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Ignition switch re-location Pt1

16K views 4 replies 1 participant last post by  Vrod-Mike 
#1 ·
Okay I finally did it. I used an ignition switch from and "R" and retrofitted it to my 03 "A". I'll give step by step instructions on how I did it and what parts you will need to complete this. First the parts list. The switch is from an "R", but everything else is from an 06 CVO. I tried getting the CVO switch, but unless you actually have a CVO you're not getting one of these. I even tried using the vin from a friends bike and said it was in an accident and they still wanted to see a police report. I really wanted the chrome CVO switch, but I think it looks good with out it.

Here are the parts you will need:

Seat latch 46560-06
Seat button 51636-06
Ign switch 71405-06
Ign bracket 71601-06
Ign sw cover 71641-06
Hex nut 7495 x2
screw 1009m x2

I attached a picture of the parts on the workbench. You will also need to make an extension for the ignition harness to go from the old switch to the new one.
 

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#2 ·
Ignition switch re-location Pt2

The first thing I did was to remove the airbox and the two louvered side covers. next I disconnected the negative terminal on the battery and pulled the main 40a fuse.

The first thing I started with was to mount the ignition switch bracket. Not to hard, but a little bit of a PITA. The switch mounts to the bottom of the battery tray. You need to remove the two screws that hold the ECM bracket in place. I did this one at a time so that the bracket wouldn't move. The one near the coolant bottle is easy to get out, but to get to the one on the other side you have to unplug the harness from the ECM. After removing the two bolts you will install new longer bolts in their place. These are the ones listed above. Once these are in they will extend down through the battery tray and allow the ingnition switch bracket to be bolted up to them. The first two pics in this post show the screws locations on each side. After sliding the bracket in place take the two hex nuts from the list above and thread them on the longer bolts you just installed. The one on the left is easy, but the one on the right is a real $itch. The coolant lines are in the way, so I removed the clamp that holds them to the top of the front cylinder head and used wedged the handle end of a screwdriver between the coolant lines and the frame to give me some clearance. Once I did this I was able to get the nut on the right side bolt.

Now that the ignition bracket is in I made my longer ignition harness and attached it to the switch. Make sure you use 10 or 12 gauge wire in order to allow enough current to flow through the wires. I used female spade connectors to plug into the switch and heat shrinked all of my connections. make sure to use different color wires and right down what color goes where so you don't have to take anything apart when making your final connections. Also, make sure not to mix up the ignition and accessory circuits. The switch has three prongs. The center in 12v battery. The right prong is the ignition circuit and the left is the accessory circuit. Now remove the new ignition switch from the bracket it's mounted on and mount it on the bracket you just installed.
 

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#3 ·
Ignition switch re-location Pt3

Okay, now that the switch is mounted and the new harness is routed to where it needs to be the next step is to remove the old ignition switch and install the new seat latch. There are three screws that hold the ignition switch and seat latch in place and they are all under the seat. Remove the two screws that hold the latch and the single screw that holds the switch in and save them. These will be used to install the new latch. I took the rubber boot around the gas tank off to allow me to get my hands into the frame and wiggle the old one out and the new one in. Once the old switch is out unplug the harness. There is a release tab on the back, but it seems pretty brittle. My broke into a bunch of pieces. Good thing I wasn't re-using it. After removing the harness re-route it through the frame and make it come out in the back of the rear cylinder head. Now just install the new latch the same way you removed the old latch/switch using the three screws that you removed from the old one.
 

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#4 ·
Ignition switch re-location Pt4

Now we need to attach our new ignition harness to the existing harness. There are three wires in the old harness and are colored as follows:

Red - battery
Red/Black - Ignition
Red/Gray - Accessory

Connect these wires to your new harness making sure you remembered how you had them wired to the switch. Be sure to seal the connection in heat shrink and either use electrical tape or wire loom to cover the wires. I routed the new harness above the coolan lines, but below the airbox to keep them out of the way. Once all the connections were made I wire tied the harness to the frame near the fusebox to keep it from moving around. Once all the connections are made re-connect the battery and install the Maxi Fuse. Now check to make sure everything still works and that you have the accessory and ignition circuits wired p[roperly according to the switch indicators. Once you have made sure everything works you can snap on the chrome ignition switch cover. Then put the chrome fuel cell cover over the seat latch and snap the new chrome button on. Put the side covers and airbox back on and you're finished.

See now wasn't that easy? Actually it was pretty easy. it took me about three hours total to finish it and if I had these instructions I probably could have done it in two.

If anyone ahs any questions contact me and I'll see if i can help.

Thanks,
Mike
 

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#5 ·
The cost for all of the parts not including the wiring harness that I made myself was $165.00.

I got out for a short ride today and it was really nice getting gas and not having to mess with the keys. I'm liking this mod more and more already.
 
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