VintAGE-Vans

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BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER.... A's, G's & E's


3 posters

    Brake Light Switch

    southern man
    southern man


    Number of posts : 486
    Location : Columbia, South Carolina
    Registration date : 2008-05-21

    Brake Light Switch Empty Brake Light Switch

    Post by southern man Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:21 pm

    The switch I salvaged out of my parts van when I swapped in the dual reservoir master cylinder finally gave up the ghost recently. One of the corroded terminals just snapped off, so I replaced the switch. Works fine except the lights don't always go off. The brake pedal comes back up fine, but I can't be sure the lights are off. A few good pumps does the job. Do I need to lubricate the bolt that holds it on (and is attached to the tension spring)?
    southern man
    southern man


    Number of posts : 486
    Location : Columbia, South Carolina
    Registration date : 2008-05-21

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by southern man Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:10 am

    Bump! Anyone have any ideas? I have taken this thing apart and put it back together several times with no luck. Now the brake lights won't even come on! I'm seriously frustrated!
    donivan65
    donivan65
    Governor
    Governor


    Number of posts : 12220
    Location : San Diego, California
    Registration date : 2008-05-12

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by donivan65 Tue Sep 20, 2011 11:31 am

    Is that a mechanical one or a pressure one? You can take your 12 volt test light and see if you have power to it and see if it actually turns on and off at the other terminal while you mess with the brake pedal and see what it is doing,,,,,,,
    southern man
    southern man


    Number of posts : 486
    Location : Columbia, South Carolina
    Registration date : 2008-05-21

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by southern man Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:02 pm

    "You can take your 12 volt test light and see if you have power to it and see if it actually turns on and off at the other terminal while you mess with the brake pedal and see what it is doing,,,,,,,"

    Thanks Donivan. I was thinking last night that doing that might tell me something. I guess it's a mechanical one (has spring lever inside). It doesn't seem complicated, and unless I've fried the brand new switch, it should be something simple. What I need is my wife to push on the brake pedal while I'm underneath. She's been gone for a couple days on business but comes home tonight (but late). I gotta figure this out so I can drive it again!
    donivan65
    donivan65
    Governor
    Governor


    Number of posts : 12220
    Location : San Diego, California
    Registration date : 2008-05-12

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by donivan65 Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:13 pm

    You might be able to just reach up there and pull down on the pedal to operate the brake light switch. The idea is to see if the pedal activates the switch and sends a signal to the turn signal switch and it's job is to turn the brake lights on. You might be able to adjust the switch to get it to go on and off correctly,,,,,however,,,, if it is old, it won't work right,,,,,but see if you have power in and power out first,,,,,,,
    Twinpilot001
    Twinpilot001


    Number of posts : 6186
    Location : spokane ,Wa.
    Registration date : 2009-09-28

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by Twinpilot001 Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:16 pm

    [i]Many times the switches connections will get loose & or corode- try sanding the electrical connections or check wiring - likely switch isnt bad -worth a try - can also try some electrical contact cleaner
    donivan65
    donivan65
    Governor
    Governor


    Number of posts : 12220
    Location : San Diego, California
    Registration date : 2008-05-12

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by donivan65 Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:25 pm

    If it's one of these things, they are pretty sensitive,,,the pedal kinds of rubs on it to operate the brake lights,,,,,and it probably likes the brake pedal that it originally came built for,,,,,


    Brake Light Switch Ford_b10
    southern man
    southern man


    Number of posts : 486
    Location : Columbia, South Carolina
    Registration date : 2008-05-21

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by southern man Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:00 am

    Yep, Doni, that's it! I have the brake pedal installed that came out of the parts van that had the dual M/C.
    donivan65
    donivan65
    Governor
    Governor


    Number of posts : 12220
    Location : San Diego, California
    Registration date : 2008-05-12

    Brake Light Switch Empty Re: Brake Light Switch

    Post by donivan65 Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:28 pm

    Then you should just be able to take a small screwdriver and push it in and see if you get power out of it and also if the spring returns it to the off position,,,

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