When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I looked in here and found no answers, so I figured I would post my findings. 2016 FLHXS install, may impact other models.
During install of this part last weekend I noticed that when torquing to factory spec it would cause some binding on switches on top side both clutch and brake side. So I hand tightened until the switch operation was uninterrupted and torqued the master cylinder brackets. Everything worked fine but there was a tiny gap on the switch covers about half a mm.
Well today my OCD kicked in and I took throttle side apart to investigate further. After some searching online find no issues and I was beginning to believe it was a OD on the new bars. I took the switch out and tried to bolt up the covers around it off the bike and found it was still not working. So I began inspecting it and found there was a tiny manufacturer defect that was preventing them from seating properly. I pulled out the old switch and compared it as well and it was obvious someone did not have the machine at the plant setup properly as a little groove that the cover rests in was not cut deep enough.
Hard to see but the little groove at the end of my pick there was not deep enough and the housing has a guide that rests in there.
2 minutes each side with an exactly knife and it fits together perfect.
It may have been a bad batch. So, if you happen to be riding around with a tiny gap or sticky top switches you may have the same issue. It was easy to fix but a little hard to find. Outside of that it was a super easy install and definitely not worth the dealer cost of an hour.
Good find. I am about to order a set since my clutch engage switch is not telling the ECU it can start in gear with the clutch engaged. That is my OCD, I need to be able to start in gear. I found a dealer online selling the set for $200 shipped so I am going with the lighted ones to replace the stock switches.
Lighted switches are my next purchase. I dont ride a whole lot, and way less riding when its dark. As a result, i believe that I need an edge like easy straightford, minimal effort seeing the control's ... lol.. Dark (black) nightime drivng coupled with black buttons seems ridiculous, and a safety hazard. Everything in a car seems to be illuminated, why not 2 wheeled (more attention demanding) bikes as a standard? Idk..
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Lighted Hand Control Switch Part# 71500248 defect
