Thank you for the video. I own a 1994 Heritage; yours must be an earlier model. It always have been somewhat annoying that I had to turn the switch to "Lights" position to be able to start the engine. Thanks to the diagram that you are showing in the video now I know how to rewire the connections on the switch without risking any short circuit. Now I will be able to start the engine in the "Ignition" position, while the lights are not on yet.
Beautiful bike Lee! Great tutorial and excellent use of vocabulary regarding technician/mechanics trade. Liked the way you persisted on checking and double checking. Also taking the negative cable off the battery first. I've seen that mistake numerous times. People don't realize when they don't do it properly what they created is a rudimentary arc welder. Nice job, well done.-jason
Parker Ridge Thanks Jason!! I used to work a decent paying factory job ( for 26 years) and bought this while working there.....they shut down on us about 3 years ago. I sometimes think about selling it (during winter of course lol) but realize I probably wouldn't be able to afford another so I hang on to her. Thanks for the kind words, I often stumble around finding the correct word!!! ALOT!!!! I have fried many a component by not checking/rushing wiring. I have also had the battery make contact by leaving it in the bike..now it comes out. Good point on the arc welder!! Thanks for watching my Friend, Take Care, Lee
Massachusetts Prepper Thanks You my friend for the comment and the view. It isn't that hard of a process, but I know of some guys that do not like to work on anything that involves wiring...hopefully it will be of some help. ATB, Lee
Nice vid.I need a new key .Here in UK Harley want £50 for that small replacement key .Crazy price.Can get replacement switch off e Bay with 2 keys for £20 .So cheaper for me to follow this vid and change a perfectly good swith ,to end up with 2 keys.
Very Cool!! I am glad that this was of some help...Even though I know better I am still surprised at some of the prices asked y HD. Good Luck and all the best!
When I change my ignition gonna take a picture of old ignition first as I don`t have a manual just a thought for anyone else inthe same boat . wow just read through comments got all info cheers
Thank You and Welcome!!!!! I have rode up through the Black Hills, but never been to Sturgis, maybe one day LOL But not soon, had this bike at Harley shop for 4 weeks...took it for a ride locked up at 70 mph..almost lost it...HD shop said"nothing we did" ended up cracking bottom cases. Winter rebuild!! Thanks for coming over...I really like Darren, good guy!!
Very useful Lee, as i wanted to know how to disconnect lights when ignition is on. Sorry to hear about your bike, it will be interesting to know wether the primary failed due to part failure or poor workmanship. cheers Andy
I am glad this helped!!! Thanks, I am waiting till it cools off a bit to tackle the bike, but I know that even if I did find something (short of an Initialed Tool) in the Primary the shop is not going to take any responsibility! OH, Funny thing at work, your reply flashed on my phone, it only showed part of the comment, I was dying to get home and see what the comment "Very useful Lee, as i wanted to know how to disco" was about LOL Thanks for watching, Hope it helped!!
I think for your basic exchange of ignition’s that’s great but typically the ignition doesn’t go bad without there being a broken wire or other troubleshooting and that’s what I’m looking for is what’s underneath what makes things do watt.
Nice job on the switch Lee, I've been riding a Suzuki V strom for the last 8 years for my street bike and a manual is a must on that bike lol with the fuel inj. and all
Willy....Great Bike!! My son had a Suzuki Jigster 1000, I was never so glad to get off a bike before in my life LOL. Ungodly Fast!!! So true....I would have been lost many times without a good manual on both my bikes and vehicles...they are a must have if you are gonna do the work yourself. I have had a couple Fuel Injected bikes before, but have never had to work on them...THANKFULLY...lol. I don't know if they would be complicated or not, but I guess they got to be better then all the parts in a carb. Thanks for watching and Take Care, Lee
It's called a trip meter. To get the chrome cover off you have to unscrew the little screw inside the knob (Phillips screw driver) pull out the knob. Then undo the nut (1/2 inch I believe) then the cover come off. The trip meter screw is very soft , easy to strip. If you can't get it out your gonna have to cut the knob back past the hole. Knob is plastic. You can use a dremel to cut it close to the hole then heat a screw drive to finish. Knob and screw are hard to find on 90's bike. I found 3 on ebay bought them all. Got luck.
@@LeeRalph100 I sure will...It's straight wired w/a fuse connection at the moment so, I have to figure out the wiring....luckily, I have the shop manual 👍🤙
geargriden19 :) I actually sang that as I read it! Yeah I wanted to play around with that a bit, I tend to ramble on a bit, so I thought I would try to put some time settings for that guy that just wanted to get the job done and back on the road without all my yapping!! Thanks for watching I hope you have had a great weekend, Lee
Been a fairly good weekend can't complain, behind on videos by a day or so. I watch a newer one, then older one, Should get caught up just in time to get behind end of the week lol. Yessir i'm sure someone working on their hog will apperciate the time stamps. Yeah i hear ya, i'm like a chihauhau once i get to talking its hard to shut me up lol. Have a good'n
Lee, can you tell me how to remove the odometer reset knob? I saw the post below and didn't quite understand how to do it. Is there a tiny screw inside the knob itself? It's not obvious! Great video...I need to get underneath to get to the circuit breakers and need to remove the cover around the speedo. Thanks for any help you can provide!
Good Question! I had never given that much thought really. But if it is a stock switch if I remember correctly the terminals configuration is basically the same on each side regardless of how it is turned. The problem I could see is if switch is turned upside down, the wiring would have "rotate" also to follow the same order as right side up except upside down so that the lights and ignition are still to the correct terminal. I hope that makes sense. I really need to go out in the garage and play with that a bit to be sure! I would think if wiring was correct, and switch just flipped around and wiring left as it (going to wrong terminals because switch is reversed) you risk frying the switch...or worse. Without seeing the wiring myself, this is just a guess, please verify that the correct wires are to the correct terminals..Please do not fry your bike on a guess by me! Sorry I had not thought about it before, I hope this helps.
Hey lee I have a 1992 harley davidson softail heritage and I am getting a click when trying to start unless I turn the ignition switch on and of again and then it starts right up . So could that give a click
Dean O I understand that well! I usually takes me a bit longer before I undertake anything to do with wiring, I really have to stop and study the job. also being colorblind, I have stop and verify that I am not working with shades of colors that I may have trouble with. Thanks for watching my friend, I hope you have had a great weekend, Lee
I just bought my first bike (05 fatboy) when I turn the switch to ignition there’s some play in the switch and I have to jiggle it just right for my blinkers to work and for the dash to light up, it will still crank if I don’t have blinkers or speedometer light, but I have to wiggle it to get my blinkers n dash to light up and work
Where are the videos that show how to disassemble and replace parts inside switches? I'm trying to find out how to take apart an older switch on a 98 softail so I can replace the new tumbler with old key tumbler that uses the vending machine type key
I am sorry, but as I had no need to disasemble it as all I wanted to do was change the the whole unit. I am sure there are some video out there somewhere, or look for a local old school wrencher. Good Luck.
@@LeeRalph100 as an old school wrenched I'm not even finding a diagram that shows the construction of the components. I am going to do good ole' trial error methods. I know from past experience how going through the registration of forums and blogs is a long waste of time in a cyberworld where algorithms designed to promote companies that sell parts and services make it nearly impossible for the DIY crowd to get accurate search results. Thanks for your time .
@@donfaulkner852 I fully understand, the old days of doing thing like putting brushes in a starter are long gone. Good luck. If you can, that might be a great video to cover. I you do, Please come back and let me know! Good Luck
I used to fix Harleys, but have not done any for almost 20 years. Better at the old ones. Did you figure out what blew up on your bike? Thank you for the video, Lee
I had wondered with the TH-cam name Shovelhead! LOL :) Yeah the old bikes are a lot different for sure!! I hadn't yet, partial was hoping the shop would take some ownership of the problem after having it for several weeks and partial just ticked and not sure which way I want to go with it. I will either take it to a different shop and get their opinion, or do a winter tear down, possible just change out the whole bottom end and be done with it. Between work, money and summer heat I have not really been in the mood to mess with it! I am just hoping the top end is ok...
So a motor bottom end. Hard to say what it is without pulling it apart. We used to make some pretty good motors in the shop I worked in. Seen some strange blow-ups come in. Did Harley school in Northern Alberta Canada in the middle of the winter. Long time ago
Yeah bottom end cracked along shafts that bolts go through that hold the two halves together. HD shop said "well you must have had a rod knocking". I said you had it for several weeks, didn't you hear it?..They said "well with your loud pipes...." HMMM so I had the first bike they ever worked on with loud pipes LOL
I would like to see pictures of the broken stuff. I really don't get what they are telling you unless it was the crank pin and big end bearing that went. Never was a real loud pipe guy. One good technique for hearing motor noise is wear earplugs. You hear lots of motor noises you don't hear other wise. Another thing is a gopro style camera in the waterproof case. Check out my Rokon videos, the mechanical sounds will make you crazy. You don't hear them otherwise
I will see what I can do for pics...right now the motor is in one piece in the bike. I had spent so much having it worked on at the HD shop that it really took some of the desire to tackle it away for a bit. They had mentioned bearings. I will watch the videos!! Did you see my video when it locked up? The motor was still turning when it locked up...so my thoughts was something in the primary as they had it apart several times while working on it.
Hey Billy!! As far as a good wiring man for a bike, not right off the top of my head, but signals do not sound to difficult...depending on how bad the rest of the wiring is. What did ya get?
@@LeeRalph100 2007 Fatboy. They put ape hangers on it and only ran the rear signals. I do a lot of my own wrenching but wiring isn't my forte. Guess I'll pull the tanks and see what I can find with my test-light. Pray for me, lol.
@@CUZ_2 :) I sure will Brother!!! I think it should be a pretty easy fix. I can not wait to check out your new bike!! Get a hold of me and I will gladly come see if I can be of some help
MI Timberwookie Wookie not only that but also wait time to get into the local HD dealership! It took two orderings to make sure they got me the correct part so I was down a bit longer, but it the little bit of gas used to run over there in no ways compared to the labor charge. Thanks for watching my Friend, I hope spring is coming soon for you guys up north, ATB, Lee
Hi Lee changeing my softail ignition very soon had console off but had to discontent speedo cable can`t undo that "pissy little screw " is a cross screw or allen key or what tried to shine a light in it but no good thanks for any help .
@@trekitravel4690 Sorry if I had not vocalized that well enough...I was still learning a bit about videos like this,..and although I had done several bike videos, it was not my usual genre. I think that is one reason that I suggested taking pics as you went and also the need (now a must) for having a good manual. I am glad you got it figured out,. How's the old girl doing now? Starting ok?
Sorry, my bad on that, I had thought that was pretty straight forward..but you are right, to be complete I should have shown the whole procedure, Thank You
My 2015 sat in the rain when I was out of town. It used to start until I took it for a ride, it died, I replaced the battery and nothing. I'm thinking ignition connections have corrode. Any thoughts?
HOW DO YOU REMOVE THE FACE COVER AT THE SPEEDOMETER. THE KNOB TO RESET THE TRIP ODOMETER IS IN THE WAY. IF I CAN REMOVE THE KNOB, THE FACE COVER WILL COME OFF
+Lee Ralph (Pathway to Self Reliance) . THANKS! IT LOOK LIKE THE SCREW CAME OFF AND SOMEONE APPLY GLUE TO IT. I FINALLY GOT IT OUT BY CUT IT AND SPEND 4 DOLLAR FOR A NEW KNOB WITH CREW NEW SCREW
+ASHLEY COURTNEY Glued it!!! Wow, Yeah on my other bike someone stripped the screw so I had to crush the knob with pliers then remove the screw glad you got it.
Quick question, I have a 95 heritage Softail classic and the top right contacts on mine start to get hot when in the on. is it supposed to do that or might there be a problem.
+Mark M I have not ran into this on an ignition switch, so my answer would just be a guess. I wonder if you have a loose or dirty connection? Also I have heard of this happening on other electrical components because of some sort of resistance cause the wire or connector to get warm. Have you been having starting issues? How do the wires looked, burnt, cracked? It maybe well worth the cost to replace the switch versus an electrical fire. I am not a certified tech or anything like that, just a shade tree wrencher, lol, so those are just some guesses that come to mind. Hope this helps!
+Lee Ralph (Pathway to Self Reliance) No starting issue yet. I just got the bike a few weeks ago. I have photos of the connections and the swith looks new to me for being a 95. Is there an email I can send then to.
Can you help, my ignition system shorted somehow, and the switch is now locked in the lights position, it started to spark so i removed the battery but need to get it fixed, I noticed that the last garage i sent it to managed to short the system at the handle bars, so will i need the whole harness replaced? and is this for a auto electrician?
WOW!!!! Glad you caught it before it got worse. Sadly without it in front of me, a lot would be just guessing. If it was recently that it was at that shop..that is where I would start. Take it back if their work is still under warranty. It does sound like something is either grounding or miswired. as far as how much harness needs replace again is guess work without seeing it. If you are going to do the work, chase the wires find out how much is fried. Get a schematic!!!! It may have a main harness and then smaller harnesses, see what all hooks together in each harness. You may just have to re do a couple wires, if lucky. I am not sure if I understand your last question. .Sorry not much help. Let me know what you end up doing!
cwzwartewoude Not a problem!! Yes I did, Sorry about that, but it (at least on my year/model) uses a very tiny Phillips screw to hold it on. I hate them...I have dropped/lost several LOL Thanks For watching, Lee
Lee Ralph Thanks! I did find that info on another site. Looks like someone has been there before on this bike and the screw head is destroyed. Now I need a plan b.
No, did not. Appears totally gone. To make it worse, a friend was trying to help and was rolling the odometer back and now it's broken. Anyone ever have to drill one of these screw heads completely off?
THAT SUCKS!! On both the Odometer and having to drill out the screw head....Just an Idea...That little knob is plastic...if worse came to worse and the screw is messed up, it can be cracked and broken to gain better access to the screw for removal...of course that means buying a new one..but I would think they are fairly cheap....but I would hate to go that route...good luck
My next question is this; I noticed this switch is for a lot of models does this diagram still apply to fatboy 93? My friend is having a problem short circuit on occasions no lights nothing and when you connect the negative with switch off it still generates a spark
This is what I noticed the tan cable is connected to terminal F not A. There is no jumper from A to E and ACC red is plugged to C not D and there is no jumper from D to F.
So my 87 softail won't start up anymore, i threw a rod and had it replaced and on the way home i was having a little bit of stuttering and the bike shut off. Would it be an ignition problem? either the coil or module or the switch? Or would it more than likely be the carb??
Hard to tell, by not hearing what it is doing, and Yes all these could be a cause...but Truthfully with just replacing the rod..that brings a lot of questions in to the equation. Who did the work? You or a shop? The starting point is, By not starting do you mean nothing happens when you turn the key...or turns over but does not start. Good Luck!
I am so sorry for the late reply. I hope that you have found the cause of the code. I have not yet looked into the cause ...just a quick search..not a lot of info. If you have found an answer PLEASe post it for others..if not, let me know, and I will do a bit of digging into it. Thanks, Lee
Good tutorial except for one thing. NOT shown is which terminal is "B" and "C" , they were always hidden behind the switch, and mine doesn't have letters on it. And not shown is which one the wire connects to if you don't want your lights on while starting. Otherwise, good job.
Charlie Johnson Thanks Charlie...Sorry I did not show that as good as I could have... I guess I was thinking if one had the diagram that came with the new switch and that the yellow only ran between those two the b and c was all needed. Sorry about that, Thanks for watching, Lee
My Dad was one heck of a mechanic...me not so much....but you can learn, just jump in there and learn all that you can and use all the great resources at hand like a good manual, other mechanics and if all else fails TH-cam. Good Luck
I would not be sure on the sportster. I found this online. I would try to run it by a sporster forum if you could. Good Lucck i45.photobucket.com/albums/f95/stern666/WiringDiagram.gif
How can I contact you? Need help with a switch I have that is wired differently but it's the same bike it seems they jumped the ingnition to acc not lights and the turn signals don't work properly on ignition but they do fine on lights and acc
Sorry for taking so long in getting back to you. I am looking into this a bit, I do not want to steer you wrong...I would hate to see you burn up the wiring because I gave you faulty info. I will say thought that I had the same issue once and it was a faulty switch. I will get back with you on this. Thanks for watching and the question
Sorry, I did not mean to forget you, just got busy, did you get this solved. My only thoughts would be to first make sure they did not install the switch upside down..it happens lol...Do you have a manual? I would wire per the manual. I hope this helps
Lee Ralph hi again I installed like it was and installed a new turn signal module badlands and it’s working perfect. But now a friend has a problem with his bike In going to ask you another question
I am sorry about that, I really thought that part was pretty self explanatory and did not want guys complaining that I wasted time on the obvious. Sorry about that.
@@kellywestbrook1016 Cool that you found out...I like when people share info like this...hopefully somebody looking for this info may stumble on to your comment . Thanks Again!
Here is a quick pointer...Try then maybe a search for a video called " how to reassemble the ignition switch itself"..not one called "Softail Ignition Switch REMOVAL And INSTALLATION".. Thanks for watching and have a GREAT day!
Sorry about all the talk, I thought getting the chrome of was pretty straight forward and did not want someone complaining about me wasting time on the obvious
![[569] Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Ignition Switch Picked FAST!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nWnGE80qjDY/mqdefault.jpg)
Best video on installation of switch that I have seen. My service manual is lacking on information and illustration. thanks.
Thank You Sir!!! I am glad that it was helpful
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I recently lost my keys and this video will help.
Cool!! I am so glad it helped....and even better that you got her up and going again!!
Thank you for the video. I own a 1994 Heritage; yours must be an earlier model. It always have been somewhat annoying that I had to turn the switch to "Lights" position to be able to start the engine. Thanks to the diagram that you are showing in the video now I know how to rewire the connections on the switch without risking any short circuit. Now I will be able to start the engine in the "Ignition" position, while the lights are not on yet.
Beautiful bike Lee! Great tutorial and excellent use of vocabulary regarding technician/mechanics trade. Liked the way you persisted on checking and double checking. Also taking the negative cable off the battery first. I've seen that mistake numerous times. People don't realize when they don't do it properly what they created is a rudimentary arc welder. Nice job, well done.-jason
Parker Ridge Thanks Jason!! I used to work a decent paying factory job ( for 26 years) and bought this while working there.....they shut down on us about 3 years ago. I sometimes think about selling it (during winter of course lol) but realize I probably wouldn't be able to afford another so I hang on to her. Thanks for the kind words, I often stumble around finding the correct word!!! ALOT!!!! I have fried many a component by not checking/rushing wiring. I have also had the battery make contact by leaving it in the bike..now it comes out. Good point on the arc welder!!
Thanks for watching my Friend, Take Care, Lee
Nice bike and a very good lesson on how to replace the switch, thanks for sharing my friend.
Massachusetts Prepper Thanks You my friend for the comment and the view. It isn't that hard of a process, but I know of some guys that do not like to work on anything that involves wiring...hopefully it will be of some help.
ATB, Lee
For sure my friend.
Just a tip, take a couple of photographs of the ignition switch wires before starting the job...
+FJSA Steve Thanks Good Tip!!! Thanks for watching, Lee
Nice vid.I need a new key .Here in UK Harley want £50 for that small replacement key .Crazy price.Can get replacement switch off e Bay with 2 keys for £20 .So cheaper for me to follow this vid and change a perfectly good swith ,to end up with 2 keys.
Very Cool!! I am glad that this was of some help...Even though I know better I am still surprised at some of the prices asked y HD. Good Luck and all the best!
When I change my ignition gonna take a picture of old ignition first as I don`t have a manual just a thought for anyone else inthe same boat . wow just read through comments got all info cheers
Very helpful tip
Yes I always take a pic before changing anything electrical.
Good video, I tool my ST you Sturgis back in 90. Darren Charron sent me.
Thank You and Welcome!!!!! I have rode up through the Black Hills, but never been to Sturgis, maybe one day LOL But not soon, had this bike at Harley shop for 4 weeks...took it for a ride locked up at 70 mph..almost lost it...HD shop said"nothing we did" ended up cracking bottom cases. Winter rebuild!!
Thanks for coming over...I really like Darren, good guy!!
Very useful Lee, as i wanted to know how to
disconnect lights when ignition is on. Sorry to hear about your bike, it will be interesting to know wether the primary failed due to part failure or poor workmanship. cheers Andy
I am glad this helped!!! Thanks, I am waiting till it cools off a bit to tackle the bike, but I know that even if I did find something (short of an Initialed Tool) in the Primary the shop is not going to take any responsibility! OH, Funny thing at work, your reply flashed on my phone, it only showed part of the comment, I was dying to get home and see what the comment "Very useful Lee, as i wanted to know how to
disco" was about LOL
Thanks for watching, Hope it helped!!
I think for your basic exchange of ignition’s that’s great but typically the ignition doesn’t go bad without there being a broken wire or other troubleshooting and that’s what I’m looking for is what’s underneath what makes things do watt.
Thanks, You make a great point! Thanks for the comment and good advice for others before just swapping out the switch!
Nice job on the switch Lee, I've been riding a Suzuki V strom for the last 8 years for my street bike and a manual is a must on that bike lol with the fuel inj. and all
Willy....Great Bike!! My son had a Suzuki Jigster 1000, I was never so glad to get off a bike before in my life LOL. Ungodly Fast!!! So true....I would have been lost many times without a good manual on both my bikes and vehicles...they are a must have if you are gonna do the work yourself. I have had a couple Fuel Injected bikes before, but have never had to work on them...THANKFULLY...lol. I don't know if they would be complicated or not, but I guess they got to be better then all the parts in a carb.
Thanks for watching and Take Care, Lee
It's called a trip meter. To get the chrome cover off you have to unscrew the little screw inside the knob (Phillips screw driver) pull out the knob. Then undo the nut (1/2 inch I believe) then the cover come off. The trip meter screw is very soft , easy to strip. If you can't get it out your gonna have to cut the knob back past the hole. Knob is plastic. You can use a dremel to cut it close to the hole then heat a screw drive to finish. Knob and screw are hard to find on 90's bike. I found 3 on ebay bought them all. Got luck.
Thanks, I see now that I should have spent more tme on this section.Thank for sharing the run down on removing it.
Here in 2021 to watch before installing new switch on my softail 🤙
CooL!! I hope this helps, Let me know how it turns out. Good Luck!!
@@LeeRalph100 I sure will...It's straight wired w/a fuse connection at the moment so, I have to figure out the wiring....luckily, I have the shop manual 👍🤙
Born! Born to be willllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllld! Ride on Lee! I like the steps and time in the description! Have a good'n
geargriden19 :) I actually sang that as I read it!
Yeah I wanted to play around with that a bit, I tend to ramble on a bit, so I thought I would try to put some time settings for that guy that just wanted to get the job done and back on the road without all my yapping!!
Thanks for watching I hope you have had a great weekend, Lee
Been a fairly good weekend can't complain, behind on videos by a day or so. I watch a newer one, then older one, Should get caught up just in time to get behind end of the week lol. Yessir i'm sure someone working on their hog will apperciate the time stamps. Yeah i hear ya, i'm like a chihauhau once i get to talking its hard to shut me up lol. Have a good'n
Lee, can you tell me how to remove the odometer reset knob? I saw the post below and didn't quite understand how to do it. Is there a tiny screw inside the knob itself? It's not obvious! Great video...I need to get underneath to get to the circuit breakers and need to remove the cover around the speedo. Thanks for any help you can provide!
+Octavius Caesar Yes there is a very small screw inside the knob itself...be prepared not to drop it lol Been there.
Let me know how it comes out!!
Bitchin Heritage, sounds mean! Thanks for the video, I just ordered a new ignition since I lost my keys and this is super helpful.
Thanks!! Glad it helped!!!!
Awesome, A lot easier than I thought !
Much appreciated !
Wulfy
Yeah, not real difficult. It not that time consuming either.
Glad I could help!
Nice Bike! Good job on the new part!
lonestarrider Thanks! And Thanks for the view!!! Lee
good video, I have put my switch in as it was upside down, the way it came, custom built bike. does it wire the same flipped with dot down?
Good Question! I had never given that much thought really. But if it is a stock switch if I remember correctly the terminals configuration is basically the same on each side regardless of how it is turned. The problem I could see is if switch is turned upside down, the wiring would have "rotate" also to follow the same order as right side up except upside down so that the lights and ignition are still to the correct terminal. I hope that makes sense. I really need to go out in the garage and play with that a bit to be sure! I would think if wiring was correct, and switch just flipped around and wiring left as it (going to wrong terminals because switch is reversed) you risk frying the switch...or worse. Without seeing the wiring myself, this is just a guess, please verify that the correct wires are to the correct terminals..Please do not fry your bike on a guess by me! Sorry I had not thought about it before, I hope this helps.
Hey lee I have a 1992 harley davidson softail heritage and I am getting a click when trying to start unless I turn the ignition switch on and of again and then it starts right up . So could that give a click
Where can I buy these wires? Harley shops don’t have them.
really helpful - thank you!
Thank You!!!!! I am so glad it useful!
Thank you very helpful!
Glad you found it helpful! Good Luck on your repairs.
Electrical work...my nemesis.
Dean O I understand that well! I usually takes me a bit longer before I undertake anything to do with wiring, I really have to stop and study the job. also being colorblind, I have stop and verify that I am not working with shades of colors that I may have trouble with.
Thanks for watching my friend, I hope you have had a great weekend, Lee
I just bought my first bike (05 fatboy) when I turn the switch to ignition there’s some play in the switch and I have to jiggle it just right for my blinkers to work and for the dash to light up, it will still crank if I don’t have blinkers or speedometer light, but I have to wiggle it to get my blinkers n dash to light up and work
Same here.What did you do?
Keith Stanton took it apart and clean it with a brass brush and cleaner sane with rear break... works perfect now
@@redflint7651 Thanks.Going to try it in the next couple days.
Keith Stanton awesome!!!! Happy riding!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and tips!!!
Where are the videos that show how to disassemble and replace parts inside switches? I'm trying to find out how to take apart an older switch on a 98 softail so I can replace the new tumbler with old key tumbler that uses the vending machine type key
I am sorry, but as I had no need to disasemble it as all I wanted to do was change the the whole unit. I am sure there are some video out there somewhere, or look for a local old school wrencher. Good Luck.
@@LeeRalph100 as an old school wrenched I'm not even finding a diagram that shows the construction of the components. I am going to do good ole' trial error methods. I know from past experience how going through the registration of forums and blogs is a long waste of time in a cyberworld where algorithms designed to promote companies that sell parts and services make it nearly impossible for the DIY crowd to get accurate search results. Thanks for your time .
@@donfaulkner852 I fully understand, the old days of doing thing like putting brushes in a starter are long gone. Good luck. If you can, that might be a great video to cover. I you do, Please come back and let me know!
Good Luck
@@LeeRalph100 if only this platform hadn't destroyed my monetization with fake copyright claims on my music for being a conservative
I don't know if its too late for you, but i just ordered a new switch for my Softail that has a barrel key instead of the regular long factory key
I used to fix Harleys, but have not done any for almost 20 years. Better at the old ones. Did you figure out what blew up on your bike? Thank you for the video, Lee
I had wondered with the TH-cam name Shovelhead! LOL :)
Yeah the old bikes are a lot different for sure!!
I hadn't yet, partial was hoping the shop would take some ownership of the problem after having it for several weeks and partial just ticked and not sure which way I want to go with it. I will either take it to a different shop and get their opinion, or do a winter tear down, possible just change out the whole bottom end and be done with it. Between work, money and summer heat I have not really been in the mood to mess with it! I am just hoping the top end is ok...
So a motor bottom end. Hard to say what it is without pulling it apart. We used to make some pretty good motors in the shop I worked in. Seen some strange blow-ups come in. Did Harley school in Northern Alberta Canada in the middle of the winter. Long time ago
Yeah bottom end cracked along shafts that bolts go through that hold the two halves together. HD shop said "well you must have had a rod knocking". I said you had it for several weeks, didn't you hear it?..They said "well with your loud pipes...." HMMM so I had the first bike they ever worked on with loud pipes LOL
I would like to see pictures of the broken stuff. I really don't get what they are telling you unless it was the crank pin and big end bearing that went. Never was a real loud pipe guy. One good technique for hearing motor noise is wear earplugs. You hear lots of motor noises you don't hear other wise. Another thing is a gopro style camera in the waterproof case. Check out my Rokon videos, the mechanical sounds will make you crazy. You don't hear them otherwise
I will see what I can do for pics...right now the motor is in one piece in the bike. I had spent so much having it worked on at the HD shop that it really took some of the desire to tackle it away for a bit. They had mentioned bearings. I will watch the videos!! Did you see my video when it locked up? The motor was still turning when it locked up...so my thoughts was something in the primary as they had it apart several times while working on it.
Good job bud. Thanks.
Thank You!!
Lee, do you know a good wiring man in our area? O bought a bike that didn't have front turn signals.
Hey Billy!! As far as a good wiring man for a bike, not right off the top of my head, but signals do not sound to difficult...depending on how bad the rest of the wiring is. What did ya get?
@@LeeRalph100 2007 Fatboy. They put ape hangers on it and only ran the rear signals. I do a lot of my own wrenching but wiring isn't my forte. Guess I'll pull the tanks and see what I can find with my test-light. Pray for me, lol.
@@CUZ_2 :) I sure will Brother!!! I think it should be a pretty easy fix. I can not wait to check out your new bike!! Get a hold of me and I will gladly come see if I can be of some help
Right on Lee! You likely just saved a bundle in service fees.
MI Timberwookie Wookie not only that but also wait time to get into the local HD dealership! It took two orderings to make sure they got me the correct part so I was down a bit longer, but it the little bit of gas used to run over there in no ways compared to the labor charge.
Thanks for watching my Friend, I hope spring is coming soon for you guys up north, ATB, Lee
My ride is a 91 springer softail, so I assume it is similar. I was hoping to learn how to remove the dash before I dived in. Your thoughts?
Sorry for the late response. I hope all went well with your repair and was able to fix the issues.
Hi Lee changeing my softail ignition very soon had console off but had to discontent speedo cable can`t undo that "pissy little screw " is a cross screw or allen key or what tried to shine a light in it but no good thanks for any help .
You needed to vocalize what each wire goes to and a straighter shot of the switch and wires with the diagram in frame
example where does the red wire at 7 oclock go.. not the jumper to 5 oclock I was wondering why mine had a cut yellow jumper... now I know thanks
@@trekitravel4690 Sorry if I had not vocalized that well enough...I was still learning a bit about videos like this,..and although I had done several bike videos, it was not my usual genre. I think that is one reason that I suggested taking pics as you went and also the need (now a must) for having a good manual. I am glad you got it figured out,. How's the old girl doing now? Starting ok?
@@LeeRalph100 I
what is the blue wire next to the tan wire?
Cool, informative video... Thx!
I hope that you found it helpful, Thank You!
Nice if you would have showed getting the dash off
Sorry, my bad on that, I had thought that was pretty straight forward..but you are right, to be complete I should have shown the whole procedure, Thank You
My 2015 sat in the rain when I was out of town. It used to start until I took it for a ride, it died, I replaced the battery and nothing. I'm thinking ignition connections have corrode. Any thoughts?
Sorry for taking so long to answer... it has been a rough past year. I think you are right on the corroding connections...what did you end up finding?
HOW DO YOU REMOVE THE FACE COVER AT THE SPEEDOMETER. THE KNOB TO RESET THE TRIP ODOMETER IS IN THE WAY. IF I CAN REMOVE THE KNOB, THE FACE COVER WILL COME OFF
+ASHLEY COURTNEY I fought with this at first, their is a very small phillips head screw that holds it on. I hope this helps
+Lee Ralph (Pathway to Self Reliance) . THANKS! IT LOOK LIKE THE SCREW CAME OFF AND SOMEONE APPLY GLUE TO IT. I FINALLY GOT IT OUT BY CUT IT AND SPEND 4 DOLLAR FOR A NEW KNOB WITH CREW NEW SCREW
+ASHLEY COURTNEY Glued it!!! Wow, Yeah on my other bike someone stripped the screw so I had to crush the knob with pliers then remove the screw
glad you got it.
Quick question, I have a 95 heritage Softail classic and the top right contacts on mine start to get hot when in the on. is it supposed to do that or might there be a problem.
+Mark M I have not ran into this on an ignition switch, so my answer would just be a guess. I wonder if you have a loose or dirty connection? Also I have heard of this happening on other electrical components because of some sort of resistance cause the wire or connector to get warm. Have you been having starting issues? How do the wires looked, burnt, cracked? It maybe well worth the cost to replace the switch versus an electrical fire. I am not a certified tech or anything like that, just a shade tree wrencher, lol, so those are just some guesses that come to mind. Hope this helps!
+Lee Ralph (Pathway to Self Reliance)
No starting issue yet. I just got the bike a few weeks ago. I have photos of the connections and the swith looks new to me for being a 95. Is there an email I can send then to.
Send me a PM Mark, and I will respond there
You can PM me at kewlguy0423@msn.com
Thank you
I hope it helped!!! Lee
It works great now
Can you help, my ignition system shorted somehow, and the switch is now locked in the lights position, it started to spark so i removed the battery but need to get it fixed, I noticed that the last garage i sent it to managed to short the system at the handle bars, so will i need the whole harness replaced? and is this for a auto electrician?
WOW!!!! Glad you caught it before it got worse. Sadly without it in front of me, a lot would be just guessing. If it was recently that it was at that shop..that is where I would start. Take it back if their work is still under warranty. It does sound like something is either grounding or miswired. as far as how much harness needs replace again is guess work without seeing it. If you are going to do the work, chase the wires find out how much is fried. Get a schematic!!!! It may have a main harness and then smaller harnesses, see what all hooks together in each harness. You may just have to re do a couple wires, if lucky. I am not sure if I understand your last question. .Sorry not much help. Let me know what you end up doing!
Sorry for the obvious, but I was trying to figure out first how to remove the odometer reset knob and it looks like you skipped right by that!
cwzwartewoude Not a problem!! Yes I did, Sorry about that, but it (at least on my year/model) uses a very tiny Phillips screw to hold it on. I hate them...I have dropped/lost several LOL
Thanks For watching, Lee
Lee Ralph Thanks! I did find that info on another site. Looks like someone has been there before on this bike and the screw head is destroyed. Now I need a plan b.
cwzwartewoude Glad you found it...yeah I ran into that the first time I remove it...badly worn out screw head...I hope you got it removed ok!
No, did not. Appears totally gone. To make it worse, a friend was trying to help and was rolling the odometer back and now it's broken. Anyone ever have to drill one of these screw heads completely off?
THAT SUCKS!! On both the Odometer and having to drill out the screw head....Just an Idea...That little knob is plastic...if worse came to worse and the screw is messed up, it can be cracked and broken to gain better access to the screw for removal...of course that means buying a new one..but I would think they are fairly cheap....but I would hate to go that route...good luck
Will the ignition switch cause no spark to the motor??
Sorry for not answering sooner, Yes if there is not a continuation of circuit..in other words a dead short , broken wire or connection, etc.
My next question is this; I noticed this switch is for a lot of models does this diagram still apply to fatboy 93? My friend is having a problem short circuit on occasions no lights nothing and when you connect the negative with switch off it still generates a spark
This is what I noticed the tan cable is connected to terminal F not A. There is no jumper from A to E and ACC red is plugged to C not D and there is no jumper from D to F.
What’s on terminal F ? There are some terminals without description
So my 87 softail won't start up anymore, i threw a rod and had it replaced and on the way home i was having a little bit of stuttering and the bike shut off. Would it be an ignition problem? either the coil or module or the switch? Or would it more than likely be the carb??
Hard to tell, by not hearing what it is doing, and Yes all these could be a cause...but Truthfully with just replacing the rod..that brings a lot of questions in to the equation. Who did the work? You or a shop?
The starting point is, By not starting do you mean nothing happens when you turn the key...or turns over but does not start. Good Luck!
Getting error code 44 bank angle sensor on an 2003 FLST (with a carb) Having trouble finding info....Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
I am so sorry for the late reply. I hope that you have found the cause of the code. I have not yet looked into the cause ...just a quick search..not a lot of info.
If you have found an answer PLEASe post it for others..if not, let me know, and I will do a bit of digging into it.
Thanks, Lee
Sweet Bike brother, its true what they say Some people ride Harleys and SOME people will ride Anything lol. just say no to rice hehe
NC Digger Thanks!!! LOL That is funny! I have been guilty of riding anything before LOL even a bit of rice now and again. :)
Thanks for watching, Lee
Good tutorial except for one thing. NOT shown is which terminal is "B" and "C" , they were always hidden behind the switch, and mine doesn't have letters on it. And not shown is which one the wire connects to if you don't want your lights on while starting. Otherwise, good job.
Charlie Johnson Thanks Charlie...Sorry I did not show that as good as I could have... I guess I was thinking if one had the diagram that came with the new switch and that the yellow only ran between those two the b and c was all needed. Sorry about that, Thanks for watching, Lee
Thanks for the reply. My switch didn't even come with a diagram or directions.
If i remember right, it is the top two on the left side...I can check the manual if you would like
wish my dad was a mechanic
My Dad was one heck of a mechanic...me not so much....but you can learn, just jump in there and learn all that you can and use all the great resources at hand like a good manual, other mechanics and if all else fails TH-cam. Good Luck
i need to replace braker it look like its not easy .do i un hook harness from motor and pull it out trew top
the hole eng unit then take braker of the eng unit
please help
i will look into this more when i get home from work this afternoon.
I have never had to change mine, I am surprised that I find no info about it in my manual and very little info online. What bike do you have?
My 86 sportster red wire goes too wat terminal b or i
I would not be sure on the sportster. I found this online. I would try to run it by a sporster forum if you could. Good Lucck
i45.photobucket.com/albums/f95/stern666/WiringDiagram.gif
How can I contact you? Need help with a switch I have that is wired differently but it's the same bike it seems they jumped the ingnition to acc not lights and the turn signals don't work properly on ignition but they do fine on lights and acc
Sorry for taking so long in getting back to you. I am looking into this a bit, I do not want to steer you wrong...I would hate to see you burn up the wiring because I gave you faulty info. I will say thought that I had the same issue once and it was a faulty switch. I will get back with you on this. Thanks for watching and the question
Sorry, I did not mean to forget you, just got busy, did you get this solved. My only thoughts would be to first make sure they did not install the switch upside down..it happens lol...Do you have a manual? I would wire per the manual. I hope this helps
Lee Ralph hi again I installed like it was and installed a new turn signal module badlands and it’s working perfect. But now a friend has a problem with his bike In going to ask you another question
What year is that hog?
1992
It would have been nice if he skipped the long intro and use the time to showed how to the take the chrome cover off
yeah, no shit!! that's what I wanted to see!!!!
I am sorry about that, I really thought that part was pretty self explanatory and did not want guys complaining that I wasted time on the obvious. Sorry about that.
@@LeeRalph100 not all that obvious if all of us are saying the samething
@@samuelhalterman6333 Good point, I reread my reply and came out a lot worse then I thought or meant it too/ Thanks for calling me out on that
Where's the fuse box on a 94 flstn
I am pretty sure behind the battery. I hope this helped
@@LeeRalph100 thanks. But 94 only had relays no fuses. Just found out myself
@@kellywestbrook1016 Cool that you found out...I like when people share info like this...hopefully somebody looking for this info may stumble on to your comment . Thanks Again!
i reall need some help
ok, Could you be a bit more specific please? I will see what I can do
Yes over 10 minutes of useless talk just to hook it up to wiring that's intact. I wanted to know how to reassemble the ignition switch itself.
Here is a quick pointer...Try then maybe a search for a video called " how to reassemble the ignition switch itself"..not one called "Softail Ignition Switch REMOVAL And INSTALLATION"..
Thanks for watching and have a GREAT day!
instead of all the mindless talk it would have been nice to see how you got the chrome off!! that's what I wanted to see mostly!
Sorry about all the talk, I thought getting the chrome of was pretty straight forward and did not want someone complaining about me wasting time on the obvious