Taking apart and reassembling Hand Controls on a GS550

[Redneck]

Here is how to re-assemble the left hand control for a 1977-1980 GS550.



First and most important take pictures of the disassembly process (if you didn't then make sure you save this thread.... I did not take pictures of disassembly hence this thread after I figured it back out)

Top half all cleaned and degreased.



I pulled the light on/off switch and high beam switch and cleaned the contact plates. All that I used was a brass wire toothbrush and a regular hard bristle toothbrush.



It is not to hard to get these confused if you look at the contact plates they match up to the wired boards on teh sides of the switch assembly housing.

If you will notice in the above picture there are two holes in the side of the casing. That is where the ball bearing will fit. Those two holes correspond to the switch position. Here is a fuzzy picture of the ball bearing on the opposite side of the switch plate.


First you must install the horn button. Place the horn through the hole from the inside. Then install the copper plate on the end of the horn button. If you have a hot glue gun a very small dab to hold the plate to the button might help hold it in place. Push the spring up to the copper plate, compress the spring with a small flat head screwdriver and slide the contact board into its slot.


Once that is installed screw on the rectangular brass cover piece

[Redneck]

I say do the horn first just because it is a P.I.T.A. Once the horn is installed reinstall the light switches. Put the Light switch in first
because the high beam switch over laps the middle bolt hole they share.






Once these are in you can install the brass plate that hold the wiring in place on the inside portion of the control.


and screw it down

[Redneck]

The Turn signal switch goes opposite of the horn. It is encased in a brass enclosure. You can get it out buy simply bending the end of the tabs out a bit and then squeezing them back together when you re install it.

Turn signal switch

Brass Case and the tabs of the contact board coming through


This is how the Switch arm sits across it.


Here is the gromet with copper washer that fits in the switch arm

Here is grommet, copper washer and switch arm together.


These are all screwed to the middle post.


Okay so I cant find the picture of the brass plate that I put over the turn signal switch but here is a picture of the one in the parts bike switch. It screws down straight through the switch arm and covers the switch assembly.


Then we button it back up and whalla we have refurbished switches.


Hope some of you find this helpful.

Paul

P.S.
I did this with the left hand switch but the RH switch is pretty much the same deal.

[Zafe]

nice writeup. yours looks like it was in great shape, when i took mine apart none of the levers would move so i just made an aux harness and fabbed up a switch panel under the seat.

[cowboyup3371]

Great information thank you. I will try this out as I think my turn signal switch needs some cleaning.

[kokar]

[Adler]

Nice.

When I did it I also bent out the housings for the headlight switch contacts to clean those. Also, reassembly involved some dielectric grease to prevent corrosion.

[Redneck]

Nice.

When I did it I also bent out the housings for the headlight switch contacts to clean those. Also, reassembly involved some dielectric grease to prevent corrosion.

That is the only other thing I wish I had done.

Paul