New here, hello. Just picked up a Cat 12E grader for my driveway. The key switch won't stay on. Seems the only problem is the battery won't charge. When I turn the key on, it drifts back to off. Any suggestions? Thanks
Replace the switch?
Is it still available at Cat?
Do you have a full serial number for this grader or maybe a picture of the switch?
Is it the 7H-7290 ?
FWIW those Cat Master Switches can be turned on and off with a needle nose pliers if ya don't have a key.
99E10296
That looks like it from the top. I haven't pulled it yet.
The 7H-7290 Switch is listed for all Serial Numbers of the 99E-prefix machine. The illustrations are not the greatest.
If it is a 7H7290, I might be tempted to try spraying some penetrating oil down the holes of the key and work it back and forth several time to see it it frees up. If not should be readily available at a Cat dealer.
Thanks for all the help guys. I tried the penatrating oil, so far no luck. Might buy a new one. I'm sure there will be more questions.
Update. I bought a new one. It turns REALLY hard. Went home and tried mine, it turned REALLY hard, but did. Guess I just wasn't aggresive enough. Thanks for the help. Thanks to Cat for having the switch on the shelf. 60 year old machine and they pulled one off the shelf.
I hate to be the one to rain on your parade but the switch used for the ignition on your 12E is used as a battery shutoff switch on just about every Cat machine produced even today.
And, they are just as stiff on my E and F series excavators. My Fs are less than 3 yrs old.
And that's a very good thing.
We used to go to Napa and get their shut offs that didn't have a key. It was a lot easier to turn off and on and the switch was a lot cheaper in those days. We also used to grind the nubs off the Cat key and just take it out of the switch while we were running the machine. It also made it so we could start multiple machines without carrying a pocket full of keys.