Good to hear you got it to work! Did you end up making that alignment tool to realign the pins?

 

 

Curious as to how the tumblers could get misaligned if you didn't turn them.

 

Just used a screw driver, and I really don't know how we got them lined back up correctly. The grace of God is what I attribute it to, because we didn't know what we were doing besides just turning things around, randomly, a click at a time! How it got misaligned in the first place is also a mystery. I just think we were careless, and didn't think about it when we pulled it out. I know we didn't lock the steering column in the first place, then just in moving things around all weekend, it probably got turned.

 

Just a note for those that are following and using the video to remove the switch....you do not have to have the forks in the lock position for this to work. In almost every case the misalignment comes from using the wrong tool to unlock the forks. If you never put the forks in the lock position to begin with, you won't have to unlock them to straighten the bars up. Food for thought.

 

If you turn the tire/steering with switch out not all will move putting out of alignment.
I am still the only one to use the switch itself to align the tumblers. Insert without spring.

 

Thank you for this thread, video, and comments. Changing my bars and when I got them back on I had the same issue, bike was dead. I used the switch to realign and got myself back going! Thank you all!!! So glad to be part of this forum.

Dana

 

http://www.marcparnes.com/HarleyIgnitionSwitchTool.htm

 

This tool cost me ~$32 shipped to my door. There are similar tools like this all over eBay and elsewhere for $40~$60.

However, they don't work on my 2001 so I did what any good wrench would do, I fabricated my own from an old screwdriver. It works perfectly.

 

I found that you do not have to turn the bars to full lock to remove the ignition switch ****.. Also I think most people get the tumblers out of alignment by sticking the ignition switch **** back into the switch to turn on the ignition or unlock the bars while working on the bike. This happens because when you put the **** back into the switch without the spacers that go under it, the **** drops down farther into the switch than it is supposed to be and then the flags on the **** do not line up properly with the inside of the switch,when you turn the **** it then turns some of the tumblers but not all of them, hence the misalignment. Ask me how I know... Of course it has happened to me more than once.
I have found a fool proof way to prevent this from happening, no special tools required.
I remove the **** with the bars pointing forward and unlocked, then I remove the lock nut and spacers ect.... after I remove the lower fairing/switch cap or whatever you call it I immediately reinstall the spacers, lock nut and spring and then put the **** back into the switch. Now I can turn on the ignition to test for power or radio or lights or what ever I am working on, I can start and run and move the bike, It works for me. The key point is DO NOT put the **** back into the switch without the spacers under it.