Brake lever not activating the brake light

[Guest]

Not sure if this qualifies as an electrical problem or as a brake problem...

I've got an 81 400L, and I've noticed when squeezing the front brake lever, the brake light doesn't come on. The first thing I did was take apart the brake handle to see what was what.

As I'm sure all of you know, the assembly has that little plastic peg that slides across two contacts on a circuit board when the lever is squeezed, activating the brake light.

I cleaned the bejeezuz out of the whole assembly with contact cleaner, and checked the connection by holding the plastic peg on the contacts. Success, as the brake light came on. Now I know there isn't a bad wire somewhere, and it is just a matter of reassembling the brake lever properly.

But...

Once I put it all back together, the brake lever still wouldn't activate the brake light. For some reason, squeezing the lever doesn't slide that peg over the contacts correctly.

I tried taking the whole thing apart and readjusting it all, several times, sometimes I can sort of get it to work properly, but by the time I get it all put back together again, it has quit working again.

Anyone have a good fix for this? I'm thinking if getting a switch from Radio Shack and rewiring the brake handle with a whole new switch.

Or could I just find a small square bolt and try that in the lever assembly in place if that flimsy plastic peg?

And info is appreciated!!

Thanks.

[Agemax]

buy a new OEM brake light switch. they are cheap enough

[fyarl666]

Where would one find such a product? eBay?

[Agemax]

your local suzuki dealer would be better. failing that, you will probably pick one up on ebay

[simon kuether]

You could try Alphasports or a similar supplier .
The switch on my '79 GS1000s fails regularly so I've stopped replacing it .
I've got to look into buying a switch that's built into a banjo bolt to fix it properly .

Cheers , Simon .

[Johno]

You could try Alphasports or a similar supplier .
The switch on my '79 GS1000s fails regularly so I've stopped replacing it .
I've got to look into buying a switch that's built into a banjo bolt to fix it properly .

Cheers , Simon .

The switch in the banjo bolt is the best long term solution.

e.g. http://www.ebay.com.au/bhp/banjo-brake-switch

[Steel Toed Tank]

The switch in the banjo bolt is the best long term solution.

e.g. http://www.ebay.com.au/bhp/banjo-brake-switch

I would recommend a hydraulic brake switch as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400584422059?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[chuck hahn]

How to adjust the switch.............

Look at the brown waffle board and note that one end had a raised round spot..that end goes toward the end of the bars...to the lever side. The two contacts will be up toward the U shaped bridging piece that connects the two wires when the lever is squeezed.

Once its verified everything is installed right, you simply loosen the two screws and use a thin screw driver to slide the brown board toward the end of the bars until the light comes on. Dont squeeze the lever..just slide the board till the light comes on. Now wiggle it back the other way just till the light goes out and snug down the screws. Try the lever and see if it works. You may need to play with it a tad to get it just right.

Little tip here...a dab of grease on the plastic pin the spring goes over will hold the spring and U shaped bridge in place while reassembling. be careful of that spring falling. its a pain to try and find.

Heres new ones that are readily vailable...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GS450-GS550-GS750-GS850-GS1000-GS1100-FRONT-BRAKE-SWITCH-/360862816589?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item540519994d&vxp=mtr

[GSXR7ED]

Thanks!

How to adjust the switch.............

Look at the brown waffle board and note that one end had a raised round spot..that end goes toward the end of the bars...to the lever side. The two contacts will be up toward the U shaped bridging piece that connects the two wires when the lever is squeezed.

Once its verified everything is installed right, you simply loosen the two screws and use a thin screw driver to slide the brown board toward the end of the bars until the light comes on. Dont squeeze the lever..just slide the board till the light comes on. Now wiggle it back the other way just till the light goes out and snug down the screws. Try the lever and see if it works. You may need to play with it a tad to get it just right.

Little tip here...a dab of grease on the plastic pin the spring goes over will hold the spring and U shaped bridge in place while reassembling. be careful of that spring falling. its a pain to try and find.

Thanks Chuck, good call on the grease and making it a point to mention that little spring--it is difficult to find if it pops out!



Ed

[chuck hahn]

I always loosen the whole master cylinder and slide it as close to the first bend in the bars as possible and turn it up as far as I can to get at the bottom easier. Brake fluid wont spill and you can see what the heck your doing much easier.

[fyarl666]

Little tip here...a dab of grease on the plastic pin the spring goes over will hold the spring and U shaped bridge in place while reassembling. be careful of that spring falling. its a pain to try and find.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GS450-GS...19994d&vxp=mtr

Uh oh. I don't recall there being a spring on that peg at all. I'll bet that's the key to the whole mess, the peg not contacting the board properly because the spring is gone? I wonder if I didn't drop the damn thing when I first took the lever apart and didn't ever see it??

Not much I can do right now, the bike is in storage until the snow melts enough for me to get to work on it again.

In the mean time, I'll start pulling apart every retractable pen I can find in the hopes that one of the springs will fit over that peg securely enough to use!

[JTGS850GL]

I've used this rebuild kit before with great success.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GS450-GS550-GS750-GS850-GS1000-GS1100-FRONT-BRAKE-SWITCH-/360862816589?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item540519994d&vxp=mtr

It includes everything anyone would need to repair their brake light switch. For $8.65 delivered it's a pretty good deal.

[81ZUKI75]

I would recommend a hydraulic brake switch as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400584422059...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

+2 on the hydraulic switch. I've installed these on both of my GSs now. I wish I had done it on my E-model decades ago

[chuck hahn]

Yes...the spring has to hold the U shaped bridge to the two contact rails or it wont make good contact..if at all. I have used the Ebay ones that I linked to and they are quality kits. I took the pin out of one of the plastic things and used some springy rubber to put there to act as a force to make it connect. This can be a temp fix till you get the kit in. Also note that the U thing has little dogs that snap into the black plastic things sides. You may need to gently spread the U thing out so it stays put..but yet can go in and out a tad..follow me???

[JTGS850GL]

Ahh Chuck, you beat me to the ebay link. Funny that we both used the same link since the seller has many for sale.