Push Button Solenoid Cap

[Harpo]

Howdy all - was wondering if anyone knew of someplace that sells the push button solenoid caps that would be for a shovel solenoid (on the primary).  I've seen 'em  for later model bikes that fit on the starter, but I haven't seen any for a shovel primary mounted solenoid.  Thanks everyone.

[Tynker]

By the shovel solenoid design, they will never be one made.

[flht1550]

The old timers used the use a short piece of flat spring steel and drill a hole in it to bolt to one terminal and when bending it it would make contact with other terminal to engage starter motor, Same as if you would bench testing a starter mounted to a shop work bench, Once starter is engaged you release off of the spring steel to disengage the two contacts and hopefully it started. There is a company the make a fancy lever engagement but it's pricey.

[bump]

Just about as easy to fix starter the right way. 

[Breeze]

My Shovelhead had a short piece of a hacksaw blade  under the nut on one of the terminals. Several wraps of electrical tape on the end to insulate it, and kept it weighted to prevent flip-flop contact when running. Crude, but worked.

[JW113]

I had one of these on mine for a while.

https://www.jpcycles.com/product/381-946/lever-action-starter-solenoid-and-lever

-JW

[76shuvlinoff]

Just about as easy to fix starter the right way.

Yes but you gotta admit the stock type push button controls are lacking.  I haven't done it but I can see the hacksaw blade method reducing the number of contacts that might fail.   

[JW113]

Yeah those little bitty push switches are pretty flimsy, must have been real cheap back in the 70s. Mine was intermittent, so I bought a re-pop. It failed almost right away. Took me a quite while to round up an OEM from HD.

-JW

[bump]

I have been through two of he handlebar button switches, 3or4 of the solenoid  under the battery tray and a couple of the solenoid on the primary. I have had bike 41 years. I find that the buttons go bad when one of the solenoids start to go bad.

[Ohio HD]

In the later year Shovels, HD wired a small ice cube relay between the button and solenoid. Costs about $15 bucks to do that.

[crock]

In the later year Shovels, HD wired a small ice cube relay between the button and solenoid. Costs about $15 bucks to do that.

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Dixie-Distributing-Terminal-Starter/dp/B071DMRM7T/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=31506-79B&qid=1570184428&sr=8-3

[Breeze]

I found a photo of the hacksaw blade on my old primary/solenoid. It's a must have for a Rat bike. IMO. 

[72fl]

In the later year Shovels, HD wired a small ice cube relay between the button and solenoid. Costs about $15 bucks to do that.

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Dixie-Distributing-Terminal-Starter/dp/B071DMRM7T/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=31506-79B&qid=1570184428&sr=8-3

Just so you know NAPA has the same relay

[76shuvlinoff]

My button fires the Ford relay under the battery tray. I figure that can't be too many amps to run. What does the later relay do? Do you push a button to close a relay to close another relay to pull in a solenoid to fire the starter?  I know this works but it's got even more potential failure points.

Yes aftermarket shovel era buttons suck and for me soldering them in is even worse. I imagine finding nos is a bear.

[HarleyCharley]

Actually the cube relay on the later shovels replaced the Ford type relay. I've replaced the cube relay on my '81 a few times in 30 years.

[Burnout]

Remember when mounting a cube relay mount it terminals down so the water runs out.

Mounted upside down they will fill up with water and fail much sooner.

[bump]

My button fires the Ford relay under the battery tray. I figure that can't be too many amps to run. What does the later relay do? Do you push a button to close a relay to close another relay to pull in a solenoid to fire the starter?  I know this works but it's got even more potential failure points.

Yes aftermarket shovel era buttons suck and for me soldering them in is even worse. I imagine finding nos is a bear.

Button on handlebar closes ford type relay under battery box which then sends power to solenoid mounted on primary to send power to starter and engage bendix drive. Only one relay in system.

[76shuvlinoff]

My button fires the Ford relay under the battery tray. I figure that can't be too many amps to run. What does the later relay do? Do you push a button to close a relay to close another relay to pull in a solenoid to fire the starter?  I know this works but it's got even more potential failure points.

Yes aftermarket shovel era buttons suck and for me soldering them in is even worse. I imagine finding nos is a bear.

Button on handlebar closes ford type relay under battery box which then sends power to solenoid mounted on primary to send power to starter and engage bendix drive. Only one relay in system.

Yes I was (poorly) questioning whether the ice cube type relay was an addition to, or a replace of, the Ford relay. I've never had or worked on one with the ice cube style. 

[JW113]

I don't know how many amps the solenoid draws, guess I could measure it sometime. As big as it is, seems like it would pull quite a bit. Those Bosch/Hella type relays can be good up to about 30 amps. You can find them in just about any auto parts store in the wire/terminals/lights section. So if you decided to replace the big Ford power relay with one of those, should it fail, easy to find a replacement. Not sure I'm ready for that leap of faith just yet.


-JW

[Burnout]

The cube relays work fine for triggering the solenoid, they just don't last as long as a Ford Solenoid.
But at the same time they are not as large and knobby as a ford solenoid.
I think Pico sells a cube relay rated for 40A, not sure if they last any longer.
The cube relays don't fail suddenly, they tend to go intermittent first and give you warning.

[friday]

Is it really necessary to have the rubber boot over the solenoid? 

[Ohio HD]

Well, do you feel lucky? One of those terminals is hot, 12 volt to the battery. Something makes contact with the terminal and the frame, case, etc., you'll have a light show. Or something crosses from one terminal to the other, the starter will begin cranking.

[76shuvlinoff]

this  ^

[dusty1]

I always used a quarter to start mine,works great till you accidentally spend it