Thank you sir for showing this, I remember my grandfather starting them like this during my childhood years of the 60's, definitely a time when men didn't inherent their hands from their mother.
I've always wanted to see how a hand crank worked on a tractor, my dad told me when I was a kid how he used to crank my granddaddy's John Deere when he was little. Great video!
My grandfather had a story he liked to share about an F-20 he grew up with. He was in a hurry to get back to plowing and instead of pulling up on the crank he spun it from the top. The engine caught at the bottom of the spin and it kicked the crank out. Crank caught him across the forehead and knocked him cold. When he came to the tractor was sitting there idling.
I was cranking a 1952 D8-2u dozer's pony motor, I knew cranks were dangerous but had never fooled with one prior. Sure enough, first starting attempt I get a reverse spin and it threw me (195lbs) off the track and back into the cab. The bruise it left on my hand was black and purple for a week and a half. VERY lucky I didn't break my arm. You bet I treated that pony motor with more respect after that.
Yeah, the problem is when pushing down you have your whole body moving down and into the front of the tractor so you can not quickly get out of the way if it kicks back. Thanks for watching!
Spot on, you guys. I've linked this to a Citroen 2CV page, where some folk were curious about how to hand start their motors. 'Half a turn' is top advice... ;)
Safety - I saw your video. I like your video except for the grip on the handle. I grew up with a crank start Farmall A and several crank start autos, I still have my 1911 Hupmobile. I was taught to never grip the handle like a handlebar. All fingers and your thumb should be cupped on the same side of the handle just in case the handle grips and sticks. If it so binds it will break your thumb most often this is when people are cranking it round and round. We never had to do more than one or two up pulls on the Farmall A. In winter we primed the old engines with perhaps a milliliter of gasoline in each cup. The rest of the video was great. My cranking instructor a neighbor, was an old orthopedic doc who had rebuilt some hands and arms as well as had some B&W autopsy photos. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for the post. I a battery going bad in my newly inherited Farmall C. I was dead in the yard for the night with the battery not taking to a jump. 15 cranks after watching this video the old gal fired up 👍
Hi Thanks for the video, I'm 44 and started messing with hand crank tractors and engines when I was about 12. My Grandad and dad/uncle all farmed in the U.K with the old fordson N and E27N's back in the day. My first lesson was never hand crank an engine to start it with your thumb over the handle, the rest of the lesson was just like your video. If any of my dads side of our family ever saw me crank an engine with my thumb over the handle, it was a guaranteed yelling at. And possibly an @$$ kicking if it was my dad or granddad that caught me doing it !. I was taught the same steering tractors never put your thumb over the rim of the steering wheel., If you went in a hole and it jerked the front wheel and spun the steering wheel. It would take your thumb off with the old type mechanical linkage steering systems, I've never had it happen with full power steering, but had a big gopher hole yank the wheel round in my hand on the Fordson supermajor we use to cut grass here.
I once drove my Farmall to pickup some I brought at a barn sale. This guy told me to be careful when hand cracking it because he broke his arm as a kid trying to start it on their farm. So I was looking for the safe way to start it. There were other videos but yours emphasized safety the most. Thanks again
That makes good sense pulling from the bottom half a turn I seen a guy pulling it from the top standing on the opposite side half of turn the way you're doing it you have your feet planted firmly no chance in falling seems like trying to pull it from the top like I seen that guy do it would pull your shoulder out of joint
I have an old 8N that started and ran like a singer sewing machine when i bought it. Next morning i flooded it and now the starter just spins. I had to get a new starter. It didn't help, so i ordered the hand crank. Well, then i found out it didn't have the ratchet nut on the crank front. So, i found one on ebay and waiting for that now. I am going to be real careful. I am a big strong hillbilly, but i have small wrists for a man my size. I am afraid i'll break a wrist or worse. Thanks for this video. I'll try to be careful. Someone said back in the day men had bigger wrists. I know my grandpaw did. I once saw him pick up the engine side of a car and walk around the yard with it. He was only five feet six inches tall but his hands were like baseball gloves.
pretty cool any of them tires in the background skidder tires? ..father has a Farmall "A" Culti-Vision ..sat since about 92...we put a different carb on it and that did work at all so i rebuilt the carb for him...after i put it on ..i went to get a chain to tow it ...he said just wait 4 hand flops and it was idling like a champ..i take the kids on it everychance i get
No skidder tires, I stick mainly with farm tractors. A's are a nice size tractor to play with, had my kids for many a ride growing up. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for bothering to show the correct and safe method of hand starting an engine. It’s frightening to see so many people swinging an engine in a dangerous manner. If you do it safely, it’s easier! Nice tractor too 😉
Love Your Channel Sir, I have one question I hope you can answer. My 1940 Farmall A, Hand Crank Only, will start Every Time Cold, with One or 2 Cranks, as You demonstrate, However after Running for 10 minutes or more, engine warm, it Refuses to Restart. Hours later, it starts right up! I remembered watching this video and you mentioned this in the video. What is the reason? Bad Coil or Condensor? Points are set Perfect at .013. Does a Coil Loose Power after heating up? It's very Puzzling, hope you can shed some light on this. Perhaps even do a video. Thank You very much for sharing Your Knowledge.
when cranking you should always keep your thumb on the same side as your fingers so if it does backfire it doesnt break your thumb other than that thats the same way i crank mine.
Hey Dave, maybe you should point out holding it with an open palm, so the handle can slip out if it does decide to be cranky, that way you won't end up cranky in the ER, My old man went over and over again with me about it on my H (birthday present).
Thank you for the reminder, I thought I was being thorough but I did miss a few of the finer points like that. An H would be quite the birthday present! Thanks for watching!
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS....do it with your left hand. If it backfires, the crank will just rip out of your hand and push it out of range. If the crank comes a second round, your hand will not be hit. Do it with the right hand, same scenario, and you will get hit over your hand backside or knuckles, probably breaking them.
How do you know that handle will disconnect from the bottom pulley? How do you disconnect the handle as the engine fires? Do you withdraw the handle as you hear the engine fire?
@@CanadianRedneck15 yes and no, if it has electric start just turn it over and it starts and burns it out but if it is flooded it takes longer for the thing to start hand cranking or electric.
Just from memory I'm gonna say the crank is about 3/4" diameter. Some like Massey Harris had a fatter one, more like 7/8" and they wouldn't fit the pulley. Thanks for watching!
The serial number is on the block on a flat surface behind the magneto/distributer just below the head and on a tag on the left hand seat bracket or the brake pedal cover under the foot board on 1939s. Thanks for watching!
That is a good point, you want to make sure the tractor is in neutral or when you crank the engine over the tractor will move, if it starts the tractor will drive away, not a good time! Thanks for watching!
Why did they ever quit the good old timing retard lever ? It actually spun the motor in the forward direction when it fired. Instead of the occasional kick back found with BTDC / advanced ignition.. I still use the technique to start cars with near dead batteries.
If you use your left that could put your body in the path of the crank, with your right hand you should be beside the crank if you happen to move forward. Thanks for watching!
I just picked up a 1940 A and I have, what may seem like a Foolish Question. I Know that the engine usually will only Kick back if the Timing is advanced, Not Retarded, so my question is, How can You be sure, on a Tractor You NEVER started before if it is NOT advanced, thus an accident waiting to happen, enough to Kick back?
That's actually a very sensible question. About the only way to know is to check your ignition timing. I have a video that explains how to set the timing on these engines. The one in the video is with a distributor but with a magneto is the same principle. The video is here ua-cam.com/video/JIpb2kxRYPc/v-deo.html skip ahead to about the 10 minute mark for setting the time. The mark for TDC is on the flywheel, you access it through the oval inspection cover on the bottom of the clutch housing. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Thank you sir for showing this, I remember my grandfather starting them like this during my childhood years of the 60's, definitely a time when men didn't inherent their hands from their mother.
LOL, I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Thank you for posting this.
I am glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
I've always wanted to see how a hand crank worked on a tractor, my dad told me when I was a kid how he used to crank my granddaddy's John Deere when he was little. Great video!
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
My grandfather had a story he liked to share about an F-20 he grew up with. He was in a hurry to get back to plowing and instead of pulling up on the crank he spun it from the top. The engine caught at the bottom of the spin and it kicked the crank out. Crank caught him across the forehead and knocked him cold. When he came to the tractor was sitting there idling.
I bet that gave him quite a goose egg! Thanks for the story and thanks for watching!
I was cranking a 1952 D8-2u dozer's pony motor, I knew cranks were dangerous but had never fooled with one prior.
Sure enough, first starting attempt I get a reverse spin and it threw me (195lbs) off the track and back into the cab. The bruise it left on my hand was black and purple for a week and a half. VERY lucky I didn't break my arm.
You bet I treated that pony motor with more respect after that.
This is how our food gets made, dudes like this!
My ‘35 allis charmers almost got me good once! Thanks!
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos very informative. We need more shooting videos
I am glad you enjoy the videos, viewers like you keep me going! :) I plan to get some shooting videos going shortly, thanks for watching!
Thanks for the demonstration on half cranking start up farm tractor! Will do it, when I get my tractor hopefully soon and save my arm!
I am glad you found the video helpful, thanks for watching!
My grandfather broke his rist from pushing down on the crank
Needles to say he told me not to do that
Yeah, the problem is when pushing down you have your whole body moving down and into the front of the tractor so you can not quickly get out of the way if it kicks back. Thanks for watching!
What a beautiful tractor. You've done a wonderful job of restoring/maintaining that machine.
Thank you!
Spot on, you guys.
I've linked this to a Citroen 2CV page, where some folk were curious about how to hand start their motors.
'Half a turn' is top advice... ;)
Awesome, I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing!
Good to see you back messing with the tractors.
I am glad you enjoyed the video. It's great to be back in the shop, we're getting some warm weather now so I'm enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. :)
Safety - I saw your video. I like your video except for the grip on the handle. I grew up with a crank start Farmall A and several crank start autos, I still have my 1911 Hupmobile. I was taught to never grip the handle like a handlebar. All fingers and your thumb should be cupped on the same side of the handle just in case the handle grips and sticks. If it so binds it will break your thumb most often this is when people are cranking it round and round. We never had to do more than one or two up pulls on the Farmall A. In winter we primed the old engines with perhaps a milliliter of gasoline in each cup. The rest of the video was great. My cranking instructor a neighbor, was an old orthopedic doc who had rebuilt some hands and arms as well as had some B&W autopsy photos. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for watching!
Also some wise words it would seem.
you learn something every day !
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Thanks for the post. I a battery going bad in my newly inherited Farmall C. I was dead in the yard for the night with the battery not taking to a jump. 15 cranks after watching this video the old gal fired up 👍
I am glad you found the video helpful, thanks for Watching!
Learned something new this help me with my Oliver
I am glad you found the video helpful, thanks for watching!
Just got a crank for our 1942 farmall H excited to try this out
It's definitely a heavier tractor to crank than an A but doable. I've crank started a W4 which has the same engine. Thanks for watching!
To the POINT thank you please do more videos, like Starter replacement.
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Hi Thanks for the video, I'm 44 and started messing with hand crank tractors and engines when I was about 12. My Grandad and dad/uncle all farmed in the U.K with the old fordson N and E27N's back in the day. My first lesson was never hand crank an engine to start it with your thumb over the handle, the rest of the lesson was just like your video. If any of my dads side of our family ever saw me crank an engine with my thumb over the handle, it was a guaranteed yelling at. And possibly an @$$ kicking if it was my dad or granddad that caught me doing it !. I was taught the same steering tractors never put your thumb over the rim of the steering wheel., If you went in a hole and it jerked the front wheel and spun the steering wheel. It would take your thumb off with the old type mechanical linkage steering systems, I've never had it happen with full power steering, but had a big gopher hole yank the wheel round in my hand on the Fordson supermajor we use to cut grass here.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for the helpful advice. Thanks for watching!
Great instruction! ✔
I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Great! Just what I was looking for. thanks
Awesome, I'm glad you found the video helpful, thanks for watching!
I once drove my Farmall to pickup some I brought at a barn sale. This guy told me to be careful when hand cracking it because he broke his arm as a kid trying to start it on their farm. So I was looking for the safe way to start it. There were other videos but yours emphasized safety the most. Thanks again
Good explanation
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
got to love a tractor that bites back!
That makes good sense pulling from the bottom half a turn I seen a guy pulling it from the top standing on the opposite side half of turn the way you're doing it you have your feet planted firmly no chance in falling seems like trying to pull it from the top like I seen that guy do it would pull your shoulder out of joint
Yeah, these old hand starters will take a bite out of you if you give them the chance! :) Thanks for watching!
I'm about to watch this one more time n im doing it
It's a pretty cool feeling giving a tug on the crank and hearing the engine roar to life, good luck and thanks for watching!
glad i figured this out before i got my old rusty one working.
Yeah, much better for arms, wrists...... Thanks for watching!
very well explain
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching!
OK I wondered how you could break your wrist cranking a starter engine! Thanks!!!
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
I have an old 8N that started and ran like a singer sewing machine when i bought it. Next morning i flooded it and now the starter just spins. I had to get a new starter. It didn't help, so i ordered the hand crank. Well, then i found out it didn't have the ratchet nut on the crank front. So, i found one on ebay and waiting for that now. I am going to be real careful. I am a big strong hillbilly, but i have small wrists for a man my size. I am afraid i'll break a wrist or worse. Thanks for this video. I'll try to be careful. Someone said back in the day men had bigger wrists. I know my grandpaw did. I once saw him pick up the engine side of a car and walk around the yard with it. He was only five feet six inches tall but his hands were like baseball gloves.
Previous generations had to do everything by the sweat of their brow, it made them tough as nails and strong as an ox! Thanks for watching!
pretty cool any of them tires in the background skidder tires? ..father has a Farmall "A" Culti-Vision ..sat since about 92...we put a different carb on it and that did work at all so i rebuilt the carb for him...after i put it on ..i went to get a chain to tow it ...he said just wait 4 hand flops and it was idling like a champ..i take the kids on it everychance i get
No skidder tires, I stick mainly with farm tractors. A's are a nice size tractor to play with, had my kids for many a ride growing up. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for bothering to show the correct and safe method of hand starting an engine. It’s frightening to see so many people swinging an engine in a dangerous manner. If you do it safely, it’s easier! Nice tractor too 😉
Thank you, here's hoping it saves some broken wrists, arms, hands.......
Thanks for watching!
Love Your Channel Sir, I have one question I hope you can answer. My 1940 Farmall A, Hand Crank Only, will start Every Time Cold, with One or 2 Cranks, as You demonstrate, However after Running for 10 minutes or more, engine warm, it Refuses to Restart. Hours later, it starts right up! I remembered watching this video and you mentioned this in the video. What is the reason? Bad Coil or Condensor? Points are set Perfect at .013. Does a Coil Loose Power after heating up? It's very Puzzling, hope you can shed some light on this. Perhaps even do a video. Thank You very much for sharing Your Knowledge.
A week coil or condenser will give a weaker spark when they heat up, that could be your problem. Try the condenser first.
Thanks for watching!
when cranking you should always keep your thumb on the same side as your fingers so if it does backfire it doesnt break your thumb other than that thats the same way i crank mine.
Thanks for watching!
Do you have any good used 3"x19" steel front wheels with 6 on 6 inch bolt pattern? they were used of Ferguson Greys and similar Ford tractors?
Nothing used but I can get them new, drop me an email; sales@chowntractorparts.com
Why does the lever not keep turning after ignition? Does it automatically disengage? Is there an automatic disengage mechanism?
The front pulley where the hand crank engages is tapered so that it kicks the lever out when the engine starts. Thanks for watching!
Hey Dave, maybe you should point out holding it with an open palm, so the handle can slip out if it does decide to be cranky, that way you won't end up cranky in the ER, My old man went over and over again with me about it on my H (birthday present).
Thank you for the reminder, I thought I was being thorough but I did miss a few of the finer points like that. An H would be quite the birthday present! Thanks for watching!
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS....do it with your left hand. If it backfires, the crank will just rip out of your hand and push it out of range. If the crank comes a second round, your hand will not be hit. Do it with the right hand, same scenario, and you will get hit over your hand backside or knuckles, probably breaking them.
I feel that using my right puts my body out of range of the crank, I'm clumsy with my left, I'll keep using my right hand. Thanks for watching!
How do you know that handle will disconnect from the bottom pulley? How do you disconnect the handle as the engine fires? Do you withdraw the handle as you hear the engine fire?
The handle fits in on a taper so as the engine fires it pushes the handle back out. Thanks for watching!
I find always use choke when hand cranking it, the thing starts a lot easier.
Every tractor reacts differently, too much choke and you can flood the out, then you've got a real problem to start! Thanks for watching!
@@CanadianRedneck15 yes and no, if it has electric start just turn it over and it starts and burns it out but if it is flooded it takes longer for the thing to start hand cranking or electric.
The way my dad said to do it.
Thanks for watching!
What about one with the H4 Magneto.....my Super A has it and I have no spark.....have replaced the coil, points & condenser.....so aggravated!!!
Check the contacts where the top cover contacts the coil, check out the rotor and cap, check for shorts. Good luck and thanks for watching!
My farmall 130 wont turn when I pull up with the hand crank like it’s jammed or somthing
Sometimes the starter drive gear will jam, try loosening the starter off and try it then. Thanks for watching!
Does this also work with 1900’s cars?
I don't have any experience with cars that old but I expect it would be the same principal. Thanks for watching!
Does it have to have a battery in it to start with the hand crank?
No, these tractors have a magneto (like a chainsaw) so no battery required. Thanks for watching!
My uncle has a farmall but I dont know if it's a crank start
All of the Farmalls are capable of being crank started but most did have an electric starter. Thanks for watching!
i have a ram that tries to headbutt me and attack every chance it can get, and this hand crank scares me more , ill remember now how to do it
Thanks for watching!
My hand crank feels like it’s to round want go in far enough got another one to try
Just from memory I'm gonna say the crank is about 3/4" diameter. Some like Massey Harris had a fatter one, more like 7/8" and they wouldn't fit the pulley. Thanks for watching!
Hi how can a person know what year an IH Farmall tractor side steering hand crank it has Canada 1? # on block 6532DC D
The serial number is on the block on a flat surface behind the magneto/distributer just below the head and on a tag on the left hand seat bracket or the brake pedal cover under the foot board on 1939s. Thanks for watching!
What if the transmission is in gear?
That is a good point, you want to make sure the tractor is in neutral or when you crank the engine over the tractor will move, if it starts the tractor will drive away, not a good time! Thanks for watching!
About to start a farmall a just wanted to know 😂
I am glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
My A has an electric start and unless battery is dead you just as well use electric start
Electric start was one of the best, most purchased options. Thanks for watching!
Why did they ever quit the good old timing retard lever ? It actually spun the motor in the forward direction when it fired. Instead of the occasional kick back found with BTDC / advanced ignition.. I still use the technique to start cars with near dead batteries.
These H4 magnetos had a timing retarder device that held back the timing at cranking speeds. Thanks for watching!
No I’m happy with the electric start
Agreed, thanks for watching!
If I could I would help you haul the tires and wheels off there is a lot of them behind you
Any time you're in the neighborhood. :) Thanks for watching!
I've scanned through these comments and decided to add my 2 cents worth. Use your left hand and DON'T wrap your thumb around the crank.
If you use your left that could put your body in the path of the crank, with your right hand you should be beside the crank if you happen to move forward. Thanks for watching!
I just picked up a 1940 A and I have, what may seem like a Foolish Question. I Know that the engine usually will only Kick back if the Timing is advanced, Not Retarded, so my question is, How can You be sure, on a Tractor You NEVER started before if it is NOT advanced, thus an accident waiting to happen, enough to Kick back?
That's actually a very sensible question. About the only way to know is to check your ignition timing. I have a video that explains how to set the timing on these engines. The one in the video is with a distributor but with a magneto is the same principle. The video is here ua-cam.com/video/JIpb2kxRYPc/v-deo.html skip ahead to about the 10 minute mark for setting the time. The mark for TDC is on the flywheel, you access it through the oval inspection cover on the bottom of the clutch housing.
Good luck and thanks for watching!
Umm I a front end loader on my Farmall
Cool. Thanks for watching!
Afellow doing this right
Thanks for watching!
95% of humans wouldn’t even be capable of doing such a thing these days.
Thankfully me mostly don't have to! Thanks for watching!
i wanted one, until you said how many different ways i could break my arm
LOL Yeah, electric start is nice! Thanks for watching!