Harley starter relay cheap fix(very common issue)

Installing a pushbutton starter button under the seat. No more relay problems

[@angelarhea7977]

I love how this guy explains everything and how Harley Davidson over charges everything. They overcharge cause they can, but w guys like this maybe we don't all have to get screwed by Harley!!

[@jayhal2894]

Brad you saved me thankyou so much...i was stranded 2hrs away from home got a ride to Canadian tire bought size ten wire and clippers got a ride back hooked up to pos battery and touched it to the green wire on solenoid...instant start...thankyou so much

[@ninocrudele]

dunno what pushed you on making this video but thank you and thank you, f.... awesome, just what I needed....

[@kidcurry3773]

Thank you finally I got my bike going because of you

[@MoeLarrycurly1]

Excellent idea I put a mechanical button on my solenoid my relay went out or actually it kept wanting to lightly engage which caused a rattling sound in my primary. I added a thicker ground wire between the relay and ground I think it’s number 85 on the relay that always seem to be in need of some thing a little on the heavier side with that directs which is a real plus when ignitions years ago with a go out of my truck instead of trying to trying to make it all factory I just put a fused wire from the battery or a good full voltage stud to switch hidden and then down to the cellanoid

[@scottmisus4678]

In English this time, Cletus? 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@bdavis8489]

Dude im in the middle of it right now and just wanted to watch again to make surw it was cool! You're comedy bro ! had me rollin for a bit there. So heres the deal..this is a great example of the direction most brick and morter retailers are seemigly beginning to fad just a bit, anyway, if i waant to actually have a realy in my hand by 8 or 9 the price for one in the store (oreilleys auto), and the time it takes driving (im not rural, more like ridiculously rural. one way to Oreilleys is 1 hour 20 min ...one way remember! Hoiw about wearf and tear on your ride, blah blah ...but it would cost me $34.95 for the relay at their store OR I could just bail home (as i just left) and get one ONLINE for $9.95 with returns no problems for 30 days since purchasing and im fully jonesin jfor a ride the weather has been killer. Im gonna screw- driver it for two days and that way dam that i beieve saves me enough so i can get another rt mirror as well just about. Gas is killin me at over $7/gallon where im at. I feel ya on the bbq called summer out there , i was ten years in Laughlin but with the river and boat i porobably wouldnt be there but i love it out there. Stay cool brotha! thanks for post!

[@shanemichael8724]

Best video by far on this. Thanks

[@alanjones4358]

Wouldn't it be much better to just buy a good generic heavy duty relay for a few bucks to use in place of the stock relay?

[@josephlewis7166]

Thnx bud its gotta be the problem how does a brand new batter train in 1 day so thnx

[@scottmisus4678]

​@@josephlewis7166 In English, Cletus?

[@whollymary7406]

Dude where is the red wire from ? I can’t follow but thanks for the video

[@iancheshire7693]

Great job would be nice to put an in line fuse

[@ImminghamIronhead]

I'm rewiring an Ironhead and was puzzled by the complete absence of a starter relay; turns out it's wired up this exact same way.

[@Drew_379]

It looks like I have a relay in front of the back tire mounted to that splash guard. It has 3 wires coming off of it and none of them are green. This sucks lol

[@jimmygoodman6033]

from nay sayers comments it's pretty sure they have never jumped out a solnoid with a screwdriver , pretty simple if you understand flow of circuitry

[@travisbriggs6255]

Hey were did the red wire come from please my heitage is doing the sane thing

[@OSCARANDRES039]

Thanks for the tip.

[@1955porsche]

smart guy very impressed

[@westieBrucedavidson]

Why is it blowing the starter solenoid regularly did you find the reason mate? Mine just started doing it as well

[@bradkeith6356]

It was never blowing the starter solenoid, just the little relay cubes. I would be replacing them all the time for many many years. Just got sick of it

[@louisrivera1079]

I have the exact bike and just recently installed fog light bar. They are always on when bike is on and it's been a couple weeks and today I got a series of fast clicks no start and after a few attempts a single click and lights off is that a battery issue or do you think lights are killing my battery

[@jaycase8333]

Louis Rivera Hey I got the exact same thing going on. Did you end up figuring out what it was?

[@benkramper872]

Where is your red wire coming froM

[@poorboygaragemarketreview7256]

very helpful thank you

[@Hunter918-98]

@##%%$#...rally today and I missed out because of starter issues..going to try this,,thanks

[@jukeboxheros7021]

So, did you bypass the selenoid functionality?

[@scottmisus4678]

*solenoid

[@thevoyer2002]

Brad , great idea and want to do it, but you didn't say where the red wire came from. You put a RED white to where the green was, ....just ....so confusing dude. You didn't explain everything. Could you please?

[@bradkeith6356]

When you buy a pushbutton(try. And get the 50A or bigger) it will come with two terminals. I put a black wire on one and a red on the other. Those wires are not part of the motorcycle. The pushbutton makes contact between the two wires. Black goes to the + battery terminal and red to the starter(where you removed the green wire, no longer needed, safe it off with tape or a wirenut etc).

[@thevoyer2002]

@@bradkeith6356 , ahh ok ....thanks. Appreciate it !!!!

[@thevoyer2002]

Got a question for ya. The button starter you made and mounted...does it operate like the solenoid cover push button starters that I see you can buy and put on ? Bypassing the relay like your setup ?

[@bradkeith6356]

@@thevoyer2002 yes, it operates the starter when pushed. Completely bypasses the relay. The start button on your handlebars is now obsolete. These bikes have an issue with the relay continually failing. Haven't had a problem since.

[@thevoyer2002]

@@bradkeith6356 , thanks, appreciate your help. Got an 06 Heritage I bought new back then, no problems whatsoever until now, 13 yrs and 60,000 miles later. Think I'm just gonna clean out, rebuild solenoid, and put a push button cover on it. Hard to reach on mine but I'll just carry a wooden spoon. ;-) Thanks again.

[@mikeez5455]

Almost everything on a Harley is made somewhere other than the USA. You didn't know that?

[@matscheel3080]

that wont get me my certification

[@steveadams5190]

OR, you can get a QUALITY heavy duty relay from Napa auto parts and replace it once and forget about it. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Just sayin

[@robertglancy4474]

That's the shit that pisses me off about Harley Davidson, the big "Buy American" company gets their accessories from China.

[@dannynoel993]

No matter where a part is made it still has to meet Harley's guidelines. Which is better buying Harley parts.

[@bradkeith6356]

Just like the Harley rearview mirror I just bought from the dealer (redrock Harley Davidson Las Vegas NV) which came in a plastic package an ”made in China" sticker on it. I told the guy at the counter ”the least you could have done is take the sticker off so I don't feel like an idiot paying for this overpriced piece of shit” :)

[@pascualcasiano2083]

Hey D.A.N. , That’s sounds like something the guy at the parts counter sold you on.

[@bradkeith6356]

amzn.to/4643BDq

[@harryfritz9220]

Is this a joke? For 10 bucks you can buy a generic relay. Its a standard relay available at any auto parts store. Buy 2 and keep one in your bag.. Jeez, A Rube Goldburg ridiculous fix. Lol

[@donmunro144]

If you go to an auto parts store you can buy the relay to fix it right for the price of that switch cob job.

[@mself124]

“Not mechanically inclined” then proceeds to explain a chapter in a mechanical engineer textbook.

[@crazyDIYguy]

"Stealer-ship" they make their profit off part extortion.That Chinese mirror costs them about $1.25👌💯

[@Cacheola]

He's just bypassing the 5$ starter relay by switching 12v directly to the starter solenoid. Don't do this people!!... Put a new frigging relay in, and buy a spare or learn how to file the points. Keep it stock! Stay away from chinese relays... I've had good luck with the high amp bosch

[@doug3805]

Buy a starter solenoid cover with the starter button built in it, easy fix. Bypasses the handlebar switch. Less than $20.00.

[@juanjohnism]

Well said! The set up he has is an accident waiting to happen. He has no fuse on the positive wire. Your suggestion is the better solution. Why would a relay continually go bad? It just transfers power (relay) from the start switch to the solenoid!

[@megastick9324]

@@juanjohnism pulling too much amperage is one reason for continued relay burnout. Poor grounds are another. Which would also cause high amp load.

[@realityhurts8697]

I've got a starter w one on it still nothing when pressed

[@doug3805]

@@realityhurts8697 I’m no expert, but I bought a kit and rebuilt my starter solenoid and it fixed it. It was kind of a pain though on my Heritage softail.

[@JohnDoe-ro4qi]

Who cares how it looks. You fucking fixed it. We get the idea you’re showing us. Good work dude.

[@bradkeith6356]

Weatherproof pushbutton amzn.to/4643BDq

[@yunis13]

Enjoyed the video, you had me cracking and thumbs up to you for admitting that it DID look uglier. Las Vegas & Laughlin heat, been there , done that!

[@stevebrustman3445]

Not recommend! I did this blew out my ICM and coil. $1000.00 to fix and got through all the wires with a muti meter . Thanks alot

[@dimitrijandrasics999]

I was just about to do this so should I just buy a relay ?

[@dimitrijandrasics999]

U fr?

[@xlrider1565]

E for effort!

[@scottliegel855]

Where did you ground the negative 2,, I'm assuming the green wire was the negative on the solenoid did you connect directly to the solenoid with the green wire that was spliced

[@housearrestband]

The green wire he pulled off the solenoid is the positive the solenoid is grounded to the bike.( no ground wire needed).the green wire goes from the relay and sends 12 volts to the solenoid ..he is basically bypassing the relay and after watching this video I am gonna do the exact same thing

[@realityhurts8697]

Did that still no starter movement, I've bought 2 new starters

[@bradkeith6356]

The easiest way to check the starter is to take a wire from your + battery terminal to the + terminal on the starter. If it tries to start than your problem is the relay or the wiring.

[@garywheeler1812]

Paint it black

[@vernontillmon8307]

Dog.. I'm in Vegas.. hd dealerships got me watching your videos, for help.. there stores, do suck

[@DayInTheLifeOfAl]

Hack! Shoddy work, poor explanation. Black positive 12v wire.....just wrong!

[@louisrivera1079]

Great video also

[@Richiebones]

Hey brother I have a 92 harley davidson softail heritage and I am getting 1 click sometimes most the time it will start right up . Does that sound like the same problem

[@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369]

Thanks COOP the WiSeNhEiMeR from Richmond, INDIANA ...

[@MrDogman197]

Why do a hillbilly fix on a good bike? Spend the same amount of time and money and fix it right.

[@ceemore5862]

I’m looking into buying a 1993 FXLR and when I try to start it I only get a click. From what you’re saying I should be able to turn the key on and touch a wire on plus side of the battery to the terminal on the solenoid where the green wire connects and it should turn over? (The battery is charged and all connections are tight)

[@ceemore5862]

I should add when I push the start and touch the starter I feel something from the starter when it clicks. It only clicks one time when I push start.

[@jimmyward2122]

duh just buy the button that goes on the sylonoid

[@josephlewis7166]

So now wheres the green wire ?

[@priestof1]

You rock buddy, thanks

[@josephlewis7166]

Dude i have the same bike 1994 flstn can u mount tha starter button switch right on to the starter for my 1994 heretge softail flstn model?

[@bradkeith6356]

I don't see why not. The toughest part would making a decent looking mounting bracket inorder to avoid something too ugly. I did this to my bike because for some reason my factory starter relay was burning out every 2years. And this fix is still working great every time.

[@josephlewis7166]

@@bradkeith6356 hey my man where exactly is the starter relay on this particular bike ?hey also if you know where i can get front and rear fenders for this exact bike let me know or if your ever gonna sell your bike thnx dude

[@josephlewis7166]

Where did the red wire connect to anyways? If the black wires connected to the battery to give you juice, then where is the other end of this red wire connected to?