Hi Guys!

My key is starting to gett realy hard to twist. I've been doing a lot of off road and I think the ignition socket(?) is full of dust. Du you know how to clean it properly?

Thanks!

Magnus, Sweden.

Hi Magnus,

Try pushing the key towards the front of the bike when turning it, this works for me. I think it is a known issue with these bikes.

Regards

Paul

Check the key isn't worn before anything else; they often wear quicker than the barrel and tumblers inside the lock. Have you got another newer or less well used key to hand?

To clean out the mechanism you really need to take it apart. Contact cleaner or brake cleaner will rinse out any crud, but it's difficult to flush out unless you can invert the barrel! Make sure it's fully dry after, then use dry lubrication such as graphite powder. (Graphite powder can be bought from lock-smiths and decent old-school hardware shops.)

Try and avoid the temptation to dowse the whole thing in WD40. It will help in the short term, but leaves a sticky residue over time as it dries, attracting dust and dirt like a magnet, eventually making the lock stiff and causing additional wear.

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I just tried that with mine Pete, and it made no difference I'm guessing my barrel is worn

Had the same problem. Removed, stripped, cleaned, put graphite grease and reassembled.
As new but hell of a job because of sheeroff nuts

Here's some of my experience with it...
http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=25963

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http://www.onepistononeworld.com/
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=988891 'South Dakota to South America'

Had the same issue with the key starting to bind up in the barrel, I also cleaned / flushed & blew out & then used graphite powder to fix the problem. After that I found a plastic cap that was the right size, melted a slot just a bit smaller than the key with a hot screw driver in the centre, then just pushed the key through the slot, this gives you better dust & water protection than the standard way the key faces up allowing it to get contaminated easily.
The cap that I used came off a new water metre that helps protect the brass threads in transport & storage, 1 1/2" was the size used giving a couple of mm to spare, I also us another cap with no hole that I put on when I wash my bike that keeps the water from washing into the barrel, hope this helps.

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