Where's the stop light on front brake?

[knotzilla]

I spent a few hours on my front brake switch, sanding contacts, elongating spring and mounting holes, etc.. I finally got it to work but it was pain. Not engineered very well. When it stops working next time and yes there will probaly be a next time, I'm going to get a hydraulic activated unit. Ted

[5RON5]

Hay ya TED;
Where can I get one if I have to get one now? Or what do I look for besides a hydraulic switch? I mean, is there anything special I should ask for to fit my bike? A '79 GS750? Do ya know?

[kalessin]

Read this thread if you want to buy a hydraulic front brake switch:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=74878

The part you want is on this page at Dennis Kirk; you want to order the one with the 1.0mm thread pitch, which is part number 21-0370:

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=210370&store=Main&productId=p210370

[5RON5]

Good deal! Got it! $25 including shipping. Maybe I'll see if I can fix the old one while I'm waiting. Thanks for the right part # location & where to get it. Relief! Ron.,.

[Boondocks]

ok i just went and took the switch out, cleaned all the connection points , and shot a lil chain oil into the unit. I HAVE BREAK LIGHTS when i use the front break now. but for some reason the back have stoped working any suggestions on where to look?

Please excuse me if I'm just stating the obvious, but are you sure that the brake light is turning off when the front brake lever is released? If the front brake switch is adjusted too close to the released lever, it may stay on all the time. This would make it appear that the rear brake switch is not working, when in reality it may be working but the brake light is already activated by the front brake switch. The change in intensity of the tail light due to the brake light may not be easy to see in daylight from the side of the bike.

[Rilla]

LOL no ... im sure the brake light lights up when i squeeze and turn off when i release. im sure the back BL isnt working. i even played with the switch under the side pannel. cant figure it out. anyone have a step by step for this project?

[tfb]

Aside from the excellent suggestion of fitting a hydraulic switch, another solution is to get another master cylinder + brake lever assembly, which will have a reliable switch unit incorporated. I'm using a GPz Kawasaki item, fits perfectly on my Kat1100's 'clip on' style handlebars, and has a well-designed weather proof switch.

However you go about it, in my opinion you've just got to ditch that old brake switch assembly. Your life depends upon it, but the switch is not dependable in the slightest. In fact, it's about as trustworthy as Wile E. Coyote -- whom you can only trust to do one thing: FAIL! 8-[

Mike.

[kalessin]

Aside from the excellent suggestion of fitting a hydraulic switch, another solution is to get another master cylinder + brake lever assembly, which will have a reliable switch unit incorporated. I'm using a GPz Kawasaki item, fits perfectly on my Kat1100's 'clip on' style handlebars, and has a well-designed weather proof switch.

However you go about it, in my opinion you've just got to ditch that old brake switch assembly. Your life depends upon it, but the switch is not dependable in the slightest. In fact, it's about as trustworthy as Wile E. Coyote -- whom you can only trust to do one thing: FAIL! 8-[

Heh. The OEM replacement switch should be good for a decade or two. It's really not that bad.

One easy thing to check is make sure that the switch is getting power! Trace its wires back, they should end up somewhere near the battery, plugged in with "bullet" connectors. The wires on my 1100 are dark green with an orange stripe for the switch, but yours will probably vary.

[tconroy]

i have a 81 GS 850 and have the same prob. when ever i stop in traffic, i make sure im using my rear brake. thats the only way i can get the light to work. so im asking the same question....." Is that normal or is something messed up?" If messed up should i be paying attention to the conversation about that switch behind the head light?

Yoou can get a new one complete with wire to hook it up from suzuki for only 20 bucks.It just plugs in behin the headlight.Go to www.bikebandit.com and look it up in the right hand lever schematic.

[5RON5]

Joel;
Funny you should say that. I have just been in that section, handling wires & messing around & unplugged those wires. Now, after you mentioned that, I remember that I don't remember if I even re-hooked them back up or not! Can ya imagine that? I never would have thought about that, if you hadn't mentioned it now. Thank god! I bet they are not connected! It's just now starting to rain here, so I will check tomorrow. I am grateful for your post! I hope I didn't hook 'em back up now. Thanks. Ron..

[tconroy]

LOL no ... im sure the brake light lights up when i squeeze and turn off when i release. im sure the back BL isnt working. i even played with the switch under the side pannel. cant figure it out. anyone have a step by step for this project?

It your little plunger assembly thats hooked up to your back brake lever.You can get a new one for 15 bucks from bike bandit.Or pull the top cover off of the one you have and see if its corroded.They do stick with dirt in them and they are easy to clean or replace.

[Boondocks]

At Cycle-Re-Cycle in the brake parts section you can get new brake light switches, $8.95 for the front and $6.95 for a rear switch.

[5RON5]

Well, found it! Right where you said it was, by the battery! Now mine works! At least it does kind'a! I noticed that when I put the front brake on, it does come on, but from the reflection I can see, it's dimming some while it's on. When I put the brake on, & off, it works, but it doesn't come on exactly at the same second as the brake does. I mean it isn't instantaneous! And tends to dim some when on for over a couple'a seconds. Like it does have a short in there. I saw where they were $8.95 for the front one's. Mine worked all right before I took it apart. And yesterday on my jont around for about 30 minutes, I dumped it on that side when I hit some "unnoticable" loose gravel! Screwed up my right side mirror & pride some. HA! I left my seat in the middle of the road too, so I could get the bike outt'a the middle of the street. I am limping a 'lil. But get t his. When I got back home, I really dumped it over! Right in front of where i park it. But I had no room to move it where I usually do, & I dropped it again on the same side! I am telling you this because I noticed NO brake pressure on that front brake! So I looked at the M.C to see if it needed fluid. It only needed a 'lil, so I put it in & re-bled it. I still only have about 1/2 handle, again. And I checked the brake light to see if it hurt it any & it still does what I described, w/on & off light! I think my options are to either replace it or check it by taking it apart & cleaning it real good, huh? Well, that's my story about brake lights for today! Maybe I'll just order another one. I still have to clean my screen & change the oil & filter too! Thanks for the prices & reminding me that I did probably disconnect my own connections there by the battery! Ron..

[GS550joe]

front/rear brake lights

On my 78 550 I switched the swing arm assembly from drum to disc brake setup... it took me a while to set the rear switch to work... and when I replaced the front m/c .. I lost the clip and spring out of the removed switch because I was gonna be smart and trade the switches out ... I got mine fixed and then I had no front light... had to reposition the slider to fit in the notch of the lever.... I am really considering the hydraulic banjo bolts... need to service the brakes sometime.. small price to pay for more reliable system setup. BTW 5RON5... how is Ventura county this year??? I grew up in South Ventura (Oxnard)..

[5RON5]

Hay Joe! Your kidding! So did I! I'm probably a bit older than you are, but, yes, Ventura has been a 'lil cool & has been raining the last couple'a weeks. Real over cast now & will be for a few more. This probably isn't the place to talk about where we live, but you can PM me if ya want to. Did ya get your light to work yet? Mine is about 1/2 way. Kind'a gets dim if I leave it on to long. I can imagine what it looks like when I'm riding it. Yea, you'll have to email me or PM me about where ya grew up at. I went to E.O Green Jr hi the very first yr it was open, & Hueneme HI for awhile too! Really good hearing from somebody that knows a 'lil something about something from where I'm at. MAke since? This site seems so far away from anybody, that my eyes fell open when I saw your post! HA! So anyway, like to hear from ya. Ron...
P.S. South Ventura=5 points! HA!