I realize now that I should have waited until I had an opportunity to find the right truck at a junkyard. the problem is where I live the small junkyard in town is not open on weekends and did not have any old trucks. That meant a 45 minute drive to the next closest one that would be open on a Saturday. since I work a lot of hours during the week I was hoping to just order something that would be an easy fit even if it cost me more money. But this is the route I started with and with the money invested in this project I just need to make this one work. I can't justify spending more money on another set up when I got one that can be made to work even if it isn't ideal. Maybe I'll do the other stuff later down the road.

My first problem was the brake light switch, it would not fit on the new set up;
<img src="http://mymach1mustang.com/truckfiles/powerbrakes/brakeswitch01.jpg">
<img src="http://mymach1mustang.com/truckfiles/powerbrakes/brakeswitch02.jpg">
the replacement was rounded when it needs to have that flat surface for the switch to work, it was also too thick and the switch would not even fit on it. So the first idea was to use a pressure switch:
<img src="http://mymach1mustang.com/truckfiles/powerbrakes/brakeswitch00.jpg">
So I ran the wires up there and the brake lights did not work. the brake lights worked before I started working on this, but it had to either be something electrical or the switch wasn't working. So I decided to just try to put the factory switch back on. I cut the rod off the old master cylinder:
<img src="http://mymach1mustang.com/truckfiles/powerbrakes/brakeswitch03.jpg">
and then used a die to put threads on it:
<img src="http://mymach1mustang.com/truckfiles/powerbrakes/brakeswitch04.jpg">

I had already cut the threaded sleeve down because it was too long, and since the sleeve is not hollow all the way through I still needed to shorten it some more, this meant cutting again and this time the threaded rod coming out of the booster. I cut about 3/4 inch off of it.

Now I have the factory brake switch, the rod length is now correct and the brake pedal sits just where it needs to.

If nothing else, hopefully others can learn that it is too much effort to buy any of those conversions online. What I should have done was either go to a junkyard or buy the brackets I needed on ebay. What is needed is the correct brackets for the booster to mount onto that mounts to the firewall and ideally the later brake pedal set up. There is a difference in the brake pedals, but if you have an adjustable rod, then that part may not matter.

OK now that I got everything as it should be, the brake lights still do not work, so now I need to find a wiring diagram and start going through the wiring. and yes I did test the wire and there is power going to it. and all the fuses are good.

 

Wade, I'll try again, do the turn signals work on the rear?




John

 

Just loaded the photo of the 76 switch in my 66. The original wires were pulled back into the cab and used on the new switch. You do not have to have the pressure switch to have brake lights.


John

 

No they are not working any more either.

I also had it running, turned the headlights on the truck died. started it up let it idle, turned on the headlights and dies again. the headlights work and parking lights work.

I just went through the truck and pulled out about 50 feet of dead end wires everywhere. Someone had spliced into wires all over the truck... under the hood... under the dash... and even into the wiring harness at the tail lights.

So even though there is power to the switch does this mean I need to replace the turn signal switch now?

 

You have a dead short issue, that you have to find first. Go back and look at what you did moving the brake light switch. There is wire grounding out, IMHO.





John

 

Well I looked at everything I could. But who knows where the problem is, the wiring has been hacked up so much all over the place it might be easier to put in a new wiring harness.
Do you know where to find a good shop/repair manual for a 67 truck? I would like to have one at hand before I start tearing everything out.

 

i am trying to install a brake light switch on this truck, but the head of the bolt is buried between the brake pedal and clutch. What tool do i use to hold the head of the bolt so when i turn the nut, the bolt doesnt move?

 

Ford Truck Technical Drawings and Schematics - Section H - Wiring Diagrams

If interested look under links and resources on the left and there are some vendors that sell wiring harness.

 

i'm not sure what it is you're doing exactly but have you found a solution, if so then what was it? cuz I have a 67 that has the switch on the pedal lever and I took it off and unooked it and my brake lights are still on at all times. it didn't do this until I put the bed back on and hooked everything back up.

 

I hope you are a patient man Wade. Sounds like you will have to screen print the wiring schematic in the reply above and start undoing every Mickey Mouse thing your PO did.Take a deep breath, count to 10, and have at it. Take it curcuit by curcuit. Start at the power source(like a good clean non-corroded or non-rusted fuse) and work your way through the system untill you don't have power anymore when you are supposed to. Then you've found the problem. Remember 12V DC has to have a power source, a path (like through a switch), then a ground.

 

I hope you are a patient man Wade. Sounds like you will have to screen print the wiring schematic in the reply above and start undoing every Mickey Mouse thing your PO did.Take a deep breath, count to 10, and have at it. Take it curcuit by curcuit. Start at the power source(like a good clean non-corroded or non-rusted fuse) and work your way through the system untill you don't have power anymore when you are supposed to. Then you've found the problem. Remember 12V DC has to have a power source, a path (like through a switch), then a ground.