- Joined
- Aug 23, 2017
- Messages
- 269
Hey all,
Yesterday I installed my rear light fixture for the first time since I had my bike (72 Roadster). It was the last thing that I needed to do to be able to pass inspection locally, but the installation resulted in the identification of problems with both brake switches.
As soon as I turned the key to the on position the rear stop light lit up, so I knew something was amiss. I discovered a couple of seconds later that the rear brake switch had come apart, which I think is common. The rubber had torn away completely allowing the top part of the switch to come off. The top part was still there so I just stuck it back in place temporarily to try things out, and with it back in place the rear light switch and stop light were working fine. I tried the front brake as well and that caused the stop light to come on as it should.
So I went out for a short ride to try out the new setup, and about half way into it I discovered that my rear switch had come apart and I had lost the top part of it so my stop light was on for the remainder of the ride, which was maybe 20 minutes or so. Miraculously I found the top part of the switch by retracing my path. I stuck it in my pocket and rode on home.
Today I thought I would see if I could repair the rear switch with some rubber cement until I get a new one sorted. This didn't work at all, and while I was at it I noticed that my front switch was no longer making the stop light come on! So I pulled the rubber boot down from the bottom of the master cylinder to expose the switch and checked the wiring. I'm getting power on the white wire with the key on, and I get power to the brown wire when I press the rear brake, which is as it should be, I think eh? There is fluid in the master cylinder and the front brake is working great. I tried shorting the two terminals on the front switch with the wires still connected using a bit of wire and it didn't make the stop light come on. Based on all of that I'm concluding that the front switch is bad too.
So now I've got a couple of questions:
1) does my diagnosis (bad front brake switch) sounds correct, and if so, what would cause the front switch to die? Could the stop light being on for 20 minutes or so have caused it? Or could it just be the fact that it was in actual use for the first time in many years? I'm running original style bulbs that are all working great.
2) can the front switch be rebuilt, or is it something that needs to just be replaced? The service manual suggests that it can't be serviced, but I've found that to be incorrect once or twice in the past.
Thanks a lot
!!
J
Yesterday I installed my rear light fixture for the first time since I had my bike (72 Roadster). It was the last thing that I needed to do to be able to pass inspection locally, but the installation resulted in the identification of problems with both brake switches.
As soon as I turned the key to the on position the rear stop light lit up, so I knew something was amiss. I discovered a couple of seconds later that the rear brake switch had come apart, which I think is common. The rubber had torn away completely allowing the top part of the switch to come off. The top part was still there so I just stuck it back in place temporarily to try things out, and with it back in place the rear light switch and stop light were working fine. I tried the front brake as well and that caused the stop light to come on as it should.
So I went out for a short ride to try out the new setup, and about half way into it I discovered that my rear switch had come apart and I had lost the top part of it so my stop light was on for the remainder of the ride, which was maybe 20 minutes or so. Miraculously I found the top part of the switch by retracing my path. I stuck it in my pocket and rode on home.
Today I thought I would see if I could repair the rear switch with some rubber cement until I get a new one sorted. This didn't work at all, and while I was at it I noticed that my front switch was no longer making the stop light come on! So I pulled the rubber boot down from the bottom of the master cylinder to expose the switch and checked the wiring. I'm getting power on the white wire with the key on, and I get power to the brown wire when I press the rear brake, which is as it should be, I think eh? There is fluid in the master cylinder and the front brake is working great. I tried shorting the two terminals on the front switch with the wires still connected using a bit of wire and it didn't make the stop light come on. Based on all of that I'm concluding that the front switch is bad too.
So now I've got a couple of questions:
1) does my diagnosis (bad front brake switch) sounds correct, and if so, what would cause the front switch to die? Could the stop light being on for 20 minutes or so have caused it? Or could it just be the fact that it was in actual use for the first time in many years? I'm running original style bulbs that are all working great.
2) can the front switch be rebuilt, or is it something that needs to just be replaced? The service manual suggests that it can't be serviced, but I've found that to be incorrect once or twice in the past.
Thanks a lot
!!J
