Triumph Quit Ignoring Your Ignition Problems

[Bedifferent]

I agree. But, do not think installing the EB will absolutely the built in problems of the ignition switches provided by Triumph. Not only do the switches fail from excessive current being routed through the them but also from defective solder joints. The workmanship on the two switches I have had experience with was lacking. I have seen bad solder joints (cold) on the lug contacts inside.

The general opinion is that the excess current causes the switch to overheat, which in turn cause the switch and solder connections to break down. Since I have never seen an actual switch prior to installation or after one has gone bad, I can't say. Having worked in electronics and having done a lot of soldering, it is my opinion that most people don't know how to solder correctly. I suspect the connections look like a cold solder joints from repeated heated and cooling.

 

[tfrazier]

After spending over $600.00 (two ignition switch replacements, one after installing the EB kit) I've determined not to spend any more money on Triumph OEM parts if an alternative is available, even if that alternative is a bit more expensive. I'm happy to report that the Digital Guard Dawg
DGD-KIM-U keyless ignition unit is on sale right now for $239.00. I just ordered mine while my bike is sitting in the driveway with a non-functional Triumph ignition switch.

 

[BuffaloR3]

Just thought I'd throw in my two cents. I had a failure about a year and a half ago, hotwired it (you may want to look up my previous post on this and save the photo to your phone, just saved me again today) and rode it back home. I then removed the switch and decided to tear it apart. What I found was that there's a cheap piece of poorly designed thin plastic that holds one of the floating contact plates inside the switch. It had melted and thrown the plate out of kilter, I rigged it carefully and put it all back together. Lasted me a year and a half until today when it all fell apart with no hope of repair.

For now I'm going to order a replacement switch and then swap out the guts so I don't need to replace the other two locks *** If you are thinking of ordering an entire lock replacement kit save your money **** It's not difficult to rip it apart and swap the defective piece inside. I'll try and post pictures when I get around to doing the repair.

Once I get my old part I know a couple of manufacturing places and might look into getting some replacement plastic pieces made that won't melt so easily, or even if they do a two dollar piece of plastic is certainly cheaper to replace than the entire switch. Problem is the setup costs associated with doing this, will run a few hundred dollars to get it designed and a die made.

***** If there is any interest in doing this please let me know, I can make up a batch and offer them up to fellow captains, or even offer a rebuild service for those not inclined to do it themselves ******

 

[tfrazier]

I'm about halfway through my Digital Guard Dawg keyless ignition install. Their Triumph wiring instructions don't match my R3 and i cant find a matching diagram for the battery side of thenignition switch connector so I'm having to trace every wire. Hoping to be up and running soon.

 

[cardinal93]

@tfrazier Decosse might be able to help you out. He's one of the electrical geniuses on here and since he makes his own kit, I'm sure he could tell you, or probably has a photo of what each wire is. I've got an older manual for the classic, so I imagined the colors have changed?

 

[Martin]

This thread is mostly 2011, anyone know if the issue exists on 2014 R3’s ?
On my 2014 R3R when the starter is pushed the headlights go out until finger comes off starter, suggesting there’s a relay controlling h/light feed?

 

[idk]

When you hit the starter button it activates a relay which turns the headlights off and directs the power to the starter motor. (Actually it directs it to the starter solenoid which then should activate and allow power to the starter motor itself.) So if the headlights turn off, leaving the parking lights on, then that part is probably working fine.

 

[tfrazier]

I'm about halfway through my Digital Guard Dawg keyless ignition install. Their Triumph wiring instructions don't match my R3 and i cant find a matching diagram for the battery side of thenignition switch connector so I'm having to trace every wire. Hoping to be up and running soon.

Okay folks, for anyone installing the Digital Guard Dawg keyless ignition, here is the correct wiring for a 2008 Rocket III Classic...probably the same for most of the Rockets, all I know is this is the right setup on mine and it works perfectly:

Mine is done. I first wired it into the ignition side of the plug but discovered (in a hot parking lot at Walmart as luck would have it) that one of the pins in the harness plug was not staying connected due to overheating prior to my Eastern Beaver relay kit install. So I cut the plug (male and female) off and wired the Digital Guard Dawg in direct to the bike side. Here's the correct wiring matchup for that:

DGD white to bike white/blue stripe
DGD brown to bike blue/yellow stripe
DGD yellow to bike green
DGD blue to bike red/blue stripe
DGD red to bike red/orange stripe
DGD white/black stripe to bike orange
DGD white/green stripe to bike orange/green stripe

Then locate the two wires from your kill switch. Clip them and tie the two ends on the bike side together, then connect the two ends from the kill switch per the DGD instructions to the two kill switch wires coming off the DGD.

 

[Joe]

are you talking about the key part or the electric (wires & switch) that go to the connector under the tank?

I just ran into the same problem with my Triumph Tiger 955i... Turning left and right kills the power. Left me stranded. Wiggling the wiring under the ignition was a temporary fix.
I'll take it apart and update as to the cause. I'm thinking it's just broken solder / wiring. Pain in the @$$

 

[cj jeeper]

After spending over $600.00 (two ignition switch replacements, one after installing the EB kit) I've determined not to spend any more money on Triumph OEM parts if an alternative is available, even if that alternative is a bit more expensive. I'm happy to report that the Digital Guard Dawg
DGD-KIM-U keyless ignition unit is on sale right now for $239.00. I just ordered mine while my bike is sitting in the driveway with a non-functional Triumph ignition switch.

Possibly could you link me to your hot wire photo or post it again? Leaving for 10 days on 9/1 and I'd like to have it just in case.