Okay it may just be me and maybe someone can tell me why. My key gets more and more twisted every time I pop the seat. The lock is really hard to turn and requires me to turn the key almost to breaking point. I know its worse when the seats not locked in properly (when you hear the 2 clicks) but still happens when its in correctly. Last night my key finally had it, after a really hard turn in the seat lock I almost couldnt get the ignition out of the lock position. And of course its going to be a problem when I have some where to be. luckily at was a copy and I still have to original safely put away and have another spare. Never wear out your original.
Shoot some WD40 in your locking mechanism under your seat. Mine was pretty resistant for a while too, but the WD40 really loosened it up.
You should inspect all the cable and mechanical mechanisms that transfer the rotation of the key to the unlocking of the seat. Maybe something is messed up, mine is hard to turn but its definitely not hard enough to twist metal. Also make sure you always press down on the seat as you turn the key.
They don't take twisting all that well, and will eventually snap. Inconvenient. Time to start using your other copy. Don't straighten it and try to keep using it - straightening just fatuiges the metal and makes it more prone to snap.
Seat - either lube the latch & lock (WD40 may free it up, but isn't really lube as such) or be certain you have the key all the way in before you twist too hard on it. On mine the key tends to stop going in the seat lock before it's actually in all the way, and at that point all that will happen is you bend the key. That pressing down tip also helps - takes pressure off the latch ears.
I also have some issues with supposedly identical copies and the different locks - some of the copies work better than others, despite being "all the same."
Lube the latch and the number one helper for me is to push down on the seat above the latch area while turning the key. It'll remove almost all the resistance.
Thanks for the replies. WOW what a difference pushing down on the seat makes. Ill be doing that from now on. I also hit it with WD40 and that also made a huge difference. anyone keep a spare key in their bike? Where?
I keep a spare key in my wallet, nobody will find it there!
Is it good to stick normal lube inside a key hole? I've stuck it in other kinds of lucks, but in general for normal house/vehicle keys you might do best to stick with the graphite stuff you buy in the key section of the store.
Quote from: tt_four on August 10, 2009, 04:31:51 AM
Is it good to stick normal lube inside a key hole? I've stuck it in other kinds of lucks, but in general for normal house/vehicle keys you might do best to stick with the graphite stuff you buy in the key section of the store.
I was always told not to use WD40 in my lock mechanisms as well. Try using white graphite. That's what it's made for. I had the whole issue w/ my key not working....right as I snapped it off in the gas tank. Long story short, that was my only key. Fortunately for me, my locksmith was able to create a key for me out of the two pieces I gave him, and then he even "decoded" my key from Suzuki directly and made me 3 more keys :) ALWAYS HAVE A SPARE!!! But yes, pushing down on the gas tank/seat while turning the ket definitely makes things a lot easier!