Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

reinstalling the ignition

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 07:25 PM
  #1  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default reinstalling the ignition

Gents, I'm re-installing the inner fairing.

The only problem/issue I'm having so far is reinstalling the ignition switch.

The inside of the ignition is simply the stick and spring. What am I doing wrong? How do I get the ignition back on? Should I be holding in the button underneath? Should it be in the unlock or lock position?

Thanks all!
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 07:34 PM
  #2  
sanman4ever's Avatar
sanman4ever
Club Member
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 329
From: Rhode Island
Riders Club Member
Default

When you removed it was it in the lock position?.....

 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 08:16 PM
  #3  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default

Hey Sanman4ever, it was not in the locked position when I removed it.
And, I just found that same video.

I know it can't be that difficult. I don't know what I'm not doing right.
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 08:18 PM
  #4  
sanman4ever's Avatar
sanman4ever
Club Member
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 329
From: Rhode Island
Riders Club Member
Default

What position was it in when you removed it? And did you move any of the tumblers down in the ignition?
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 08:37 PM
  #5  
leon anthony's Avatar
leon anthony
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,374
Likes: 20
From: Felton Calif
Default

look at the shaft or as you call it the stick you will see that the lugs on it are wide on one side and narrow on the other now get a flashlight and look down in the hole that the shsft goes in you will see that the slots are wide on one side and narrow on the other If they are not lined up with all the wide or narrow slots in a line get a wide blade screwdriver and put it down there and line them up and your stick will drop right in
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 08:39 PM
  #6  
leon anthony's Avatar
leon anthony
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,374
Likes: 20
From: Felton Calif
Default

if they are not line up it is because you moved them when you were working on it
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 08:54 PM
  #7  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default

Yeah, I just lined them up with a thin screw driver. I'm just taking a break to cool off.
Reinstalling isn't difficult This is the only problem that I had. I did a quck search and it seems that alot of people have problems reinstalling the ignition.

This is screwing up my drinking time. Dang!
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 09:10 PM
  #8  
davevv's Avatar
davevv
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 30
Likes: 1
From: Just north of Dallas
Default

Yeah, I ran into this when changing bars last week. It would be nice if the video mentioned that the reason he uses his home made tool to change the switch position is to keep the two separate sections of the switch aligned. If you use a screwdriver like I did to unlock the forks, it is easy to get those two sections out of alignment. Then once you figure out why things won't go back together it takes a little fiddling to get it straightened back out again.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 09:13 PM
  #9  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default

Thanks davevvy. I know he meant for the best, but I don't find that video to be incredibly helpful.

Jezz, right I should be at a bar sipping some whiskey and enjoying a black and tan and flirting with some fat chick. Just kidding about the black and tan.
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2013 | 11:13 PM
  #10  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default

Okay gents, I took a break. Watched some t.v. to mellow out then thought about when leon anthony wrote. S.O.A.B., it worked. I can't articulate what I did differently but the dang thing worked. It's really tricky. Thank goodness, it's done. Now, I need a drink!!!
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:29 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE