Broken Key in Ignition

[Jon T]

Short story shorter: my key broke off in the ignition. I was hoping the teeth might line up inside to allow me to use the remainder part of the key to turn the switch and make it work, but no joy. I have a spare key, but until I get the old piece out it appears as if I'm out of luck.

A quick search of this site suggested a bent guitar string. I might have to look into that. I don't recall whether it was a specific one (I'm assuming the smallest string?). Other than that, any other suggestions? It is currently stuck at my work. I don't have a trailer, so will be working on it in the parking lot there.

I'm pretty handy with the basic tools I own, but far from being a mechanic.

Welcome your suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Hemostats filed down on the tips/ends.. BTDT.

 

[beemerdons]

Hemostats Roach clips filed down on the tips/ends.. BTDT.

Bust, you lying Bastard!

Jon T, I fixed it for you!

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Jon,

Sorry to hear about your key. Here is a link about Hot Wiring:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s=&showtopic=25185&view=findpost&p=295172

Until you find a better solution...

Here's a link to taking one apart:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=114602&st=0

 

[Jeff F]

Thats frustrating - been there ...

Here's a couple suggestions I got from a couple of guys on another board, when it happened to me ...

I used a very fine wire, worked down along side the key. I put a small ~45 degree bend at the end first and was able to lift the broken bit out far enough to grab it with some small needle nose pliers. It took a lot of fiddling to get the bend and get the length of the bent part of the wire just right

There is a thing called a ( forgive me on the spelling ) Crochet hook that you can find at a store that sells sewing supplies . It's a long slender tool about the size of a pair of tweezers with a little barb on the end . I've used it in the past to dig out broken keys .

Good luck

 

[Bustanut joker]

Hemostats Roach clips filed down on the tips/ends.. BTDT.

Bust, you lying Bastard!

Jon T, I fixed it for you!

Joint Dickhead.. :lol:

 

[beemerdons]

Hemostats Roach clips filed down on the tips/ends.. BTDT.

Bust, you lying Bastard!

Jon T, I fixed it for you!

Joint Dickhead.. :lol:

What the fuck is a joint clip? It's a roach clip, ya Jackass!

Come on over here, and I'll roll up a doobie and show you!

 

[CAJW]

. It's a long slender tool about the size of a pair of tweezers with a little barb on the end .

Good luck

I know Canadians are resourceful, but how does she do that?

 

[bluesdog]

A quick search of this site suggested a bent guitar string. I might have to look into that. I don't recall whether it was a specific one (I'm assuming the smallest string?).

iirc, it was .o10 gauge. Certainly not more than .013. I used the end with the little brass 'ball' used at the instrument's bridge

I bent a tiny curved hook in the, (non-ball), end, fashioned a 90° as a 'handle', so I'd know how much to rotate it, slid it in alongside the broken off key, wriggled and turned it @ 45°, and pulled steadily when I felt it catch on the end of the key.

Note that this was a broken key in deadbolt style standard passageway door.

A pair of needle-nose pliers, fine tweezers and various other implements, including heavier wire, were all tried, unsuccessfully, before I discovered the guitar wire trick.

Good luck

 

[Khunajawdge]

A quick search of this site suggested a bent guitar string. I might have to look into that. I don't recall whether it was a specific one (I'm assuming the smallest string?).

I say you turn the problem upside down.

1st. you remove the ignition switch from the top of the triple tree

2nd. you remove the back of the ignition switch casing from the visible top half?

3rd. you push the key up and out of the ignition switch

4th. you reassemble the whole mess sans broken key

5th. you get a new spare key made

Whallah = fixed!

Now the caveat is, I have never done this, and it is probably impossible but, I always try to look at a problem from the backside and figure it out toward the front (armed with info from this Forum ) , if any of that makes any sense? :blink:

 

[beemerdons]

. It's a long slender tool about the size of a pair of tweezers with a little barb on the end .

Good luck

I know Canadians are resourceful, but how does she do that?

I hear you loud and clear, CAJW. You know, Jon T could just hire RadioHowie to suck this broken key out of that FJR lock. RadioHowie can suck a golf ball through 25 feet of 3/4" garden hose!!!

 

[user 213]

I say you turn the problem upside down.

1st. you remove the ignition switch from the top of the triple tree

After grinding off the two security bolts

2nd. you remove the back of the ignition switch casing from the visible top half?

3rd. you push the key up and out of the ignition switch

4th. you reassemble the whole mess sans broken key

Using some new bolts w/o security heads unless you happened to order some security bolts 4 weeks ago.

5th. you get a new spare key made

Whallah = fixed!

Or you could just suck it up and do what you should have done about 2 minutes after you broke the key off.... call a mobile locksmith. :blink:

 

[Bounce]

Locksmiths don't get enough love. They rekeyed every door in our house for something like $50. While there, they adjusted and cleaned them all to. Every lock in the house worked better than new. I bet you could save on a house call if you ride... your... bike... to... ... ... er... never mind...

 

[HotRodZilla]

Locksmiths don't get enough love. They rekeyed every door in our house for something like $50. While there, they adjusted and cleaned them all to. Every lock in the house worked better than new. I bet you could save on a house call if you ride... your... bike... to... ... ... er... never mind...

Gunny that...I have never needed one for personal stuff, but at work, we use them all the time. The stuff they can do with locks and keys is frigging amazing.

Eric is prolly right...The little bit of money you spend on a locksmith will be way worth the reduction in frustration trying to fish it out and possibly damaging the cylinder yourself.

 

[dcarver]

Turn the bike upside down and shake like crazy? :huh:

oh, sorry, not Friday yet..

 

[allrider]

I got a double sided key out of a car ignition with a hook shaped dental tool once. It was broke off a little less than a 1/4" in. I was able to get the pick to grab a tooth on the key and get it started, then went back and forth to the other side to wiggle it up enough to grab it with needle nose pliers.

I got all my dental tools from my dentist just by asking what he did with all the old tools. He pulled out a box of them and let me take a few.

10 out of 10 Dentist's got em!!!

 

[ALDAWG]

and

will fix anything!

 

[Geezer]

I say you turn the problem upside down.

1st. you remove the ignition switch from the top of the triple tree

2nd. you remove the back of the ignition switch casing from the visible top half?

3rd. you push the key up and out of the ignition switch

4th. you reassemble the whole mess sans broken key

5th. you get a new spare key made

Whallah = fixed!

Now the caveat is, I have never done this, and it is probably impossible but, I always try to look at a problem from the backside and figure it out toward the front (armed with info from this Forum ) , if any of that makes any sense? :blink:

That is exactly how I got a broken key out of Beemerdon's sidebag lock in Canada earlier this year. However, it is not so simple to get the ignition lock out of the triple tree. I believe the mounting screws need to be drilled out, and I don't know if you can get a drill in there with the triple tree on the bike. Never the less, this is one sure way to solve the problem.

 

[beemerdons]

That is exactly how I got a broken key out of Beemerdon's sidebag lock in Canada earlier this year.

Son Seth and Papa Chuy thank you once again, Brother Greg! My Miss Lucy Liu still had 4,000 miles to go to get back home to Phoenix and we would have been screwed, blued and tattooed if we could have not gotten that sidebag open. Your mechanical skills saved our bacon (Canadian Bacon!).