Brake Lights ???

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, once again after 2 or 3 years I need another brake light switch.

I am considering going wihta mechanical switch from an early 50s Chev truck.

Will his work, any ideas on how to install one.

I am also wondering if anyone has wired there brake lights together with there tail lights, this requires some type of electronic circuit board for each light. This is so the brake lights and signal lights don't interupt each other.

Any ideas or suggestions welcomed........Thanx Fred

[Don Jordan]

I bought a brake switch from the local auto parts store. They had it in stock. I don't know about the national parts places (Kragan's, Pep Boys) but the local mom and pop store knows how to use those great big books behind the counter and they can find all sorts of things. I always chuckle when you see a part on e-bay that you can buy new for half the price just down the street.

[P-12 Tommy]

Fred, A mechanical switch will work. There's some posts in the search area. Also, to get your taillights to act as brake lights you need to get a 7 wire turn signal switch to do that. The diagram will tell you how to wire it properly. It's not too hard.

Tom

[1950 Special Deluxe]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270628909397&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123

Here is the one I ordered and it is on it's way.

He charged me $10.50 to ship it, but I couldn't find anything locally.

[Tony_Urwin]

http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/brake_switches.html

[55 Fargo]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270628909397&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123

Here is the one I ordered and it is on it's way.

He charged me $10.50 to ship it, but I couldn't find anything locally.

I think NAPA carries the modern version of this, application for 1947 to 53 Chevrolet pick-ups.

[55 Fargo]

I knuckled under for now, and replaced my switch with another hydraulic switch from NAPA, it was $13.00 Cdn, including tax.

I bench tested the old 2 year old switch, did not work, was an easy swap, used a deep 1 inch socket, long extension for my ratchet.

I also ran new 14 gauge wire for the stop lamp, as silly me used 16 or 18 gauge last time for this very circuit, which is not the best for a 6 volt set-up.

I re-wired my car 2 years ago, and do not know why I ran a light gauge wire for the stop lamp, musta been a low on wire that day........

[55 Fargo]

Fred, my wiring diagram shows 16 for the wire size for the lighting on the back.

18 would not be good.

14 would of course be better.

Hi Shel, yes I checked after the fact, it's 16 gauge for the back lighting.

I only had 14 g wire anyway for a long length.

I had 18 g wire on the back, it was okay, the bulbs don't draw that much amperage, and being only 1 bulb in the circuit, probably would be okay, but switched to 14 g wire, new connectors fot the switch, all is better and seems a little brighter now.

I still need to create a circuit board/relay, to allow the use of the tail lights to work in conjuction with then stop lamp.

I have a completely different signal flasher switch than a 7 wire deal, mine is 3 wire, and is OEM, so not changing it, but need to create a the circuitry to allow the whole thing to work together.