Randall & Steve,
If you are going the mechanical switch route, the early Mustang (and
probably all Ford products of the era) used simple brackets and a
mechanical switch that was normally closed. When the brake pedal was up
the pedal LEVER, not the pedal, kept the switch lever in the
"compressed", or OFF position. Depressing the pedal moved the attached
arm away from the switch, which then closed the circuit to the lights.
The amount of pedal travel to do this was adjustable. Worked quite well
for 30 years, and they are still available at the Ford and Classic
Mustang supply houses (some of which are linked in Online Resources in
TigersUnited.com.
Steve
Randall Antosiak wrote:
>Steve - I had exactly this problem. I'm using silicone fluid in my brake
>system. After replacing the brake switch a couple of times without success,
>I decided to go to a mechanical switch. The switch has a "button" on one
>end, and when the button is depressed then the circuit is open. When the
>button is not depressed, then the circuit is closed. I mounted the switch
>under the dash so that the button end is in contact with the brake pedal.
>When the pedal is up (not braking) it presses against the switch and opens
>the circuit. When the pedal is depressed the circuit is closed and the
>brake lights go on. I purchased the switch from my neighborhood auto parts
>store and the bracket was home made out of some sheet metal. I've had no
>trouble with this in the last two years.
>- Randy
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-tigers@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-tigers@autox.team.net]On
>Behalf Of ssage@socal.rr.com
>Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 8:55 AM
>To: Tiger Mailing List; Alpine Mailing List
>Subject: Stop Light Blues
>
>
>A week or two ago I bragged how I had fixed the Tiger's stop light
>switch by taking it out, banging it on the ground a few times, and
>re-installing it. It did, in fact, work properly for a few days. A
>couple of days ago, though, I realised the switch is again working
>intermittently. (I have figured out a way to get it to temporarily work
>while still installed: Bang on it a bit with a wrench while it's still
>installed! Be careful not to damage any brake lines, though).
>
>I spoke to a Sunbeam expert who's first question was if I'm using
>silicone fluid and, in fact, I'm using Valvolene Syntech (I don't know
>if it's silicone, but it is synthetic). My friend said this is almost
>for sure the problem and that he's heard from numerous Sunbeamers that
>synthetic brake fluid does not allow the switch to function properly.
>Something about it coating the internal contacts so a circuit can't be
>made. I've since found reference to this on a couple of hot rod web
>sites, and that there are switches that will function using synthetic
>fluid (and those that will not). A suggestion was also made that you can
>fit a mechanical switch under the brake pedal. I visited a couple of
>parts stores and looked at a few mechanical, under the pedal switches,
>but none seemed like they had the right geometry to work in a Tiger or
>Alpine.
>
>Short of switching back to Girling fluid, has anyone else out there had
>this problem? Is there another switch that will work that will fit the
>thread down there, or has someone found a mechanical stop light switch
>that will go under the pedal without major surgery, or another solution?
>
>Steve Sage
>1967 Tiger MK1A
>
>
>
--
Steve Laifman
Editor
http://www.TigersUnited.com
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