78 E steering lock

[Rasputin]

Okay, I am short on time and long on mad. Some arsehole tried to steal one of my bikes last night. I have my car parked cross ways in the driveway so they can not get it out if they try again tonight.
Thing is I have locked all the steering locks on the specials but the 2-78 E's refuse to do the lock thing. I did a quick search but did not find what I need. Do these particular bikes not lock the steering in the same way? Am I missing something or are these locks simply not functioning due to lack of lube or other things?
Never had to lock em up before as this was a quiet yet honorable place to live. Now some arsehole decided in the middle of the night to remove one of my bikes. He got it a little more than halfway down my driveway (50 ft) and he dropped it. I am thinking he thought the noise would alert someone and ran. If he had made it another 10 ft it would have been all down hill for him for over a block.

[bikerphil]

They all work the same way, key turned CCW to about 8 o'clock to lock.

[fredintoon]

Okay, I am short on time and long on mad. Some arsehole tried to steal one of my bikes last night. - - -

Hi Rasputin,
frosts you off, dunnit?
Car radios are easy, I make you free of my radio/nailbomb/1/2-mile distance fuse concept to use as you see fit.
But the old shotgun shell in the seat tube trick is kinda dodgy. What if you forget to de-fuse it one time and you're the one who gets the new arsehole?
And besides, even if you do alien probe a thief the cops can trace the bike back to you and start making a fuss.
However, enough BS; here's some sensible things you can do.
Install a motion-detector yard light that triggers a TV camera.
Have a buddy weld you up a ground anchor.
It's a U-shape of 2" sch 40 steam pipe with length of rebar welded across the U.
This gets concreted into your drive with the U's open ends flush with the surface.
Pass a chain through the U and padlock your bikes to it.

[natemoen]

'78s work the same. I have cleaned and lubed my lock well but I still have to fiddle and wiggle with the key before I can get the lock to go.

[Rasputin]

They all work the same way, key turned CCW to about 8 o'clock to lock.

Thanks Bikerphil. I was sure they worked that way as well. Guess I have to pull them apart and see what it is that prevents these two from working.

[Rasputin]

Hi Rasputin,
frosts you off, dunnit?
Car radios are easy, I make you free of my radio/nailbomb/1/2-mile distance fuse concept to use as you see fit.
But the old shotgun shell in the seat tube trick is kinda dodgy. What if you forget to de-fuse it one time and you're the one who gets the new arsehole?
And besides, even if you do alien probe a thief the cops can trace the bike back to you and start making a fuss.
However, enough BS; here's some sensible things you can do.
Install a motion-detector yard light that triggers a TV camera.
Have a buddy weld you up a ground anchor.
It's a U-shape of 2" sch 40 steam pipe with length of rebar welded across the U.
This gets concreted into your drive with the U's open ends flush with the surface.
Pass a chain through the U and padlock your bikes to it.

I have heard of the tube in the concrete trick and it is as good as the lock that holds the chain. I may have to do that yet. Now, the idea of the shotgun shell in the seat tube is one I would love to see work one day.

[Rasputin]

'78s work the same. I have cleaned and lubed my lock well but I still have to fiddle and wiggle with the key before I can get the lock to go.

I guess more cleaning and lubing combined with fiddling and wiggling is in my future too. The ignition part works easily and flawlessly, but I guess the steering lock does not get used often enough.

[DAVINCI]

FWIW, you do know that you have to push the key in then turn left, ok?

[Rasputin]

Who would have thought that the solution was as simple as what Key you use. I found that the keys were the problem. I will post a couple of pic's to show what I mean. The base of the key is too wide to allow the switch to go in or drop to the position it needs to lock.
I also found that once you turn it on to the point where the guages light up, you have to push in on the key or it will not turn left. I also found that even with the key removed, one can push in on the ignition switch and it will then allow left movement.
If you do not switch the key to "on" you will be able to turn it to the lock position all day long with no problem.
So I solved one of my 78 E's problem and it now locks. The other will turn to the position but will not actually lock the steering. Both will go past the lock position to the tail light on mode as well.
Long story short is that I am making progress but have not "got er dun".