Can any of you recommend a retrofit brake light switch I can adapt to my brake pedal. I upgraded to disc brakes and a dual brake reservoir but need some advise from some of you that may have already done this.. Any advise will be appreciated... I scanned some of the brake post discussions but have not found that as a topic.Thanks
If you do not have a true "dual" master cylinder, you can tell if it has two pistons or just one by looking at the under side and look for a set screw or a pin, you need to have the distribution block as a safety issue.
You can use the current brake light switch in one of the ports for the front brakes on that block. Run a single line from the other front brake port to a "T" to supply both front disc. Been running this set up in my street rod since 1983 and over 100K miles with no issues.
Thanks for the info. I do have the distribution valve installed. I am leaning on a swich on the pedal. I have been researching and may have found on application that will work. I had not thought about the way you set yours up and it will give me more options.. I appreciate the feed back..
The T-Bird parts suppliers have a kit to put a pedal switch on early Birds, and the similarity between Bird and '57 pedal arrangements makes me think they will work on passenger cars. John
I had mine on an adjustable proportioning valve, I changed to a proportioning valve I bought from CPP, there wasn't a port on the new valve. So I plumbed in a tee off the front line like Bill did. Found the fittings at autozone, works good. Mark
Welded a bracket on steering column brace and used tri five Chevy elec switch.
This is on my unibody. Used banjo fittings from pure choice motorsports and drilled and tapped for the switch. It gets pretty thin when you drill it but ive had no issues with it.
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e186/62galxe/IMG_0637.jpg)
I used one from a Granada if I remember could be a Mustang. Took out the shouldered bolt from the brake pedal to master cylinder rod. Dropped in the switch, ran the two green wires from the old master to the new switch. Fits and works perfectly.
X2 on rmk57's setup except mine came from a Lincoln. This switch is also compatible with OEM cruise.
Thanks for all of the suggestions. Damn you guys are creative. I appreciate the ideas..
Quote from: gasman826 on 2012-07-23 07:50
X2 on rmk57's setup except mine came from a Lincoln. This switch is also compatible with OEM cruise.
Got pics?
Quote from: cool57 on 2012-07-24 00:58
Got pics?
[/quote
Fresh
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o531/gasman826/StopLightSwitch003.jpg)
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o531/gasman826/StopLightSwitch002.jpg)
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o531/gasman826/StopLightSwitch001.jpg)
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o531/gasman826/StopLightSwitch005.jpg)
The pedals and support are '57. The support is untouched in the middle for the pedal attachment. Both ends are highly modified to support a Saginaw hydraulic power booster with duel master. The other end is modified to bolt into the '65 Thunderbird dash. The switch goes on the standard master cylinder rod pin. It activates with less pressure than the '57 OEM hydraulic switch and is not in elements. These switches were used on nearly every Ford in the '70s and early '80s. The clutch pedal was modified to activate the master cylinder for the hydraulic throwout bearing.
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o531/gasman826/460004.jpg)
If you decide on a hydraulic pressure switch go to any aftermarket Harley shop and get one for a bike. Mid 90's softail is a easy application for the counter guy. Accell brand is fine and since the rear brake is a disc it does not take much pressure to activate. All my junk is a cross between a semi and a Harley
Yep, a few Harley parts in mine...brake and clutch stuff.
RMK57/Gasman:I'm trying to figure out how the switch is activated, since I now have one of these puppies in my hand. I'm gonna guess it's got something to do with the little dimple on the open slot side of the switch locating it on the pin,and is what locates the position of the switch when it is installed with the master cylinder rod?....if I had a seventies ford to look at it would answer the question, but I don't.
Rich
The pin hole is slotted enough for the brake pedal pin to move in the switch.
Quote from: gasman826 on 2012-08-03 07:50
The pin hole is slotted enough for the brake pedal pin to move in the switch.
Gary...I'm trying to get on the same page here...when you say "pin hole slotted enough"....are you talking about the hole in ring end of the push rod? I'm looking at this switch trying to figure out how it would work and the only thing I can see is if the push rod was sloppy enough on the pin so that the ring portion of the push rod pushed back up against the switch when the pedal was depressed.. If that is how it works..I guess I'd need to alter something because there is harldy any slop in my pin/push rod connection.
I was also looking at this brake switch in case I decide to add cruise control down the road. I'm thinking it could easily be added to the brake pedal stop arm next to the bumper. I do not want to weld or other modification that would require the pedal/steering brace to be removed from the car.
Rich
The brake switch in the pic is Ron Francis. $20ish plus shipping. I found one in stock at Auto Zone for $9.
I'm going to go have a look-see if I can get this to work...I'll post a pic if I do. It also is cruise compatible, and can be used without the criuse connected.
Done...a little hasstle getting it installed..but I got it in, adjusted and checked out with a continuity meter.
Several problems I ran into: The threaded sleeve is very thin walled Chinese plastic....you know what that means...a second trip to Auto Zone for a replacement (they very nicely replaced my broken one n/c.
You will need to chase down some 1/2-20 Jam nuts. Regular 1/2-20 nuts won't give you enough adjustment space on top. You know what that means...another trip. It took a few hours of running around town to find mine.
It's so tight in there there's no room to adjust the switch while the pedal is in the car, so it'll have to be adjusted out of the car. Mine ended up working well at .525 as shown in the pic. As most of you probably know it's a real hasstle getting the spring on the pedal assembly hooked in place..so get your switch set and checked out just using the shaft thru the pedal assembly. Once the switch is set..you can do the final assembly hooking the spring in....a real pain in the butt, but (there's that butt but again) I figured out an easier way after several attempts. Pull the spring back to as close to 3 o'clock as you can get it and tie it there with a wire. Once the shaft is in place, you can jiggle stuff around to get the wire in the hole and carefully snip and remove the holding wire. Switch is Duralast pn DR497
Or you can just do the easier switch as Gasman and rmk57 did.