Finished up plumbing my brakes tonight. Got them bled. Good Pedal.... Then I realize I forgot to plumb in my Brake Light Switch.....

What a Mah-roon !!! I've only been doing this for forty years. You'd think I'd get the hang of it........

 

Did they have brake light switches 40 years ago?

 

What ever that stupid hydraulic activated thing is called...... The proper term escapes me but then again, I'm not feeling very smart at the moment.......

 

Sounds like time to install a mechanical switch

 

brake light switches on the 70's Fords simply were a plunger behind the brake pedal. Push the pedal down, the plunger goes in, completes the circuit. Shouldn't be all that hard to fab something like that up.

 

Ernie, hydraulic switches are a PITA and are prone to failure due to contamination. I second the recommedation for a mechanical switch!

 

As I recall they are prone to failure if you use a synthetic brake fluid

 

yes DOT 5 or silicone eats those things up bad.

 

Silicone was what I what thinking of, Thanks

 

My thoughts exactly!

eman, stick one of these on the engine side of the toe board, with the brake pedal depressing the lever. They work a lot better than the pressure switch you forgot to install. I'd say someone is looking out for you.

 

I would thing that it was an ingenuous premeditated planned screw up!

IMO, The ford plunger switch under the dash takes less room then the (GM/Mopar?) lever style.

 

eman, go with the mechanical switch. I recently tried to find the proper fittings to plumb in a pressure brake switch. What a nightmare! Even Napa didn't have it. Go with the mechanical switch. I bought a new one on ebay for $13 and it works great. Good luck!

 

That's another cause for failure...I have had more than one go because of contamination that caused the plunger to bind in the compressed position. Batteries don't last long when this happens.

BTW - I see that you are from Cincy...I grew up in NCH. Small world.

 

Are you plumb crazy?

When will you see the light?

I’ll give you a brake. I once welded the jaws of my vise shut. It was the only time I was without vises. We all make mistakes. Hopefully, we live, learn, and laugh from them.

 

I grew up and live on the East side. Mt. Washington / Anderson area