Brake lights stuck on

[Akhenaten]

From: daved27c  (Original Message)
Sent: 7/15/2004 7:46 PM

Hi guys;

When I got the Titanic home from Dad's the other day the brake lights stuck on. I tried pulling on the pedal, but they were still on. I even unplugged what I think is the brake light switch, but the lights are still on. I had to pull the bulbs. Any Ideas???

Dave



From: HeavyHaulTrucker
Sent: 7/16/2004 1:02 AM

Sounds like you have a battery+ wire shorting to the brake wiring somewhere down-line of the brake switch.  If the key was off, and the lights were still on even after you pulled the plug, that seems like the only answer.

John



From: denison
Sent: 7/16/2004 7:25 AM

I will assume you got the brake switch unplugged - mine is mounted under the floor next to the master cylinder -- in a location easy to reach after the tire is removed.
But the circuit for the brake lights also goes via the turn signals and flashers, inside the column.
Its also possible you have a short in the wiring harness that runs next to the engine on the drivers side, and real close to the manifold. I hope you have a heat shield on that side. They were made with one, but it gets left off, being darn hard to work around or to reinstall.



From: spudboy
Sent: 7/16/2004 10:44 AM

I have the opposite problem: Somewhere between the stop switch and my brake lights the bundle of wires is severed.

I fixed all, but the #$%@ brake signal wire by running new wires from the rear to the front coming up through the floor board main cable. This was partly necessary since PO had completely screwed up the wiring at the dash. Thought I had them all fixed when I had the flashers and turn signals working, but last trip, a passerby pointed the middle finger at my beloved Spudmobile and confirmed I had no brake lights. Of course I spaced this out until today, when I am getting ready for a short run, and have to take the afternoon to fix this problem.

-Spudboy (the procrastinator)



From: DaveVa78Chieftain
Sent: 7/16/2004 1:28 PM

Spudboy,
Original design merged the break and flasher circuits in the turn signal switch.  This gives you a combined stop/turn system (same bulb element used for both).   Newer vehicles typically have the split turn (stop red, turn amber). that uses seperate bulbs.   Your description implies someone changed your system over to the split system.  If that is not the case, then if both turn signals work, then the problem has to be either the brake light switch (or power to it ie fuse), wiring up to the turn signal switch, or the turn signal switch.  All wiring from the turn signal switch out to the bulbs is common.  In other words, if turn signals work, it's not the wiring back to the bulbs.

Dave

 

From: AlienImpulse
Sent: 7/16/2004 6:55 PM

I also had this problem, but all I had to do was to install a new brake pedel return spring....guess I got lucky!



From: nailhead
Sent: 8/8/2004 11:47 PM

I had the same problem and found sound ridiculous sideways double spring thing mounted on the inside near the floor in front of the column.  I messed with it every day for a week or so, then went out and bought an aftermarcket cylinder-with-spring-loaded-button-tipped thing and mounted it on a bracket above the brake pedal, ran wires from the fuse box, through the switch, to new wires I ran down the frame rails inside of some 5/8 vacuum tube, to two separate new bolted on brake lights I put just below original lights.  Yes I'm lazy and have no regard for factory original.  But I also have brake lights now.  If there's any rear shots in my photo album, you can note the "extra" tail lights (Aerocube)



From: daved27c
Sent: 8/9/2004 12:44 AM

Thanks for all the input. What I thought was the brake light switch, wasn't. I still don't know what the switch on the bottom of the master cylinder is for. The brake light switch(on top of the master cylinder) was replaced and the brake lights are working. The Dodge switch is impossible to find, so I had to make a GM switch fit. Nailhead(Matt) In your member survey you mention that you are from Long..Giland. You also mentioned Binghamton (home of Rick). Have you heard of the.....NECWJ2. (Yes, I know this is another shameless plug for the Jamboree, and I don't care). We are having a get together on October 14-17, in Lake George. If you could attend it would be great.

Dave



From: HeavyHaulTrucker
Sent: 8/10/2004 10:56 PM

Nailhead, do you have the Perfect Circle cruise control on your Winnie?  What you described sounds suspiciously like the deceleration switch used on it.

John
 


From: nailhead
Sent: 8/12/2004 10:52 PM

Cruise Control??  nope, I have four drum brakes, non-power assisted mind you, no power steering, no air conditioning.  It's a bare bones '68 drivetrain of an F-150 that Winnebago dropped there box on top of.  Cruise control is a heavy rock on the accelerator which, when applied, never threatens the 65 mph barrier assuming level gound and no tail wind.  The tin plate with some stats stamped into it quotes the in line six pushing 139 hp, back when stats represented the tail of the crank and not at the rubber. 

At any rate, the switch on the bottom of the master cylinder is probably the brake warning light switch.  And for the record, I live on Long Island but spent the first 24 years upstate... I'll never be one of these people down here ouitside of the zip code.
Best wishes with the rigs, I can't make Lake George this year but hope to make some events next year.  Enjoy.