'13 Seat Stuck.

[Caladin]

It has been a bit of bad luck for me today it seems. While repairing a sticky hazard light switch I dropped small part of it into the fairing. I have now removed the entire right fairing and still have no sign of the missing part. It may have bounced under the fuel tank. An easy place to check normally. However, I now find that my seat simply will not unlatch. Typically I need just a slight downward pressure on the passenger seat and it comes right off. Not today though. The key (tried a spare too) refuses to turn the lock. I have soaked it in oil to no avail, it will not budge. When I turn it I can hear a slight click from the upper latch, but it wont turn the lock cylinder enough to get a release.

Any tips on what I can do to get it to release. Any way to break into it without causing massive damage?

Thanks

 

[bluesdog]

With bike on the center stand, try kneeling with your full weight on the forward portion of the passenger seat.

I would not attempt to force the lock by means of the key. The key is quite soft metal, and will bend or break.

 

[Caladin]

With bike on the center stand, try kneeling with your full weight on the forward portion of the passenger seat.
I would not attempt to force the lock by means of the key. The key is quite soft metal, and will bend or break.

Have tried that a few times with a great deal of downward force. No luck.

 

[Kaelaria]

Remember the key only turns a few degrees for the seat, it's probably operating just fine. Turn it then just give the front of the passenger seat a good whack down.

 

[Caladin]

Remember the key only turns a few degrees for the seat, it's probably operating just fine. Turn it then just give the front of the passenger seat a good whack down.

I will give it another go in a few minutes. Do you remember if the key turns clockwise or counter clockwise? Its hard to tell when things aren't opening. Seems to turn more counter clockwise.

 

[bluesdog]

counter-clockwise, @ 1/4 turn, iirc

 

[Pterodactyl]

Good luck with the seat. The part you dropped is hanging out with all those socks that have escaped from the dryer.

 

[Caladin]

Got it! So as we all know the key does not fully go in for the seat lock. I decided to tap on head of the key while penetrating oil was soaking into the lock. After a few good hard whacks it went snap and moved a hair further in! Looks like the very last tumbler was stuck and preventing the key from going in all the way. The lock now opens freely.

Winter has not been easy on my bike this year. It has been a salty two months since I last washed the bike, but I finally got a chance yesterday. A tick coat of salt came off, and with a little polishing it looks almost like new, other then the badly rusting saddle bag crash bars!

I then tackeld some general matanence items. Grease the clutch/brake levers, kickstand, and among a few other things, repair a sticking hazard light switch. While in the shop for a warranty replacment of the radiator I had the dealer look at the sticking switch. Their remedy was to spray it with some WD40 and call it fixed. It worked for about a week and was then worse then ever.

So as I dismantled the switch a small piece popped out and disappeared into the abyss somewhere inside the bike. I heard it bounce a couple times but never heard it hit the ground, whatever it was. I was sure it was stuck somewhere against the side fairing. I removed the right fairing, something I've never needed to do, but had no luck finding anything.

It's taken 5+ hours, but I finally found it! A tiny copper plate that works as a contact inside the switch. It had bounced through a small gap between the frame and fuel tank and slid down under the frame T-bar brace on top of the engine!

Now with the switch back together it works as good as new.

It was very oily and dirty inside. WD40 does not help clean out a dirty switch!

Now to put the rest back together tomorrow! Amazing how a small job can turn into a nightmare!

 

[Uncle Hud]

What an ordeal. Glad she's working, now put her clothes back on! I assume there will be chance of riding in BC during February, but what do I know about BC? Rode mine to work yesterday and fooled around for 90 minutes riding home.

 

[petey]

BUT there is a silver lining about what you went through...

You do know ( learned ) a lot more about your bike than before...

 

[Bounce]

In every lock at least once a year. More often when riding in environments like you described. Flood the lock with this stuff and it won't leave behind a gummy residue like WD40 does.

 

[jmgrif]

Not sure what caused your switch to fail but, I would have not used WD-40 on an electrical connection (Dealer?)! There are contact sprays especially designed for "electrical" part issues that would be more appropriate. As for riding at this time of year? I was born in Vancouver, and moved to the Okanagan 10 years ago. When I lived in the lower mainland I would hold off riding till all the salt etc. had been washed by several rains. Even when it's dry it seemed there was a slight dusting of salt powder that would corrode the aluminium and chrome parts!

 

[Donal]

I use ACF-50 for all the handlebar switches. I ride all year round in the UK and never had an electrical problem.

 

[roger dodger]

Bill your dealer for your 5 hours of labor to lube the switch (properly).

Maybe they will knock off the wd40 for EVERYTHING!

 

[Caladin]

What an ordeal. Glad she's working, now put her clothes back on! I assume there will be chance of riding in BC during February, but what do I know about BC? Rode mine to work yesterday and fooled around for 90 minutes riding home.

I am lucky enough to live in one of the few places in Canada where you can virtually ride year round. I get that some people don't like the rain or cold, but I actually enjoy my commutes (190km/118mi) even when there is a heavy rain fall warning or the mercury dips below freezing.

BUT there is a silver lining about what you went through...

You do know ( learned ) a lot more about your bike than before...

That is definitely not lost on me. Removing the main fairing is something that would have worried me a lot before. Its really not a big job as all and can be done rather quickly. Gald to have gotten it out of the way for the next time when i may need to for a repair.

In every lock at least once a year. More often when riding in environments like you described. Flood the lock with this stuff and it won't leave behind a gummy residue like WD40 does.

I have been using a 3M silicone spray for all my locks. They were done less than a month ago, and done atleast 3-4 times a year. Really not sure why the seat one was so stuck as others work fine.

Not sure what caused your switch to fail but, I would have not used WD-40 on an electrical connection (Dealer?)! There are contact sprays especially designed for "electrical" part issues that would be more appropriate. As for riding at this time of year? I was born in Vancouver, and moved to the Okanagan 10 years ago. When I lived in the lower mainland I would hold off riding till all the salt etc. had been washed by several rains. Even when it's dry it seemed there was a slight dusting of salt powder that would corrode the aluminium and chrome parts!

This is where the problem was in the switch.

The white pieces is a track that a spring loaded pin follows along. It slides side to side as the switch is pushed in and out. The ramps on the track make it snap into the two postions. Those ramps and the area the piece slided on were covered in a mucky oily mess! I'm guessing it got a little dirty, then the shop used some WD40 and made it worse as dirt would no longer be eventually washed out.

As for riding in the salt, I don't worry so much about about the cosmetic stuff. While I do my best to keep winters effects at bay, I bought the bike to ride year round, so I expect some weather releated wear and tear. I do the extra work involved to keep it in good mechincal shape while riding in the winter. Extra cleaning of brakes, suspension and control points. It's worth a little extra work and wear and tear to ride year round. Ultimately I do not expect it to shorten the life span of the bike.

I use ACF-50 for all the handlebar switches. I ride all year round in the UK and never had an electrical problem.

Thanks for the link!

Bill your dealer for your 5 hours of labor to lube the switch (properly).
Maybe they will knock off the wd40 for EVERYTHING!

I don't think that will go well. In regards to the switch I think they had the Jr guy look at it after the mechanic finished the radiator replacement. I certainly will talk to them about using WD40 to "oil" a switch that shouldn't require oiling. A poor choice of both product and use.

 

[Caladin]

Its worth noting that there are 3 springs inside that switch. One large for the switch plunger. One medium for pressing the copper plate onto the contacts of the switch. One TINY one to press a copper needle into the track pictured above. If the small one drops you will never find it. The contact plate will pop out when you take it apart, so be prepared!

 

[Donal]

I use ACF-50 for all the handlebar switches. I ride all year round in the UK and never had an electrical problem.

Word of warning - do NOT get this stuff on your discs/pads. If you do it will really ruin your day - DAMHIK!

 

[LgFJR]

removing the seat just put the thing on the center stand and sit on the seat while turning key............presto.