Switches Questions

[Guest]

So I got a set of practically NOS switches, right and left on ebay super cheap. IIRC, they came off of an '81 450. 2 problems though.

1. This metal tab on the inside is making it extremely difficult to close the halves of the housing when I put it on the handlebars. Can (should) I just bend it down and out of the way?



2. My bike is a push/pull throttle. How should I fix this to accommodate the other throttle cable?



Thanks a ton for looking!

Brion

[almarconi]

To answer your first question, you need to drill a hole in your bars. That tab keeps the whole mechanism from rotating. It's supposed to be there.

[bwringer]

To answer your first question, you need to drill a hole in your bars. That tab keeps the whole mechanism from rotating. It's supposed to be there.

...or bend the tab out of the way or grind it off, which is what most of us do when installing new bars.

[Steve]

I usually drill a hole, as I don't like the grips moving.

To find where to drill the hole, use some black spray paint near where the hole should be. When the paint is dry, put the switch housing in place, screw it together tight enough to not move easily, but loose enough that you can move it if you want. Sit on the bike, make sure the switches are in a comfortable position. Now slide the switches along the bar to scribe a line in the paint. Rotate the switches to scribe a cross-line. Remove the switches, look at the paint. the X in the paint shows you where to drill.

.

[almarconi]

If you grind the tab off, what keeps everything from turning? The two screws that hold the housing together will not make it tight enough. Seems pretty unsafe to me if you turn your throttle or reach for your kill switch and the whole switch housing moves.

[ikantbreave]

Thanks

I think I am gonna go ahead and drill the holes. Might as well do it the safe way. Thanks folks.

Any input on the second part? I was thinking that I could Dremel it out to look like the other side but my concern is the lack of threads for the cable guide thing.

Brion

[almarconi]

Whats wrong with the bottom housing that is on the bike now? Just use the bottom housing and transfer the parts from the new new housing. Since I don't have the parts in front of me are they the same except for the bottom housing.