Four Wheel Drive Indicator

[Razzmatazz]

My Yanmar SA425 does not not have a 4wd indicator on the dashboard. The 4wd is controlled by a lever. Up is 2wd - down is 4wd.
I am thinking about using a tilt switch (mercury?) or a magnet switch. When the lever is down then the switch will complete the circuit activating the dash LED. Has anyone else addressed this? Any ideas are welcome.

 

[ptsg]

Not on a Yanmar, but I did it on my Branson. The dashboard already had a light, so I just figured out the pin out of the dash to see which pin was for the 4WD light. Then it also said if it needed a positive or negative signal, in this case, it was positive.

Then used a proximity switch on the lever, made a bracket and wired it. Worked great. I also added a 200 mA fuse, just in case something shorts out and doesn't burn anything on the dash board.

The proximity switch:

Mounted in place, with the lever in front of it:

And the dash with the light on:

 

[Cycledude]

My LS doesn’t have a 4wd light and I wish it did.
But it really isn’t very difficult to look down at the floor and see what position the lever is in so I haven’t attempted to do anything about it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Mercury tilt switch is not a good solution, IMO. How much does the lever or linkage angle actually change, between 2wd and 4wd? Is it more than the rollover angle of your tractor, or even the maximum slope you're likely to encounter? And what about the fact that the thing is bouncing around in use?

The proximity switch is a great idea. If that's a bridge too far, consider a standard $2 lever switch of one type or another:

 

[bdhsfz6]

Not on a Yanmar, but I did it on my Branson. The dashboard already had a light, so I just figured out the pin out of the dash to see which pin was for the 4WD light. Then it also said if it needed a positive or negative signal, in this case, it was positive.

Then used a proximity switch on the lever, made a bracket and wired it. Worked great. I also added a 200 mA fuse, just in case something shorts out and doesn't burn anything on the dash board.

The proximity switch:

View attachment 3043100

Mounted in place, with the lever in front of it:

View attachment 3043243

And the dash with the light on:

View attachment 3043431

Why is there a 4WD light on the dash if there is no factory installed switch to activate it?

 

[BlueKnife]

My Yanmar SA425 does not not have a 4wd indicator on the dashboard. The 4wd is controlled by a lever. Up is 2wd - down is 4wd.
I am thinking about using a tilt switch (mercury?) or a magnet switch. When the lever is down then the switch will complete the circuit activating the dash LED. Has anyone else addressed this? Any ideas are welcome.

Can't you just look at the lever?

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Why is there a 4WD light on the dash if there is no factory installed switch to activate it?

My guess would be that in certain markets it is required. But not in North America.

Kind of like tractors in Europe have to have a parking brake lever. My TYM T233 and T293, and the T25 have a slot and mounts for a parking brake lever, which isn't installed. You push down on the brake pedals and lift up a lever then release the brake pedal and it engages the brake. Accidently bump the pedal getting off or on, and it releases the parking function. I would very much prefer the parking brake with a ratcheting handle. I might be able to order the parts out of Korea and retrofit them, but the thought of the cost kind of scares me.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

My Yanmar SA425 does not not have a 4wd indicator on the dashboard. The 4wd is controlled by a lever. Up is 2wd - down is 4wd.
I am thinking about using a tilt switch (mercury?) or a magnet switch. When the lever is down then the switch will complete the circuit activating the dash LED. Has anyone else addressed this? Any ideas are welcome.

If you can get a parts manual which covers other markets, you might be able to figure out what parts are installed in the markets which require a 4WD indicator on the dash and order up the factory parts.

 

[RayIN]

It is actually front wheel assist instead of 4WD, and not designed for full-time use without issues.

 

[ptsg]

Why is there a 4WD light on the dash if there is no factory installed switch to activate it?

Because the same dashboard was used on other tractors on other markets that had this feature. There is also lights for split brakes and for when the 3 pt hitch is at max height (which turns the PTO OFF in Auto mode).

I just took advantage of it.

 

[Razzmatazz]

It is actually front wheel assist instead of 4WD, and not designed for full-time use without

That is why I want the reminder.

 

[Tpondel]

Can't you just look at the lever?

Cmon! Way too simple. We’re guys. We have to over engineer.

 

[SmallChange]

Not to ruin anybody's fun, but perhaps a little mirror making it easy to see the lever would work?

 

[dlctcg]

This is on my spring to do list... I already purchased a 4x4 dash indicator light & was going to use a reed switch but might use a proximity switch instead...

Al I need is some time to do it...

 

[BlueKnife]

Not to ruin anybody's fun, but perhaps a little mirror making it easy to see the lever would work?

Don't know what kind of conditions you're operating in, but everywhere I've ever used a tractor, a mirror down by my feet would be totally useless in short order.

I'm still baffled by this whole discussion. Is there some reason that the 4wd lever can't be seen or felt?

 

[pmsmechanic]

Maybe the dash light use is a reminder to disengage the 4wd.

 

[ptsg]

With a light on the dashboard, I can take a quick look at the dash instead of looking down by my left heel. Plus, it's my tractor and I wanted a light there. Doesn't seem to be that big of deal to me.

 

[WinterDeere]

I'm still baffled by this whole discussion. Is there some reason that the 4wd lever can't be seen or felt?

I operate daily on a big hill with a loader, so I'm continously switching 4wd on to go safetly down the hill with a load in the bucket, and then switching it back off for turning operations on dry hard pack or asphalt at the top of the hill. After a few trips up/down, it can be real easy to forget, and it's not always obvious that 4wd was left on until you turn hard and it starts to bind badly enough that you feel it.

That that "4wd" indicator light on the dash has saved me from accidentally leaving it in 4wd while operating in conditions where it really should be in 2wd, more than once.

 

[RjCorazza]

I operate daily on a big hill with a loader, so I'm continously switching 4wd on to go safetly down the hill with a load in the bucket, and then switching it back off for turning operations on dry hard pack or asphalt at the top of the hill. After a few trips up/down, it can be real easy to forget, and it's not always obvious that 4wd was left on until you turn hard and it starts to bind badly enough that you feel it.

That that "4wd" indicator light on the dash has saved me from accidentally leaving it in 4wd while operating in conditions where it really should be in 2wd, more than once.

For those same reasons, I wish my machine had an indicator light. I ran my tractor on the road for several miles in 4wd (more than once )

 

[ACWSPEEDPATROL]

A parking brake dash light has rarely ever stopped me from driving off and heating them up. Dummy lights remind me of who I am! hahaha