When switches get gungy...
Kawasaki ZZR couldn’t get the horn…
A well-used Kawasaki ZZR1400 rolled into Doncaster Motorcycles for an MoT the other day, only to fail on its horn, or lack of it. Normally if a horn fails, it’s down to the unit itself that needs replacing because they are out in the weather.
But on this commuter workhorse that wasn’t the case. Instead, mechanic Kev Hollingsworth traced the problem back to corrosion in the Kawasaki’s switchgear. He said: “Within the switchgear there’s a brass ring that makes the bridge between the 12V live feed and the earth and it was clear that this was the problem.”
In fact, crudded up switchgear is something mechanics like Kev have been dealing with more and more as time goes on.
Kev picks up the story: “I have never stripped and cleaned so many switchgears as I have in recent years. There was even a recall on Africa Twin starter switches a couple of years ago. Maybe there’s some costcutting in copper or brass that is coming home to roost in our damp climate.”
A swift buffing up from a wire wheel on the end of a drill was enough to restore contact. For the lesswell equipped home mechanic, a few minutes with some emery cloth would achieve the same effect. Once contact was restored Kev sprayed the internals with corrosion-beating ACF50. “It’s not part of anyone’s weekly routine to strip switchgear, but when your MoT is due it makes sense to do your own pre-test checks on lights and horns, if only to save a few quid, like this chap’s £20 bill.”