Front Brake Lever

[Guest]

I just got pulled over by the police! Apparently, my brake light was not going off (sticking) and the officer wanted to make me aware. The officer was a great guy and biker himself. I am glad he informed me of the issue.

Assessing the front brake lever there is some play and it does work when pulled but is does not go all the way back to the "start" or "original" position.This is causing the light to stay on. I was hoping it was like the clutch and I could tighten the cable but is does not seem to be the case.

How do I tighten/omit the play an the front brake lever?


Bike: 78 GS750

[azr]

It's not the 'play' that is the issue. There is a brass contact and a plastic part with a VERY small spring located underneith the brake reservoir. Look underneath, you'll see it. It needs to be cleaned. Be careful when you take the 2 screws out, the parts in there are very small and have a tendency to bounce out and away. One thing I do is loosen the bolt for the reservoir/brake and turn it around so everything you need to work on is on the 'up' side, if that makes sense.

[CUEagle17]

Thanks for the quick reply. The old brake switch broke last fall and this is a new brake switch I just put on about a month ago. So I know the switch is clean. Is there a spring that aids in pushing the brake lever back to 'original' position?

[azr]

The spring in there goes in the little plastic part. It help the brass parts to make good contact. There is no spring that aids the brake lever to go back, proper brake bleeding and pressure is what does that. If that brake lever isn't going back to the 'start' position properly I'd go back in and make sure that plastic part is where it's supposed to be. I've pulled lots of those apart to find it mangled as it wasn't' put in properly to start with. check that first and then bleed your brakes if you haven't already.

[2BRacing]

Usually the mounting slots for the screws in the brake switch are not round, but elongated, so that the switch can be moved slightly from side to side, to adjust on/off position.

Try loosening the switch and moving it a bit to each side, maybe this will solve your problem. Just make sure the brake light comes on as soon as you start moving the lever.

[eil]

There is no spring that aids the brake lever to go back, proper brake bleeding and pressure is what does that.

Not true! There is a spring, it's inside the master cylinder bore and it's part of the "piston and cup set" that gets replaced when it's time for a brake rebuild. The brake lever should fully retract even with no brake fluid or pressure whatsoever. If it doesn't, that either means it's time for a front MC rebuild (old crusty brake fluid gunk will do this easily), or the holes at the pivot point of the lever have elongated and it's time for a new MC, or lever, or pivot bolt.

[azr]

Not true! There is a spring, it's inside the master cylinder bore and it's part of the "piston and cup set" that gets replaced when it's time for a brake rebuild. The brake lever should fully retract even with no brake fluid or pressure whatsoever. If it doesn't, that either means it's time for a front MC rebuild (old crusty brake fluid gunk will do this easily), or the holes at the pivot point of the lever have elongated and it's time for a new MC, or lever, or pivot bolt.

Always learning something

[bgauweiler]

Did you ever figure out why your brake light switch would not return to the off position, I'm having the same issue after rebuilding my master cylinder?

I just got pulled over by the police! Apparently, my brake light was not going off (sticking) and the officer wanted to make me aware. The officer was a great guy and biker himself. I am glad he informed me of the issue.

Assessing the front brake lever there is some play and it does work when pulled but is does not go all the way back to the "start" or "original" position.This is causing the light to stay on. I was hoping it was like the clutch and I could tighten the cable but is does not seem to be the case.

How do I tighten/omit the play an the front brake lever?


Bike: 78 GS750

[hannibal]

Start with the switch as suggested here.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

See if this helps

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/front_brake_switch_repair.pdf

[bgauweiler]

I actually discovered that the brake lever installed on the bike was missing the notch (circled in red on the image of the correct type of brake lever) needed to push and return the sliding switch correctly. I assume a previous owner installed the wrong lever at some point since 1977...

57420-45010 - Google Search 2018-10-09 18-28-00.jpg

[Steve]

Did you ever figure out why your brake light switch would not return to the off position, ...

Just wondering if you happened to notice that you are asking a question from a poster that has now acquired the status of "Guest" (meaning that he is no longer active), and that the thread is over THREE YEARS OLD???

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