Ignition replacement

[Pythontaco]

Hi there new to the forums and tried searching but couldn't find an answer to my problem. I have a 2008 gs500f and someone tried to steal it. They attempted to use what looks like a screwdriver and jammed it into my ignition. It is completely messed up and is stuck in the locked position. I am looking to replace the least amount as possible and I can't seem to find any information on how I should go about it. If anyone could help me Or point me in the right direction I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

[mr72]

You can replace the ignition switch as a unit. You can buy keyed-alike ignition switch, gas cap and seat (helmet) lock sets for reasonably cheap and then you'll wind up replacing them all.

Problem is the ignition switch is not remotely easy to remove, which I guess is by design. They used a bolt that the head breaks off of when it is installed so you cannot use an ordinary wrench to remove it. The shop manual method is remove crown with ignition switch installed, flip upside down, and use a hammer and center punch to tap the bolt head to turn it, hopefully it comes out.

Others have tried an internal-torx head socket and even someone else alluded to using a 6mm socket but no details on how. Some others drilled the bolt head but I am not sure how that's really possible. A reverse drill bit or an EZ-out might work but the problem is the shape of the thing is not conducive to drilling the center of it, and drifting the bit off of the bolt head would risk screwing up the triple clamp.

[qcbaker]

You can replace the ignition switch as a unit. You can buy keyed-alike ignition switch, gas cap and seat (helmet) lock sets for reasonably cheap and then you'll wind up replacing them all.

Problem is the ignition switch is not remotely easy to remove, which I guess is by design. They used a bolt that the head breaks off of when it is installed so you cannot use an ordinary wrench to remove it. The shop manual method is remove crown with ignition switch installed, flip upside down, and use a hammer and center punch to tap the bolt head to turn it, hopefully it comes out.

Others have tried an internal-torx head socket and even someone else alluded to using a 6mm socket but no details on how. Some others drilled the bolt head but I am not sure how that's really possible. A reverse drill bit or an EZ-out might work but the problem is the shape of the thing is not conducive to drilling the center of it, and drifting the bit off of the bolt head would risk screwing up the triple clamp.

You might be able to file or dremel down a flat spot onto the top of the bolt, then drill into the bolt and use a Grabbit or EZout or some other screw/bolt extractor. You'd still have to be very careful, but getting the top of the bolt flat would help the drill stay straight instead of sliding down the curve

[Bluesmudge]

Sorry to hear that someone messed with your bike.

You could also try using a cutting disk in a dremel to make a slot for a flat-head screw driver. If that doesn't work, the slot should help to guide a reverse-drill bit for a screw extractor.

[mr72]

Guys that "bolt head" (or remnant thereof) is recessed about 1/2" into the crown. You can't get a dremel in there to do anything with it. There's no way to cut a slot in it without cutting off a big part of the metal on the triple crown.

If you had access to the bolt with a dremel, then you could put a vise grip on it and it'd be out in no time. Or you could cut a slot and get it out, or weld a bolt to it, etc.

[qcbaker]

Guys that "bolt head" (or remnant thereof) is recessed about 1/2" into the crown. You can't get a dremel in there to do anything with it. There's no way to cut a slot in it without cutting off a big part of the metal on the triple crown.

If you had access to the bolt with a dremel, then you could put a vise grip on it and it'd be out in no time. Or you could cut a slot and get it out, or weld a bolt to it, etc.

Hadnt considered that... If you could find the right size, or cut one to fit, they make discs that you attach to the end of a dremel (i guess you could probably also use a drill) that are basically a semi-stiff disc of sandpaper. They look kind of like this:



You would need to modify the end and the disc so that they were smaller than the diameter of the recess in the crown. Then, just hold that on the top of the bolt in the recess to make it flat, then drill into it and use a reverse drill bit or bolt exctractor.

[Pythontaco]

Thank you guys for your replies! Unfortunately I'm away at college and don't have access to the tools I normally would and from the information I have gotten it seems I will need them. I guess I'll just bite the bullet and drop it off at the shop. Appreciate the help!

[ShowBizWolf]

Good luck with this Pythontaco, I too am sorry that someone f*cked around with your ride

[mr72]

Hadnt considered that... If you could find the right size, or cut one to fit, they make discs that you attach to the end of a dremel...

Yeah pretty much no way that'd work. They make grinding tools that MIGHT work but the recess is only about 1/2" diameter or less ... just barely big enough for the socket they used to install the bolt to fit. If you replace the bolt, you wind up using an allen head bolt because you can't reasonably get a wrench in there.

With the right drill bit, like a cobalt brad point bit, and a drill press, you could probably drill the bolt head. But once the crown is off of the bike, might as well use the recommended method with cheap tools... punch and hammer. The big job is getting the fork crown off of the bike to begin with. That SEEMS like a whole lot of work just to get to where you can get to the recessed bolt heads.

I'm putting off doing my own ignition switch replacement until the weather won't allow me to use the bike for a weekend or two so I can tear it apart. While I have it apart I'll do the fork oil and probably replace the fork springs and seals and paint the fork supports and headlight bucket... It's that kind of job I think! Front end reconditioning.