watsons or other brake light switch

[greg g]

Just discovered that my hydraulic brake switch retired. Rather than replacing that, I think I may add a mechanical aftermarket type like from watsons street works. I believe a couple of you folks have done similar, wondered if you might post some pics of where/how you installed it.

I am afraid to even attempt to remove tha old one as it looks quite solidly rusted in place.

[Don Coatney]

You are lucky I have my floor panel out so I can give you a good picture of how I mounted the switch. I have it adjusted so it comes on after the pedal moves about 1/2" or less. That way I can "blink" my brake lights without actually applying the brakes.

[greg g]

From looking under the hood, I am wondering if I can clamp it to the steering column rather than drilling holes in the floor. Don't imagine that the assembly needs to deal with a lot of force in any direstion.

[P-12 Tommy]

I put one of those mechanical switchs on mine about 5 or 6 months ago and it's working fine so far. I left the hydraulic one in place. Doesn't hurt anything.

Tom

[steveplym]

Here's some pics Greg. Had mine in since 2007. No problems yet. I just left the hydraulic switch in place and pulled the wires and added them to this switch.

[hkestes41]

I have installed one as well while leaving the old hydraulic one in place, but don't have any pictures. The nice thing about it is you can adjust it to come on when you want them to. As Don did with his, mine is adjusted so that the lights come on nearly immediately when the pedal moves. Don't have to push the pedal enough to build pressure in the hydraulic switch before the lights come on.

May be less than a second difference but at 60 mph you travel 88 feet per second. So half a second is 44 feet less distance traveled for that distracted soccer mom with the SUV full of kids and groceries.

[Niel Hoback]

I have a mechanical switch also, but it is connected to the outboard lights only through the turn signal switch. I left the hydraulic switch connected to the trunk stoplight. This way I get three stop lights and my turn signals.

I must warn also, that a hydraulic switch can leak and cause loss of brakes. Years ago as I was parking my 49 DeSoto behind my 60 Olds, the bakelite end popped out of the switch, the pedal went to the floor and I bumped into my own car! I had just driven 14 miles home from work and almost made it.

[greg g]

Well I bought the swithc Shel posted, but I can't see how to mount it to make it work. It is a normally open switch. My brake pedal only moves about an inch and a half, which translates to less than 1/2 inch on the pushrod at the mc. My pedal travel isn't enough to allow the NAPA switch to move far enough to egage or disengage the lever far enough to activate the switch. So I guess I will call a couple of the local repair shops to see if they can replace the hydraulic one. I do ot have a tool which will fit over the switch to remove it and I do ot wat to tear up my brake lines and have to got though a brake bleeding procedure it the lines get screwed up.

Shel take a look at you sl 130, Maybe you can figure out how to mount it but the lever is not adjustable so it needs to be mounted just so to get the pedal to move it throug its sweet spot.

[Young Ed]

Greg a 12pt socket of the proper size should pull that old hydraulic switch right out.

[Jim Yergin]

Greg,

I don't know if it will work for you but on my '41 I mounted the mechanical switch on the engine side of the floor board next to the brake pedal arm near where it goes through the floor so that when the brake pedal is at rest the arm keeps the switch in the normally open position. When I step on the brake pedal and move the brake pedal arm away from the floor the switch is released and the circuit is closed turning on the brake lights. Does not require much travel to close the circuit.

Jim Yergin

[greg g]

this switch has a lot of movement in a non adjustable arm. there is no way to mount it so there is enough movement from the pedal travel. I just got a hydraulic (made in Mexico) Either I will give another shot at removing the old on or take it in to have it done.

Easier these days to write a check that crawl under the car..............

[1940plymouth]

Hope it works out for you and that you can attend the car show at the fairgrounds on Sunday. I'll keep my fingers crossed:)

[Young Ed]

Greg on my p15 I'm pretty sure I did it from under the hood. Its not right at the MC

[greg g]

Ed, I just got it. However, my 31/32nths socket was missing. 15/16's to small, 1 inch too big. A piece of aluminized tape made enough of a difference to get the old one out and the new one in with only three drops of Brake fluid going missing.

Lights are noticably brighter also. So for you folks with dim brake lights, you might wanna deal with that old hydraulic switch. I guess if there is enough crud in there to keep it from working, ay build up probably raises the resistance enough to effect the brightness.

[oldmopar]

I recently replaced a brake switch with one that I got from speedway. It is made by painless and does have a different set of pins but for $14.00 it comes with a adapter with slip connectors. Wires look to be more in the 12 volt size but no problems with the switch see below links

http://images.speedwaymotors.com/RS/SR/Alternative/91031305~1_L.jpg

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Pressure-Brake-Switch,1971.html

[greg g]

I drilled a hole in the arm and put a thin 1 1/2 lon screw through it. though that mught help the positioning some, Might work in another application.

[steveplym]

If you look at the Watson's switch that arm is adjustable. That was the only way I could get it to work on my car. It was a tight fit and once I got it mounted where it would work, I made the adjustment on the lever and as soon as I push down on the brake pedal the lights light up.