Relocate TCI?

[Donvito]

Hey everyone and Happy Holidays!

 

While I believe in preventive maintenance and regularly do what is recommended and more, I am also of the belief "if it aint broke don't fix it" which brings me to my current dilemma.

 

My bike is running as well as it has in years. It's an 87 with about 52,000 miles and I bought it new. It has always been garaged but has been ridden in the rain on numerous occasions. I have researched throughout this site on relocating the TCI and, while I know it can be difficult to remove, I believe I can do it. So the question is, should I? Other than the potential problems removing it and the possibility that the wires may not be long enough to get to the new location, are there any other possible problems with relocating it? The last thing I want to do is damage it.

 

I have read that some have been able to remove the screws and others have had to grind down the heads or cut the plastic tabs attached to the TCI or use some other form of easy-out. Also, some have used the attached tabs to screw it to the top of the air box and others have used velcro to attach it. Is there a preferred method?

 

So, as I'm on the fence about doing it, I want some advice regarding the pros and cons. And, some advice on PM if I do remove it. I've read suggestions to open it up and heat it in an oven to dry it out. Is this recommended? Should it be sealed somehow afterwards? As moisture seems to be the enemy, would it help to put a little bag of desiccant inside it?

 

If you have done it, let me know the good, the bad and the ugly. Thanks.

[Prairiehammer]

Hey everyone and Happy Holidays!

 

While I believe in preventive maintenance and regularly do what is recommended and more, I am also of the belief "if it aint broke don't fix it" which brings me to my current dilemma.

 

My bike is running as well as it has in years. It's an 87 with about 52,000 miles and I bought it new. It has always been garaged but has been ridden in the rain on numerous occasions. I have researched throughout this site on relocating the TCI and, while I know it can be difficult to remove, I believe I can do it. So the question is, should I? Other than the potential problems removing it and the possibility that the wires may not be long enough to get to the new location, are there any other possible problems with relocating it? The last thing I want to do is damage it.

 

I have read that some have been able to remove the screws and others have had to grind down the heads or cut the plastic tabs attached to the TCI or use some other form of easy-out. Also, some have used the attached tabs to screw it to the top of the air box and others have used velcro to attach it. Is there a preferred method?

 

So, as I'm on the fence about doing it, I want some advice regarding the pros and cons. And, some advice on PM if I do remove it. I've read suggestions to open it up and heat it in an oven to dry it out. Is this recommended? Should it be sealed somehow afterwards? As moisture seems to be the enemy, would it help to put a little bag of desiccant inside it?

 

If you have done it, let me know the good, the bad and the ugly. Thanks.

 

I have done it to two different Ventures. The only 'bad': depending on how you mount it to the airbox, to check the air filter, the TCI may interfere with removing the top of the airbox. I used a 3"x3" square of Velcro to attach mine to the air box lid. Easy to pull the TCI off if desired, however, the harness to the TCI is long and flexible enough to allow the TCI to remain attached when one flips the airbox lid out of the way. I also sawed off the original TCI mounting 'ears' after removing the TCI from it's stock location, only because it made the TCI more compact.

As for removing the TCI:

1. Remove the airbox

2. Remove the plastic and rubber deflector on top of the forward head

3. Use penetrating oil on the TCI mounting screws

4. (the most important) Use a #3 JIS crosshead screw driver to remove the TCI mounting screws. I used a one inch long, #3 'Phillips' insert bit, inserted and taped into a ¼" socket driven by a short handled ratchet.

[Rosie1965]

One of the first things I did when I got my VR was move my TCI. First I mounted to top of air box but had some interference with faux cover. Put it in left fairing and it's been there since with no problems. I wanted to move it before I had any problem with it.

[Venturous Randy]

I used to have mine in the left side, but moved it to the top of airbox.

RandyA

[Flyinfool]

If you have room the left fairing is better than the top of the airbox. The TCI is not something that needs to be accessed very often if ever.

 

If you are going to go thru the effort to remove the TCI you should replace the 8 diodes that are known to fail. once any one of the 8 diodes fail the TCI is junk, they give no warning.

 

I was able to get one screw out and had to cut the other ear off to get My TCI out.

[madirishman13]

Okay since we are discussing dissection of a TCI. I have one that I will be in process of doing such deed too. I'll try to take pics along the way.

[Donvito]

Thank you for your helpful replies. I'm not confident in my ability to replace diodes. Did anyone dry it out in an oven while it was disconnected?