I own and drive a 1980 VW Westy Vanagon and the brake lights have stopped working. Trough my research and testing I have concluded they are both bad...(why is there two???) but anyway do you folks have a recommendation on where I can purchase these that are the highest quality and low failure rate? I've seen many available trough e-bay and other online sellers but they all look the same, but that doesn't always mean they are...you know what I mean.
Also, when I remove them will I introduce air into my brake lines then? (it looks that way) I could use to rid the old fluid from the lines but I'm a loner and don't get much help from anyone other than me....I guess I could use a one man brake bleeder valve right?
Anyway, thanks for the response.
Question about brake switches
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fusername
- Posts: 6806
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:26 am
Re: Question about brake switches
they sell valves that replace the bleeder screws that have a built in one way valve, so you just loosen em, pop in the drivers seat and pump the pedal, and it will get the air out wihtou t letting any more in. nice and easy, a good investment for the one man garage.
as for brake light switches, don't go to the dealer, they leak, and some other brands pop the plastic right out. there have been a boat load of failures with brakelight switches in the past 2 years. I would buy 4, two of each brand you can find, install one of each. whichever doesn't fail, keep. Its bad but its the state of things. Heck I removed all the new switches from my car and put the original 35 year old ones back in. I trust em more.
there are two so you know if one circuit fails and theo ther doesnt.
as for brake light switches, don't go to the dealer, they leak, and some other brands pop the plastic right out. there have been a boat load of failures with brakelight switches in the past 2 years. I would buy 4, two of each brand you can find, install one of each. whichever doesn't fail, keep. Its bad but its the state of things. Heck I removed all the new switches from my car and put the original 35 year old ones back in. I trust em more.
there are two so you know if one circuit fails and theo ther doesnt.
give a man a watch and he'll allways know what time it is. give him two and he can never be sure again.
Things are rarely just crazy enough to work, but they're frequently just crazy enough to fail hilariously.
Things are rarely just crazy enough to work, but they're frequently just crazy enough to fail hilariously.
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Marc
- Moderator
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- Joined: Thu May 23, 2002 12:01 am
Re: Question about brake switches
There are two switches because it's a dual-circuit brake system - a failure in either half won't cause a loss of all braking as it could in pre`67 single-circuit systems. Having two switches in parallel keeps the brakelights functional in the event of a hydraulic failure, and by the clever use of dual-throw switches power will feed back through the idle one and give you a warning light on the dash (IMO if you need a light to tell you you're brakes aren't right you shouldn't be driving, but the light is mandated by US law).
You'll find similar switches on many later-model VW and Audi watercooled cars, which have a high-mounted master cylinder that's easy to access - like fusername, I trust OEM switches over any replacements now on the market, so I get mine at the local dismantler's.
If you work quickly the switches can be swapped with no loss of fluid or introduction of a significant amount of air, and a small bubble in the M/C should find its own way up and out to the reservoir above - it's very rare to need any bleeding after switch replacement.
You'll find similar switches on many later-model VW and Audi watercooled cars, which have a high-mounted master cylinder that's easy to access - like fusername, I trust OEM switches over any replacements now on the market, so I get mine at the local dismantler's.
If you work quickly the switches can be swapped with no loss of fluid or introduction of a significant amount of air, and a small bubble in the M/C should find its own way up and out to the reservoir above - it's very rare to need any bleeding after switch replacement.
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WestyPop
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 11:26 am
Re: Question about brake switches
Hate to be a jerk here, but if the master cylinder sections are still good, then you can just go to your FLAPS and get a mechanical brake light switch (listed on the counter idiot's computer screen as a "stoplight switch") that is mounted on or near the brake pedal and is actuated (in cab) by pedal movement, rather than changes in hydraulic pressure. No brake fluid mess at all!
Seems like the last brake light switch bastardization I did (to one of my watercooled VWs) utilized a $4 switch, #DR496, from AutoZoo. At that point, spliced into the OG brake light wiring, and properly adjusted to energize the brake lights at the slightest brake pedal movement, you're back on the road & can pick your best time(s) to peruse the boneyards, or even buy new switches, if you dare.
Places like NAPA will probably have paper catalogs also. A personal favorite is Standard Motor Products; online at http://www.standardbrand.com/Online%20C ... ntent.aspx# Type in "SLS" for their StopLight Switch section, and browse around for several that look workable, then check around for best prices.
As for the DOT requirement... they probably won't catch you, but it would be nice to get it all working, when you have time. And, buy some sort of one-person pressurized brake bleeder, for those time when no one's around to pump the pedal. Just sayin'...
J.R.
'68 Westy
(+ others)
Seems like the last brake light switch bastardization I did (to one of my watercooled VWs) utilized a $4 switch, #DR496, from AutoZoo. At that point, spliced into the OG brake light wiring, and properly adjusted to energize the brake lights at the slightest brake pedal movement, you're back on the road & can pick your best time(s) to peruse the boneyards, or even buy new switches, if you dare.
Places like NAPA will probably have paper catalogs also. A personal favorite is Standard Motor Products; online at http://www.standardbrand.com/Online%20C ... ntent.aspx# Type in "SLS" for their StopLight Switch section, and browse around for several that look workable, then check around for best prices.
As for the DOT requirement... they probably won't catch you, but it would be nice to get it all working, when you have time. And, buy some sort of one-person pressurized brake bleeder, for those time when no one's around to pump the pedal. Just sayin'...
J.R.
'68 Westy
(+ others)
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Marc
- Moderator
- Posts: 23741
- Joined: Thu May 23, 2002 12:01 am
Re: Question about brake switches
It's easy to rig a mechanical switch on a car with suspended pedals, but when they come up through the floor like they do on a bus there's just no elegant way to do it inside the car - you'd need to drop the splash pan and fabricate something "downstairs", the project could end up taking even longer than simply replacing the stock switches...