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Side stand switch question...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
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Guest

Guest
Well, I've finally worked my way down to the "little" things that my 850GLZ needs to have fixed.

The side stand switch never worked, meaning it didn't alert the rider if the stand was down - the gage light works, it illuminates when the key is turned on, then goes out when running.

Today I was a bit bored so I decided to check the switch out...

Seem clean & clear, the plunger operates fine & couldn't see any broken wires.

My question: when you check continuity through the switch should it not change as the plunger is depressed? I know stupid question, but nothing happens when I manually depress the plunger, meaning I don't get a continuity reading through the switch at any position.

I guess the switch is toast, but it looks so darn good, I was wondering if I was checking it correctly??

Thanks,

mike
 
If you had just said that operating your kick stand did not turn off the light, I would have you check to make sure you have the right kick stand and that the switch was adjusted properly.

However ... since you said you were checking continuity, I'll answer that question, instead. :D

Yes, there should be a change in continuity. I just checked the switch on my wife's GLZ and found that there is continuity when the plunger is out and NO continuity when the plunger is pressed in. There appears to be about 6mm of travel on the plunger, and it only takes 1 or 2mm to open the contacts.

You can try spraying it with contact cleaner, but since it's designed to be rather moisture proof, your chances are rather slim.

.
 
Thanks Steve,

I already sprayed the crap out of it with electrical contact cleaner, to no avail...

I guess the switch is bad, but as I said - it looks so darn "new".

I will take it to work & x-ray just for giggles, might see something broken in there.

thanks for checkin' your wife's switch...

mike
 
hikermikem said:
Thanks Steve,

I already sprayed the crap out of it with electrical contact cleaner, to no avail...

I guess the switch is bad, but as I said - it looks so darn "new".

I will take it to work & x-ray just for giggles, might see something broken in there.

thanks for checkin' your wife's switch...

mike
Click to expand...
You just have x-ray capability or can you do fluoro? Fluoro might show up better.

.
 
Steve said:
You just have x-ray capability or can you do fluoro? Fluoro might show up better.
Click to expand...

Yeah, only x-ray - I forgot the switch this AM, I'll grab it tomorrow.

The fluoroscopy process doesn't generally provide the good definition, due to the large grain size of the material used in the fluoro plates. Fluro is much quicker, but is kinda fuzzy & there's no permanent record of the results (unlike film).

X-ray film gives you a sharper image, so it might be able to detect a broken wire if that's indeed the issue.

Anyway, it's nice to have the capability at hand. Doesn't hurt that I'm the resident technical expert for NDT at work either ... :D

Mike
 
hikermikem said:
Anyway, it's nice to have the capability at hand. Doesn't hurt that I'm the resident technical expert for NDT at work either ... :D

Mike
Click to expand...

I've got a few friends that work the NDT side of the equation...they're always looking for something else to "test". ;)
Had one of them magna-flux a head for me, several years ago...not cracked! :p
 
Dave8338 said:
I've got a few friends that work the NDT side of the equation...they're always looking for something else to "test". ;)
Had one of them magna-flux a head for me, several years ago...not cracked! :p
Click to expand...

We used to x-ray BIG bugs when we caught them in the summer... been known to fluoro my kids halloween candy in the past too !

When you mag'ed the head, how did you keep the mag juice out of the ears? That stuff gets everywhere - tastes terrible too...
 
hikermikem said:
We used to x-ray BIG bugs when we caught them in the summer... been known to fluoro my kids halloween candy in the past too !

When you mag'ed the head, how did you keep the mag juice out of the ears? That stuff gets everywhere - tastes terrible too...
Click to expand...

NICE! :p One works for the nuke plant in Green Bay (oops...that's a topic for another thread / fourm) :eek: ;)
 
Switch x-ray update...

Switch x-ray update...

I had my non-working sidestand switch x-rayed to see what I could see...

My tech didn't kill himself taking shots, but it's clear that the plunger doesn't hit anything when it's depressed. There's no wires in there, but rather a spring-like clip that completes the connection when the plunger pushes against it (which it doesn't do). Can't tell why it's no longer aligned, perhaps some "shock" during its sorid life, perhaps it was this way from the showroom.

Just to verify the "bike" side is functioning OK, I used a jumper wire to connect the two contacts on the bike-side connector while the bike was running - the side stand light goes ON when the two leads are connected, OFF when they're not; pretty straight forward.

Soooo... I see these OEM switches are around $50 new !!! Holy crap !!

I may try some surgery here, but in the end, I don't need the little bugger anywho. But, ask me how many times I've driven off only to hear this gawd-awful scraping sound that scares the tar outta me!!

Thanks for listening,

mike
 
So let me get this straight, you guys have a switch that turns on a light to tell you that your sidestand is down?

My GS has nothing of the sort, but my Concours has a sidestand switch. When it thinks the sidestand is down, the bike will start, but it'll die as soon as you let the clutch out when it's in gear.

Even when the stand is retracted, if the switch's plunger doesn't 'unplunge' you are sh*t out of luck until you put the bike on the centerstand retract the sidestand, and pull the switch's plunger out. Then you can't use the sidestand until you spray the switch w/ penetrating oil to loosen things up.

This only happens at the most inopportune time. Such as after eating a big lunch and you are in a hurry to get someplace. And you just bought the bike and don't even know that there is such a switch in the first place but are lucky enough to be able to figure it all out within a minute or two...
 
Last edited:
highmileage said:
So let me get this straight, you guys have a switch that turns on a light to tell you that your sidestand is down?
Click to expand...

Yup, both my 1100GZ & my 850GLZ (subject of this thread) operate this way.

I've read here about some bikes that need their switches bypassed in order to get started, but luckily not mine!! Maybe older GS models?

And yes, things like that ALWAYS happen at the worst time.

mike
 
hikermikem said:
Yup, both my 1100GZ & my 850GLZ (subject of this thread) operate this way.

I've read here about some bikes that need their switches bypassed in order to get started, but luckily not mine!! Maybe older GS models?

And yes, things like that ALWAYS happen at the worst time.

mike
Click to expand...
Not sure how small a bike ended up getting the side stand switches, but they appeared with the '82 models. I know the 850s had them, not sure how much smaller.

The switches that are bypassed to start the bike are in the clutch lever. It eliminates one thing you have to do to start the bike. You still have to modulate the choke lever/knob/whatever with one hand and the starter button with the other, though. It was not until the '82 models that the choke was operated by the left thumb while the left fingers were holding the clutch lever. Better, but still a nuisance.

The side stand switch only turns on a light when the stand is down. It does not cut the ignition or the starter or anything else, it only turns on the light.

Like highmileage's Connie, my Wing has a multitude of interlocks related to starting the bike. If the bike is in neutral, there is no need to pull the clutch. If it is in gear, you have to pull the clutch, unless the side stand is down, in which case it won't start. If the bike is in gear and the stand is down, the ignition is cut, regardless of whether the clutch is pulled. And, ... if the reverse lever :eek: is engaged, you can not start the bike. If the reverse lever is engaged while the bike is running, pressing the starter button moves you in reverse. While in reverse, you can not shift into any forward gear. Complicated? You betcha, but it all works together quite nicely. :D

.
 
Steve said:
Not sure how small a bike ended up getting the side stand switches, but they appeared with the '82 models. I know the 850s had them, not sure how much smaller
Click to expand...


My '82 650G & '85 550L both have side stand switches as well. And they ALL have had that annoying clutch switch bypassed.

I do remember reading here when I was a noob (early last year) about someone's sidestand switch causing them grief about starting the bike.

However, for all I know that was about some other kinda bike & not a GS type model.

That Wing sounds like it has AI !! Protecting you from yourself!
 
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