Brake light switch???

Noticed tonight that my pressure activated brake light switch on my 66 Midget has given up. Are the new ones any good?? I fitted a new one to my MGA and it would only activate when you stood on the brakes. Spridgets require standing on the brakes all the time and the one for the 66 is a little different. Sooo, has anyone had experience with the new pressure activated switch and how did you like it?
I made up a pedal operated switch for the MGA. Should I do the same for the midget??

Kurt.

When I bought my Bugeye 8 years ago the pressure switch was bad (I drove it from California to Colorado with no brake lights!). I immediately ordered one from Moss or VB and it worked well for about a year or so. I then ordered 2 more (so I would have a spare) and that one has lasted me ever since. I still have that spare one though, so I'm prepared for when it finally gives up the ghost.

To answer your question.....I think the quality is hit or miss. It might last a month or it might last 10 years....just depends, I guess.

I've had dicey results with current products. One failed in less than a year, and the second replacement leaked through the insulation between the terminals. There are two different construction styles, one riveted terminals, one has spades that pass through the insulator. I think the one with the riveted terminals is better. 3rd one has been fine so far, but it's only a few months old. This was on a Jag, but it's the same switch. They seem to notoriously fail when in use with silicone fluid. I've recently ordered one (to be installed this week) for a Morris Minor. This one has the rivets. We'll see how this one holds up this time.

The one that Moss offers has spade's and I don't know if they are riveted or not. The stock one on my 66 has a couple of little flat topped connectors and the wire connection's come in from the side. These are available on line so I may go that way but the idea of rigging a switch on the pedal is becoming more appealing! At least the brake lights come on a little sooner than having to build pressure in the system first.

Kurt.

As Gerard mentioned, there are plenty of discussions on the web about hydraulic switch failure when used with DOT-5 brake fluid. If you have switched to DOT-5 brake fluid you are certainly justified in making a pedal box adapter to use the mechanical brake light switch. On the Triumph part of the board a number of people have used the brake light switch from a BMW-2002 instead of the Lucas or Lucas replacement mechanical switches. The BMW part (both OEM and Airtex replacement) are of largely metal construction and well made. The best prices on those switches are typically at Rock Auto.

Well, Doug, I decided to give the hydraulic another chance and have one coming from Summit. They claim to guarantee it. We'll see. It wouldn't be hard to make up a bracket to act off the push rod on the dual master. BTW, this car is Dot 4 while my 65 Datsun powered car is Dot 5 and its original pressure switch is still good. I'm blaming the failure of this one on locking up all four wheel's the other day to avoid a deer. Sliding all four is possible!!

Kurt.

You can get a brake-light switch at your local parts store, and you may find something of higher quality. As long as the fitting uses a standard American/English pipe thread, not the older BSP thread, it should be fine. Your later cars almost certainly apply; not sure about the MGA. My TD uses the modern threads though; go figure.

To get around this problem, I'm using a relay for the brake lights. I'm also using DOT3 fluid. None of this really matters, since TD brakes don't work anyway.

Sarastro said:

To get around this problem, I'm using a relay for the brake lights. I'm also using DOT3 fluid. None of this really matters, since TD brakes don't work anyway.

Click to expand...

My first British car was a TC.....the TD had to work better than it.

Kurt.

The TD brakes are so bad I halfway expect the car to go faster when I step on them. Are they better than the TC? Maybe, but that's not saying much. I've never driven a TC, so I can't compare them.

The TC was a long time ago and I really don't remember it stopping all that bad. Brakes were tiny though and in those day's a lot of vehicles didn't stop to well. We gave people more room. The TD pretty much went to the suspention that the MGA first had so I would expect the brake's to have been quite a bit better.

Kurt.