Shield went up..but won't come down...why??

Technotrucker

Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
11
Location
Deepest Darkest Warwickshire
Bike
2003 ST1300
My 03 ST1300 has been parked up for a couple of months under cover with no known problems, I went out this morning to put a new battery on her, after I started her and run her for 5 mins.

I went through and tested the lights/horn/windshield up..ok..windshield down...:confused: no way. Why???

I've looked through about 15 pages of this section but can't find anything.....help....we want to go for a ride tomorrow and if needs be I'll have to make do with the shield up
but I'm not happy with that as I like to lower it when in slow traffic...ie town.
 
Maybe the drive mechanism or rails jammed. No way of knowing without popping the front end apart and looking. Could also be a bad/dirty contact in the switch or a loose connector or damaged wire.
 
Most likely the mechanism has jammed/failed. My '04's went out in '09 just 3-4 months after I bought it. Fairly easy swap but it ain't cheap. After swapping I now don't adjust the shield unless stopped or moving very slow. I think the down force of forward movement on the plastic gears wear it out. By far the weakest point IMHO that Honda put into the ST. There are several threads about the problem and someone was even making a better, stronger gear mechanism for replacement but not sure if it was mass produced or not.

Skip
 
Don't force it back down. You'll cause yourself more grief if you do. When mine went out, one side would work. It bent the windshield mounting brackets pretty bad when I attempted to get it lowered with a little push.
 
Knocking this post back to life....I did strip the front cover off, but couldn't see no problem so I thought I'd leave it until the winter months to strip it complet and repair whatever the trouble was.

Fed up with riding with a tall screen in the up position last weekend I took the screen off and replaced the standard screen. We set off for a Sunday ride out...and just out of curiosity pushed the button and the bloody thing goes up & down without any problems.

Now I'm wondering if....this is a big if...the holes in the new taller screen are not "spot on". When fitting it I can't remenber if I had to flex one of the runners so that the holes lined up.
If this did happen?? say a mm or two that may put pressure on the runner track?? which stopped it from working?? strange :tc1:
 
The mechanism is very 'iffy' to begin with. It uses a worm drive under a LOT of tension to turn a gear that runs a pair of cables past the gear. This pushes the windscreen up and down. It's a poor design and is implemented using low quality parts. The gear usually fails and then chews up the cables. If you are REALLY lucky the cables won't be destroyed (yet) and replacing the gear will fix it.

I've been looking for a replacement drive for 3 years. I just can't abide buying Hondas $400 replacement. :(

Best of luck!

Troy
 
If you didn't "hear" the motor trying to move the windscreen then it's most likely the switch, connection points, or motor. When the windscreen gets stuck or the gear starts chewing up the plastic coating on the cable you will hear it making bad noise.
If it was simply hit the button and nothing... electrical issue.
I would say it's a connection or the switch if it is not an intermittent problem.

for what it's worth, when you get in there and looking/cleaning/lubing the tracks you might want to disconnect the cable and move the slides by hand through the travel. On mine there was a tight spot about 2/3's the way up. I took out the shims to help it slide free. I also added a spacer behind the "U" shaped piece that pushes the cable to seat it with the gear, way to much play in that area too. It's been a few years sense I did this to mine and haven't had any issues.

Oh, and I use my adjustment whenever I feel the need... no matter what speed.
 
Also, besides all that has been suggested here, check your relays. They sit just behind the front windshield cover. They are identical, so if the lowering relay goes out, you can test it by swapping them.
 
I think I have a couple of things to look out for....thanks guys. It won't get done for another few months, I'll wait until she off the road when I get the wheels out for a new set of rubbers.
 
My issue ended up being the lower limit switch. I found replacements and it fixed the windscreen issue. Created an account and posting to hopefully prevent somebody from going through the frustration I have been for the past 6 months. Linking to switch set for sale.

OEM Windscreen Switches

Switch pic.jpg
 
Last edited:
Bad link Ashy.

It is and old topic.

Article [13] - ST1300 - How to: fix your intermittent microswitches at home! | ST1300 Articles

So, after beginning to have the seemingly common issue of the screen on my bike going up, but not down, I tore the front upper fairing off and decided i was determined to fix this. I checked my voltages / grounds at the plugs for the up and down relays. Verified that I wasnt getting voltage to...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com

Ignore the thread topic. It's easy to buy new swithces and replace them.

Nashcat provides a link in the thread.

Podoy KW4 3Z 3 Micro Limit Switch AC 125V 5A Hinge Lever
 
My issue turned out to be the relays, not the adjuster or the switches. DAMHIK - I replaced the entire adjuster assembly (including switches) and the problem returned. No issues since replacing the relays which were much cheaper than the adjuster assembly.
 
Last edited:
W0QNX said:
Bad link Ashy.

It is and old topic.

Article [13] - ST1300 - How to: fix your intermittent microswitches at home! | ST1300 Articles

So, after beginning to have the seemingly common issue of the screen on my bike going up, but not down, I tore the front upper fairing off and decided i was determined to fix this. I checked my voltages / grounds at the plugs for the up and down relays. Verified that I wasnt getting voltage to...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com

Ignore the thread topic. It's easy to buy new swithces and replace them.

Nashcat provides a link in the thread.

Podoy KW4 3Z 3 Micro Limit Switch AC 125V 5A Hinge Lever
Click to expand...


:dr11:Wish I saw that post a long time ago, but the information I did find on this forum at least pointed me in the right direction! Forever grateful!
 
My issue wasn't the switches, it was lack of lubrication and cleaning. Ended up stripping the gear so only one side would move up or down. (one gear moves both cables for sides.)
In all fairness the cables didn't look great either, with the plastic-like coating worn off in the gear. Guess that's what you get on a 21 year old bike when you don't know what to look out for or maintain. I also regularly adjusted it up and down at speed, which puts even more pressure on the mechanisms.
 
Obo said:
My issue wasn't the switches, it was lack of lubrication and cleaning. Ended up stripping the gear so only one side would move up or down. (one gear moves both cables for sides.)
In all fairness the cables didn't look great either, with the plastic-like coating worn off in the gear. Guess that's what you get on a 21 year old bike when you don't know what to look out for or maintain. I also regularly adjusted it up and down at speed, which puts even more pressure on the mechanisms.
Click to expand...
When it finally fails ... and it will, I have engineered a replacement gear and cable system which has now been selling for over 2 years with over 120 sold and no complaints nor returns to date.

Check out https://www.st1300-accessories.co.uk/product-page/screen-mech-repair-kit The site is fully automated and my prototype is still working well with over the equivilent of 5 years "everyday full travel up and down" 10 times per day and not a mark on the gear! Some of the other members on this site have purchased it. There is a blog on the site too explaining the issue in detail.

Cheers, Ride Safe!

Steve B
 
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