The Ford Barn

coyledad46 · 09-17-2015, 07:20 PM

When I looked to see why the brake light doesn't work,here's what I found.
What is wrong here? Looks strange to me. How is the switch supposed to be hooked up?

KGBnut · 09-17-2015, 08:51 PM

For a '30 that looks about right. If you put a jumper across those two wires does the light come on?

coyledad46 · 09-17-2015, 10:12 PM

Thanks for your reply. A jumper across the two wires does cause the light to come on.
I can't see what would make it activate by pressing on the brake pedal. The rod that sticks out from the switch isn't connected to anything. The end of the rod is flattened and has a hole in it, but nothing is attached. Also the rod points to the rear of the car. What makes it work?

700rpm · 09-17-2015, 10:24 PM

The rod should face forward. It is actuated by another larger rod attached to your brake pedal. That rod has an enlarged flange on it that pushes the switch rod and turns on the light. Hard to tell from your pix, but it looks like your switch is facing the wrong direction.

Charlie Stephens · 09-17-2015, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 700rpm

The rod should face forward. It is actuated by another larger rod attached to your brake pedal. That rod has an enlarged flange on it that pushes the switch rod and turns on the light. Hard to tell from your pix, but it looks like your switch is facing the wrong direction.

Ray,

Are you looking at this on a cell phone? The larger rod attached to the brake pedal is shown in the picture at the upper right. Everything looks fine to me assuming the switch works. If you need a new switch A&L (860-693-0112) sells the best one (of course it costs more but you only have to buy it once).

Charlie Stephens

Flathead · 09-17-2015, 10:51 PM

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That setup is not quite right. Look in a Model A repair book for a picture of the proper switch. It should attach with a two bolt flange at the end of the switch. The brake rod has a special flattened end that contacts the switch plunger. A&L has a good switch, most of the imports are iffy.

midgetracer · 09-17-2015, 11:02 PM

It looks to me like all is hooked up right. Perhaps the brake pedal rod is not letting the switch rod come forward enough. Sometimes the cheap switches need to have the contacts reformed. You can open up the switch by bending the tabs and you will see how it works. The vendor supplied switches are not of the best quality. There is a rod coming out of the front of the switch. it goes through the crossmember and contacts thr rod from the brake pedal that has the mushroomed end.When you push the brake pedal in, the mushroom end goes forward allowing the switch rod (which is spring loaded) to come forward and the contacts in the switch close causing the brake light to come on. If the contacts are not quite making contact, they can be reformed by hand when the switch is opened. Good luck.

harleytoprock · 09-18-2015, 04:11 AM

The switch should have two ears and mounts with two bots to the cross member. The stock switch's plunger is spring preloaded in the on position. When the switch's plunger is pushed in the switch is off. Release the plunger and then the switch is on. The end of the brake pedal rod controls the switch plunger position. Buy a new A&L switch. The end of your brake rod looks odd also. Hard to tell from the pictutres.

Mitch//pa · 09-18-2015, 05:34 AM

agree with Harley on all accounts
your pics are the wrong angles to see things good
your brake rod end looks funny
the switch seems to be some kind of NIP and NEESE replacement, with a different mounting style
get one from A&L they make the best replacement

Patrick L. · 09-18-2015, 10:33 AM

I agree with those that say there is something wrong. More pics would be needed. It appears to me that the brake rod is contacting a mounting bolt and the switch rod is not being touched, but, the working end of the switch rod can't be seen in the pics.

Bob C · 09-18-2015, 11:13 AM

Here are some pictures that may help. The one shows how the switch works
and the other shows how the little hole in the rod is used when the
switch is installed on some AA's.

Bob

KGBnut · 09-18-2015, 09:49 PM

That switch is designed to work on different models in different configurations. You can see that in Bob C's pictures.

In most of the cars, the lever from the pedal presses in the plunger on the switch when in the foot-off-the-pedal/brakes off/light off position. When you step on the pedal, the plunger is released and the light comes on.

Your switch may have gone bad. The reproduction switches are not great. If yours is an original, I would recommend that you try to repair it. They are only held together by some folded metal tabs. Remove the switch, bend out the tabs and open it up. The mechanism is fairly simple. Once you open it up, it shouldn't be too difficult to diagnose.

Ken

coyledad46 · 09-19-2015, 12:48 AM

Thanks for all your suggestions. It turned out that the plunger on the switch was bent. Also, the rod from the brake pedal was bent between the eye where the clevis pin fits and the mushroom-shaped end. I straightened them both and the stop light works. Not as smoothly as I would like, but maybe with a little more adjustment and possibly a brake pedal return spring it will work better. Thanks again.

09-17-2015, 08:51 PM	#2
KGBnut Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southwestern Connecticut Posts: 931	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question For a '30 that looks about right. If you put a jumper across those two wires does the light come on? __________________ Style beats speed any day, and with a lot fewer tickets.

09-17-2015, 10:12 PM	#3
coyledad46 Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Pleasanton, Ca Posts: 48	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question Thanks for your reply. A jumper across the two wires does cause the light to come on. I can't see what would make it activate by pressing on the brake pedal. The rod that sticks out from the switch isn't connected to anything. The end of the rod is flattened and has a hole in it, but nothing is attached. Also the rod points to the rear of the car. What makes it work?

09-17-2015, 10:24 PM	#4
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,906	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question The rod should face forward. It is actuated by another larger rod attached to your brake pedal. That rod has an enlarged flange on it that pushes the switch rod and turns on the light. Hard to tell from your pix, but it looks like your switch is facing the wrong direction. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

09-17-2015, 10:51 PM	#6
Flathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 1,498	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) That setup is not quite right. Look in a Model A repair book for a picture of the proper switch. It should attach with a two bolt flange at the end of the switch. The brake rod has a special flattened end that contacts the switch plunger. A&L has a good switch, most of the imports are iffy.

09-17-2015, 11:02 PM	#7
midgetracer Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bismarck ND Posts: 1,189	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question It looks to me like all is hooked up right. Perhaps the brake pedal rod is not letting the switch rod come forward enough. Sometimes the cheap switches need to have the contacts reformed. You can open up the switch by bending the tabs and you will see how it works. The vendor supplied switches are not of the best quality. There is a rod coming out of the front of the switch. it goes through the crossmember and contacts thr rod from the brake pedal that has the mushroomed end.When you push the brake pedal in, the mushroom end goes forward allowing the switch rod (which is spring loaded) to come forward and the contacts in the switch close causing the brake light to come on. If the contacts are not quite making contact, they can be reformed by hand when the switch is opened. Good luck.

09-18-2015, 04:11 AM	#8
harleytoprock Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 438	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question The switch should have two ears and mounts with two bots to the cross member. The stock switch's plunger is spring preloaded in the on position. When the switch's plunger is pushed in the switch is off. Release the plunger and then the switch is on. The end of the brake pedal rod controls the switch plunger position. Buy a new A&L switch. The end of your brake rod looks odd also. Hard to tell from the pictutres.

09-18-2015, 05:34 AM	#9
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question agree with Harley on all accounts your pics are the wrong angles to see things good your brake rod end looks funny the switch seems to be some kind of NIP and NEESE replacement, with a different mounting style get one from A&L they make the best replacement

09-18-2015, 10:33 AM	#10
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question I agree with those that say there is something wrong. More pics would be needed. It appears to me that the brake rod is contacting a mounting bolt and the switch rod is not being touched, but, the working end of the switch rod can't be seen in the pics.

09-18-2015, 09:49 PM	#12
KGBnut Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southwestern Connecticut Posts: 931	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question That switch is designed to work on different models in different configurations. You can see that in Bob C's pictures. In most of the cars, the lever from the pedal presses in the plunger on the switch when in the foot-off-the-pedal/brakes off/light off position. When you step on the pedal, the plunger is released and the light comes on. Your switch may have gone bad. The reproduction switches are not great. If yours is an original, I would recommend that you try to repair it. They are only held together by some folded metal tabs. Remove the switch, bend out the tabs and open it up. The mechanism is fairly simple. Once you open it up, it shouldn't be too difficult to diagnose. Ken __________________ Style beats speed any day, and with a lot fewer tickets.

09-19-2015, 12:48 AM	#13
coyledad46 Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Pleasanton, Ca Posts: 48	Re: 1930 coupe stop light question Thanks for all your suggestions. It turned out that the plunger on the switch was bent. Also, the rod from the brake pedal was bent between the eye where the clevis pin fits and the mushroom-shaped end. I straightened them both and the stop light works. Not as smoothly as I would like, but maybe with a little more adjustment and possibly a brake pedal return spring it will work better. Thanks again.