2016 HD Tri Glide Forks LOCKED and would not UNLOCK!!!

[Jack Klarich]

When the New York Subways were using incandesce lightbulbs in the subway cars they were made with special left hand treads....This way the Great unwashed wouldn't steal them to use them at home...

Like Harley pinion nuts, special socket and left hand threads in early models

[rhino 2]

Like Harley pinion nuts, special socket and left hand threads in early models

Like a lot of street sign's With one way bolts...Or the'll hammer the back of the threaded bolt down to make it harder to unbolt quick...

My 68 Charger had left hand lug nuts on the right side, That drove me crazy doing quick tire changes at the drag strip...I snapped a few studs off using a big breaker bar when i wasn't thinking and muscled it turning the wrong way..

[headheaded]

so should this screw be removed and loctited even if you are not having any problems ?

[Jack Klarich]

so should this screw be removed and loctited even if you are not having any problems ?

IMO it should be checked

Pretty straight forward

I like loctite

[Rooster57]

Hey ya'll,

...Today I returned to the harley shop that did my repair on this ignition and lock failure..the old defective device was still there and had not been sent back to HD yet.

.....I spoke with the mechanic in depth about this hidden screw again and even got a crappy picture of what is just under the ignition chrome cap and I'm going to try to post a fresh (though grainy) picture.

........He said you will NOT find it in a service manual....and its never suppose to come loose...."BUT IT DOES!!!!" and confirmed again this is what causes most of the bad ignition problems that we all here about (and many experience like myself).

............mainly it happens in older bikes, but NOT ALWAYS! ....WHY?.......maybe whoever was on the assembly line having a bad day....maybe he didnt use locktight...who knows why it happens!

(MY personal opinion is that the poor shmuck this happens too (like me) will gladly open his pocket book to any Harley dealer to fix ASAP!!!!!!) Fortunatley for me it was warranty.

............In any case, yes use a feeler gauge blade (or razor blade he said) to remove the metal Acc/ignition/lock tag as we have already discussed...this will expose the hidden torx H20H (hollow point) screw.

..............if the torx screw is loose or even if it backs out easily or semi easy (whatever) remove the screw while holding the metal cap still in place (dont fool around with the loose cap and dont take it off = leave it in its position)

.....return the screw after applying "RED" Loctite..then tighten torx screw....replace the sticky metal tag back on the chrome cap, and your done.......This is how the dealers do it!

.....there is a small spring just under the chrome cap (it wont fly out but its there and will push the chrome cap away from the ignition)

........usually, one guy just holds the cap in place while another applies locktite and returns the screw back in place.

.......I asked "could you just back the screw out gently without holding the cap down (and not turning the cap), then apply loctight and return the screw to original position?....He said yeah probably, but we just have someone just hold the cap in place while the other one puts loctite on the screw and returns it to its place...........He said You could do it with one person = just have some loctight ready and put it on Torx screw and return to its place while holding the chrome cap in place with the other hand.

........Its not that the spring has a great deal of pressure to it....BUT it is there!

...This is not a hard job...I've just tried to be as detailed as possible)

.......I hope this helps someone avoid that terrible experience that I had by this hidden screw coming loose and causing the ignition lock failure.

...If just 1 person avoids this problem, its worth it! (picture below of spring)



same pic:

[Rooster57]

I just posted those recent pics just to show what was going on under the chrome cap..........you dont want to actually take the chrome cap off.........just hold the chrome cap in place when you remove screw and loctight, then gently return screw without any letting hand pressure off the chrome cap. Thats it.

.........if this is too scary, then just check this screw and tighten snuggly (if loose) without ever removing it.

Cheers!