Points 9-19 adjustment of rear stop light switch

Ledslinger

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9 - When tightening screws, ignore every torquing instinct you've developed over a lifetime of dealing with a vehicle that loses bits all over the countryside from vibration, because the damn switch is plastic and the socket screw perfectly breaks off the mounting ear with over tightening.

10 - The final torque must be adjusted only 1 inch pound less than will break the ear, or the switch will fall off.

11 - When you repair the broken ear with J B Weld, use compressed air judiciously to blow off the carb cleaner, or the weak partially broken ear will be blown half way across the county and hit the never to be found parts depository.

12 - Always keep J B Weld, or other equivalent epoxy resin on hand, and know where to find it.

13 - Always keep a spare stop light switch in the spares bin, as you should any part that isn't durable enough to withstand damage by your teeth. (see vibration note in #9)

14 - A small flat washer under the socket head retaining screw will increase the difference between will fall off, and be damaged by hardware, by 1 inch pound, making the difference 2 inch pounds.

15 - Flat washers weren't factory installed, because it was anticipated the switch would be broken and replaced at the first oil change.

16 - Check tension of switch mounting screws before, during and after every ride.

17 - Keep spare switch mounting hardware in your tool kit, and don't forget an allen key since it is the only two screws on the bike with that size.

18 - This switch is one of the best Lucas products ever as it being a fundamentally simple open - close single wire circuit, it was well within the engineering capabilities of Lucas at the time of it's development in 1863. It remained within the engineering capabilities of the company until the last switch was produced in 1979.

19 - The retaining hardware won't be found in the parts books under "mounting screw" but under "plastic shearing wedge"
 
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Replace it with a push/pull brake switch and spring and you will never have any more troubles, replacement switches will never last as long as the original brake light switch as the rubber paresis and water gets in the switch, I replaced mine from an old Honda dirt bike that I had laying around in my spare parts.
 
Mine have been lasting longer since I’ve started using nylon spacers to center them.
Points 9-19 adjustment of rear stop light switch
 
And if you have the old genuine Lucas one guard the rubber cover with your life. The Wassell modern ones rubber cover disintegrates in about 12 months.
 
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