Have to replace the ignition switch on my sons '98 Big Bear.

Does anyone know if an automotive switch would work? Seems like it would...
I want to pick up something afterwork so we can ride!

 

An automotive switch like a universal key switch, or are you thinking about using a toggle switch? I don't recommend using a toggle switch, but I guess you could use a universal key switch just as long as it's a double throw switch. The only thing i'd worry about with an automotive key switch is water and dust getting into it, the ones on quads are designed to handle those conditions, but I doubt one for a car is.

 

Yeah, good point on the water / dust...
I'll check the cost of a universal key switch and see - if it's cheap enough, I might just go for it.
The price quote I got for the replacement big bear switch was like $60 - was looking for something in the $20 range!

Appreciate the info recon99 - happy trails!

 

Did you take a look and see if you can find a used one on ebay? Most yamahas use the same type of switch, i'm pretty sure that at least the warrior uses the same one, and parts for a warrior are much easier to come by. Try checking part #'s on the key switches between your big bear, and other yamaha quads like the warrior, raptor, banshee, wolverine, grizzly etc. You can use an online parts dealer like this one to do a sort of cross-reference, just add one for a big bear to the shopping cart, then just add ones for other quads in the cart one at a time, and check for matching part numbers (acutally the quantity # will increase if it's the same part number). Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the tip recon99!

I haven't looked around to find a used one - my first thought was the automotive switch, but yer right about the water/dust...
I am almost off work for the weekend, I'll stop by the automotive store and see what they have to get us going for this
weekend and then follow up on like ebay...

Have a great weekend..

 

Just thought I'd post a follow up to this...

Went to Schucks auto supply and bought a $10 iginition switch with keys.
Hooked the red from my old yamaha iginition to starter and hooked green to ignition -
that did the trick...

We'll see how long this iginition lasts - given the water / dust factors.
But for $10, it was a cheap, quick fix that got us riding this weekend.