch.
They saw the need AT LEAST 76 years ago.

 

[Jstpssng]

Jumping my last tractor was a frequent occurrence and I always went to the starter because when the loader was grounded you couldn't get at the battery without taking the entire hood off. Yet I always made sure that it was in neutral; and stood beside my pickup while making the last connection.
As an aside though; if you've run the battery down it's remotely possible for the starter to engage when you hook the cables up. That happened to me once on my '84 F150, so I always ensure that the jumped vehicle is in neutral, and preferably don't stand between the two vehicles.

 

[goeduck]

Right, you should never make the last connection to a dead battery, let alone to the dead machine’s starter. Different dangers but similar possible end results. As in dead.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Jumping my last tractor was a frequent occurrence.......

Why???
Did you ever resolve the problem?
I have 3 tractors. I've never had to jump any one of them.
???

 

[4570Man]

Why???
Did you ever resolve the problem?
I have 3 tractors. I've never had to jump any one of them.
???

I’ve had to jump my lawnmower pretty frequently, but it’s a HST so it’s not going to get left in gear and run over someone. Jumping the starter is usually my first response to a no start trouble shooting. I think we’re dealing with to different events. With information in the first post I assumed the battery was dead and you were trying to jump the tractor. I’ve never done that and I don’t see how you could even get jumper cables on the starter. If you did manage I could see the advantage being less amperage loss. The other problem is a malfunctioning switch somewhere and a hot battery. Jumping the starter with a screwdriver eliminations the battery, starter, and battery connections as the problem or narrows it down to that. Or if trouble shooting wasn’t the immediate goal it lets you drive the tractor to a more suitable location to work on it or plow your driveway so you can get to work.

 

[CADplans]

Why???
Did you ever resolve the problem?
I have 3 tractors. I've never had to jump any one of them.
???

Try to start a 1957 JD 820 below 40 degrees F, after the tractor has sat for more than two months.

99% of the time, that tractor will need jump started, no matter how old the battery.

Considering such a tractor is never used all winter, and a typical farm has a dozen such tractors,,,
the jumper cables are the only way to get the tractors running.

Even a one year old battery, will virtually 100% of the time, need jumped at the first start of the year.

That is how 6 volt tractors were used,,,

We had about 8 such tractors,, none were even attempted to start all winter.
Two gas tractors were the only ones used,,, EVER. Those tractors always started.