73 steering lock

I'm starting to put stuff back together, and not sure what hold the steering lock in place. my looks kind of buggered, on the bottom but the whole thing will slide out of the clamp when i pull the key..

any sugestions?

Just get a new steering lock. Pop it in and set it to the right depth. Secondly a steering lock will not prevent theft of your M/C. If they want your bike, they just pick it up (4 guys) and throw it in a van, and off they go. I've had friends who have had their Harleys stolen this way, and the bike weighed 700+ lbs.. So don't sweat it, get a new key and lock, and have your peace of mind. Remember, locks are for honest people, the crooks will find their way past them.

As I recall from fitting mine, it's a "bash fit", whacking it with a wooden dowel from above, to the correct height. If yours falls out, either the cylinder or the clamp (or both) is not right. There might be a slot in the clamp and a "key" on the lock? I can't remember.
As noted by Nortster, it's not much of a deterrent. With a suitable punch and hammer, anyone can bash it right up from below. Still better than nothing.
If you get a new one, be sure to work it plenty and lube it, ensuring that it it runs up and down freely with the key, before installing. As delivered, mine was so stiff, the key was likely to break in service.

How far down does the lock go? On my 74 the plunger doesn't engage the frame tab. It's as though the lock should be 1/2" deeper in the yoke.

maylar said:

How far down does the lock go?

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The rim should prevent it from being pushed down much below the top surface of the yoke.

maylar said:

It's as though the lock should be 1/2" deeper in the yoke.

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If the lock was 1/2" lower down in the yoke it would not be possible to operate it with the normal length key.

maylar said:

On my 74 the plunger doesn't engage the frame tab.

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Photos? :?: :?

Well, the pin doesn't really "engage" the frame tab. It just goes down far enough to keep the tab from moving back to center, bumping it on the side, so to speak.
On my '74, the unlocked barrel sits well below the surface of the top clamp, by 1/8". With the bars turned to full right, and as the key is turned counter-clockwise and pushed downward, the key and barrel end up 3/8" below that same surface, at which level the pin at the bottom is sitting next to the tab.
Hope this helps, ya.