Switched position control algorithms are developed to globally stabilize friction mechanical manipulators around a desired position. Both static and dynamic position feedback designs are presented. The controllers constructed, referred to as chattering controllers, do not rely on the generation of sliding motions while providing robustness features similar to those possessed by their sliding mode counterparts. Stability analysis is given within the Lyapunov vector functions framework extended to discontinuous dynamic systems. Performance issues of the chattering controllers are evaluated in an experimental study of a three degrees-of-freedom robot manipulator.