Hidden Trunk Release

[KJ5IX]

There has been some discussion in the near, and far past of the "What to do!! I Locked my keys in the Trunk"

Now this is the preliminary photos of one that I did on a Trike, but an 1800 trunk is a trunk, Trike or not. The idea behind this is to have a HIDDEN Trunk Release for just that purpose, or for when you just don't want to go back into the house/office/restaurant Ect: to get your keys or fob to get into your trunk.

Material needed are:
About 3 feet of 1/16 Aircraft Stainless cable. Available at any ACE/Home Depot/Loews, and so on.

2 ea 1/16 cable swedges , or short pieces of small 1/8 copper tubing (about 1/2 to 3/4 long) 1/8 Brass Ferrell's will also work. (Theses are to crimp around the cable to make loops at each end).

Med size Vice Grips, or Pliers, and a strong grip.

1/8 Drill Bit or slightly larger.

Fish wire, (The old straightened out close hanger)

This should take about 1.5 hours to accomplish, or less. The seat will have to be removed, to make fishing the cable easer.

The locking mechanism is actually easily released, and this works quite well.

Remove the locking mechanism cover at the rear of the trunk to expose the locking mechanism. Three screws, and the cover will come right off.

You will see the whole mechanism. The large bar that goes all the way across the lower portion of the out side is the Unlocking Bar. On the left side (Right side in the photo) where the bar has a sort of "U" shape with a raised tang, and flat area on top is where I put the cable around the bar, and it won't slip or slide.




Drill a 1/8 or slightly larger hole in this area of the sub floor of the trunk.



From the front of the trunk bottom side (under the seat back area, Seat OFF) gently run the fish wire between the bottom of the trunk bottom, and the bottom valance cover ( The painted part ) back toward the rear of the trunk, watching for the end to show up in the area close to the hole that you drilled. You should be able to see the fish wire in the gaps as it comes out. Thread one end of the cable through the hole, and back up a little so that you can get a hold of it. ( heavy cord will also work here to pull the cable back out.) Pull the fish wire up a little so that you can tape the cable, or cord to it. Gently pull the fish wire back out along with the cable to the front of the trunk. Place the swedges, or small tubing onto the cable, and loop it over the Un-Locking Bar, and back into the tube/swedge. Pull the cable to where the loop is not tight, and not real loose (with some Play). Hole it tightly to check that there is enough room for the cable to pull the un-lock bar down all of the way, and not hang. The cable should slide freely under the trunk bottom. If it doesn't re-fish it until it does. Clamp the swedge with the Vice Grips, or pliers and be sure that it is good and tight.



Make another loop (to pull) on the other end, cutting off any excess that you may not want. The loop will be accessible by pulling the seat spacer pad out a little to expose it when the seat is back on. Give it a slight tug and the trunk will unlock.. The seat end with a little doing can be put in the left pocket if you wanted to.

Sorry that the photos are not with the cable installed, but when I finished, I forgot all about getting finished photos If I ever get back with this bike I will try to remember to get a couple.

[Ron Leonard]

Neat idea. I like it better than leaving a key hidden on the bike somewhere.

[MARROBLET]

Originally Posted by Ron Leonard

Neat idea. I like it better than leaving a key hidden on the bike somewhere.

But with the hidden key, you can get home if you lose your key.

[KJ5IX]

Originally Posted by MARROBLET

But with the hidden key, you can get home if you lose your key.

And you still can if you have the key in the trunk somewhere
Thats where I keep mine under the carpet...

[sdlyon5]

Great idea George!!

[EZ Reiter]

Hey George, I started working on it tonight, will finish it up in the morning and let you know how things worked out. Great idea just like the turn switch.

[Dream Catcher]

Originally Posted by KJ5IX

And you still can if you have the key in the trunk somewhere
Thats where I keep mine under the carpet...

After whatever hour George goes to bed....

there will be free test rides on George's trike at the Texas Trike Tour in April.

At least there will be until he takes the key out from under the rug!

[toolboxjunky]

Hehehe devilsh laughter

[WhiteWingCouch]

Originally Posted by Dream Catcher

After whatever hour George goes to bed....

there will be free test rides on George's trike at the Texas Trike Tour in April.

At least there will be until he takes the key out from under the rug!

Oh, that is just too funny, but too funny!!!

[06winger]

The 'coat hanger system' is easier to use as far as set up time goes...

[EZ Reiter]

I know I said I would let you know in the morning how things worked out, sorry, it's been cold out there in my unheated garage. George, I took your idea 1 step farther. I used a clear plastic tube to run the steel cable through. This way the cable would not bind up on anything or something, (I did run the cable by it's self many times, many different ways, with no tubing, it would bind up on something every time I tried to used it). Geogre's idea was to good to let go with the problem of the binding that I encountered. With the cold weather and snow it gave me some time to think it out. I used tubing from a fish tank. I put a round key ring on the end by the seat so I could put my finger through it for pulling it open. I ran the tubing all the way to the key ring. So far so good. Thanks George.

[KJ5IX]

EZ, The tubing is a good touch, and will certainly remedy snagging. I guess I got lucky, and made the cable loose enough to just have some resistance, and not catch?? I did later take the valance off the bottom and move the cable over and use small tie wraps in a small circle to hold it out of the way for a wiring project I was going to do. I can see how it can get caught if not routed well. I also keep forgetting that all of my wiring under the trunk has been moved to the center and tied loosely, because it is a Trike...

[TrapDog]

Originally Posted by Dream Catcher

After whatever hour George goes to bed....

there will be free test rides on George's trike at the Texas Trike Tour in April.

At least there will be until he takes the key out from under the rug!

I’ll wait until he posts how to disarm the pound of C4 he has under the seat

[eddiepants]

I don't know if this is of interest but after I locked my key in the trunk I
had a spare key made and keep it in my wallet. Haven't locked the key in the trunk since so I not sure if this will work any better than your system.

[KJ5IX]

This is true, having a spare in the wallet or even if you carry a coat hanger in your pocket. It is easer than the hour or so that it takes to add the cable, but when the SO is going back to the bike or off by herself. Does she have a key, or coat hanger, or know how to slide it up into the right edge of the lock. If she knows where to reach to find the pull release the problem is solved. We regularly leave things locked in the upper, and lower trunks, and she even goes back to put more stuff in at the right trades day

[Digger]

This is probably a dumb question, but I am not afraid.

Is it possible to lock your key in the trunk of you do not use the remote? If so, how?

I stuck my remote in a drawer when I first got the bike and there it will stay until I sell the bike.

TIA!

[KJ5IX]

Originally Posted by Digger

This is probably a dumb question, but I am not afraid.

Is it possible to lock your key in the trunk of you do not use the remote? If so, how?

I stuck my remote in a drawer when I first got the bike and there it will stay until I sell the bike.

TIA!

Yepp: if you hit the button before you close the lid it is locked for sure... or you can lock it with the key and shut it...

[techdude2000]

You can pull the seat.
If you have a 01 thru 05 year, find the C14 connector in the black boot. 06 thru 09 its the C24 connector. Different number but same location near the relay bank.
Take a piece of wire and momentarily short the Red/Yellow wire to the Red wire.
The trunk will unlock.

Another thought on this theme would be to install permanent wires and a hidden momentary switch just for those senior moments.

[KJ5IX]

Hummmmmmm! Now that is an idea for another prioject...

[Joe In Calif]

All are good ideas, I have a spare key on the bike hidden in a place that doesn't lock. I can always get to it

[kdale2006]

Originally Posted by eddiepants

I don't know if this is of interest but after I locked my key in the trunk I
had a spare key made and keep it in my wallet. Haven't locked the key in the trunk since so I not sure if this will work any better than your system.

Be careful of the spare key. Some keys if they are not made correctly, will not unlock the forks if you have them locked. It has to do with the slots on the sides of the key. I carry one in my wallet and it will unlock the forks with it inserted in one direction but if I turn the key around, it will not unlock the forks. There is a thread somewhere on this forum that address this problem with the key.

Ken

[TexWalter]

I just carry my trusty coat hanger. I've never had to use it but I have it available to loan to those that may find themselves locked out.

Walt

[Mr.Big]

A wire tie around an encased spare or slid into the black boot and taped... under the left faring pocket. Pop 4 pins with a pen and a bit of the molding......shouldn't need to do it more than once or twice in a bike's life.

$.02

[daveo]

Thanks for the pictures and description. It's nice to see how the mechanism works.

I have a couple of spare keys. One the wife carries, the other goes on my key ring in my pocket. The master key with the remote is the one I use to ride with. I learned this the hard way with my truck. I always carry a spare key for what ever I'm driving. Now if you rode with just your key and kept your remote on your keychain in your pocket too, you would just have to push the unlock button on your remote.


Ride safe!

Daveo

[hvacguy]

Originally Posted by Mr.Big

A wire tie around an encased spare or slid into the black boot and taped... under the left faring pocket. Pop 4 pins with a pen and a bit of the molding......shouldn't need to do it more than once or twice in a bike's life.

$.02

I like it!

[Andy Cserny]

For those of us with early symptoms of Alzheimers. I got two oem keys with the bike. The one with the remote capability I use for riding. The other one I ground all the plastic off, making it slim, then I sewed that onto the lining of my boot above the ankle where it doesnt chafe me. Now if I lose my key and the boot as well, I am out of luck and maybe shouldnt be riding anyway.
Andy

[FlameWinger]

I keep a spare "Real key" in the trunk and I got a couple of card keys from AAA. It can take little convincing to get the AAA person to make them but they work to unlock the trunk so I can get the real key. Card key fits in wallet like credit cards.

[Digger]

Originally Posted by Digger

This is probably a dumb question, but I am not afraid.

Is it possible to lock your key in the trunk of you do not use the remote? If so, how?

I stuck my remote in a drawer when I first got the bike and there it will stay until I sell the bike.

TIA!

Originally Posted by KJ5IX

Yepp: if you hit the button before you close the lid it is locked for sure... or you can lock it with the key and shut it...

Let's say I left the remote at home and am two weeks and 3000 miles away. Is it now possible for me to lock my keys in the trunk? If so, how?

TIA!

[FlameWinger]

Originally Posted by Digger

Let's say I left the remote at home and am two weeks and 3000 miles away. Is it now possible for me to lock my keys in the trunk? If so, how?

TIA!

I know a guy that got off his bike, got things out of the trunk and opened the saddlebag to put his jacket into, locked the bike with the remote then put his keys w/remote in the jacket pocket, without thinking, and put jacket into saddlebag. Once shut he then realized what he had just done.

You can lock the trunk with the lid open and if you reach in to get something and drop the key while doing so then yes you can lock your keys in.

In my case I remove the key from the ignition, put it in jeans pocket, pack jacket, lock hemet whatever then shut trunk and bags. As I walk away I lock the bike with the remote.

[JACKC]

I keep the remote on the key ring, I put a spare key under the passenger foot rest, just take the plate off with an allen wrench. (keep a spare allen in one of the storage compartments next to the passenger)