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Does anyoen have an extra "Part 21"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Detman101
  • Start date Start date
D

Detman101

Guest
Lost my little metal thingie and now the brake lights don't work right.
Does anyone have one for sale or know how I can make a new one?
I can't tell if the u-shaped metal thing was made of brass or some other metal.

PICS:
part_21.jpg



Thank you.
:)
 
It's made of copper bro. You can make one yourself out of mostly any conductive metal. The shape is more of a sharp cornered shape like that of a cup if you looked at it from the side. Meaning it is not round on the bent side. The two bends have fairly sharp corners. This is so that the spring sits in there nicely and the flat bottom surface contacts the two poles evenly. If you need to make a new spring the spring out of a Bic clicky pen works well. Just cut it to size. I just got done rebuilding mine this way about two weeks ago.
 
Kewl, Thank you my friend.
I will try to make one today with my tools.
Crud. I'm gonna need the little thing that it and the spring connect to in order to size it.

This will have to wait till I get home.
:?

:)
Thanks again bud.
 
Detman101 said:
Kewl, Thank you my friend.
I will try to make one today with my tools.
Crud. I'm gonna need the little thing that it and the spring connect to in order to size it.

This will have to wait till I get home.
:?

:)
Thanks again bud.
Click to expand...

Yeah you need to be at it to be able to bend it to size. The width matters too as that is what helps hold it square in the area where it goes and also then to help it slide back and forth.

If you get really pressed for metal to use I imagine mostly anything conductive would work. Me, I would take a piece of 12 gauge or thicker copper wire and flatten it on an anvil (or bench vise) with a hammer into a nice flat platlett and then cut is to width and lenth with some shears. You may think that would be too soft but I don't believe it would be. I think that would work perfect. Scotch bright it up real good then for connectivity once you have it shaped and test fit really good. Wet it with WD40 and don't wipe off the access.

That is bound to come out perfect.
 
Sounds like a good time to go to a hydraulic brake light switch.
 
fastpakr said:
Sounds like a good time to go to a hydraulic brake light switch.
Click to expand...

That's actually the best idea except I didn't suggest that because I know Damien is a newly wed and on the low budget :lol:

I was trying to give him the "free fix"

If you have few bucks though dood, his suggestion would be the best and easiest fix.

I always end up fixing old stuff myself though just because I can. Must get some kind of jolt out of it? :? :lol: 8)
 
THanks so much man. I'm printing out your instructions and building my replacement the exact way that you said.

:D
You're the best!!!

Sincerely,
Damien
 
I notice that with the little piece missing the brake light stays brighter till you hit the brakes, then it dims instead of being the other way around.

It also causes the rear brake light switch to not work. Guess it is wired in series...lol.
 
For what it's worth, you can also get a new stock type switch from PartsNMore for $5 or 6.
 
Detman101 said:
I notice that with the little piece missing the brake light stays brighter till you hit the brakes, then it dims instead of being the other way around.

It also causes the rear brake light switch to not work. Guess it is wired in series...lol.
Click to expand...

Most likely because the little spring is bent over in there moving around on the contact surfaces but never releasing. You have to have that little slider plate in there :)

I think this will work out for you perfectly. Just try to get the copper hammered out as evenly flat as you can. Then when you trim it up you will have a perfect replacement part.
 
fastpakr said:
For what it's worth, you can also get a new stock type switch from PartsNMore for $5 or 6.
Click to expand...

Link....Just in case I fail and/or get pissed off.
:P
 
Like fastpakr said, a new switch assembly is cheap and readily available.
 
One more option - from memory, the clutch switch is supposed to be identical to the brake switch (seems reasonable that it would be). As a temporary measure, you could wire the clutch switch closed and pirate the components for the brake light switch.
 
fastpakr said:
One more option - from memory, the clutch switch is supposed to be identical to the brake switch (seems reasonable that it would be). As a temporary measure, you could wire the clutch switch closed and pirate the components for the brake light switch.
Click to expand...

I could...but then the bike DEFINITELY wouldn't pass inspection...

:?
 
A clutch switch is required for inspection? I wonder if that's the case here too - I wasn't aware that it was, at least.
 
fastpakr said:
A clutch switch is required for inspection? I wonder if that's the case here too - I wasn't aware that it was, at least.
Click to expand...

Nah, it's the stupid brake light switch.
Frickin maryland state inspection.
Maybe this shop is just giving me the run around and making it hard for me. Does anyone know if brakelight flashing is necessary for the stupid inspection to be passed?

:x :evil:
 
I'd be shocked if it wasn't required.

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm suggesting - use the clutch switch components to make the brake light switch work properly to get through inspection.
 
I don't know of any state inspection that does not check the brake light.
 
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