April 19, 2008
Brake Light Switch
I managed to remember to pick up a brake light switch for the 851 at PJ's when I returned the 750 (a tale for another post). The terminal set up on the new switch was a little different than the old one, but it looked like the holes were in the right place.
This morning, it was off with the old and on the with the new. I noticed in the box the new switch arrived in a small plastic cylinder. Not knowing what it could possibly be, I left in the box. I replaced the switch, but the same symptom appeared (brake light mostly on). So I decided to see if perhaps the switch could be installed wrong way around. Looking behind the lever, I saw a small plastic circle that the lever pressed against to activate the switch. Aha! The cylinder! The white plastic one that came off the bike was substantially misshapen. I got a piece of baling wire behind the lever just enough to make the cylinder grabbable with my finger tips. Once I put the new black one, all worked just fine. Problem solved.
Posted by Underblog at 7:39 PM | TrackBack
April 14, 2008
Brake Light
During the last couple of group rides, someone has told me that my brake light appeared to have been sticking. Yesterday, while the irrigation was finishing up, I finally confirmed the fact. I began by doing a visual check of the switches. Then I looked at the wires for shorts. The wires are not perfect, but there was no visual evidence of wear per se. I removed a side panel and the passenger lid and figured out how the whole lens / tail-light / cover system works, and managed to get it off without breaking anything. Once that assembly was off, I removed the zip tie holding a bundle of wires together in order to look for shorts.
Each time I would take something off and replace it, I would turn on the ignition to see if the brake light was still on. It was. Finally, I disconnected the front brake switch from the brake lever assembly and operated the switch. It worked! Plunged in was off, "default" was on. I reasoned that if I could press the switch closer to the assembly while tightening it down, it might last long enough for me to get a replacement switch. The first time I put the thing back together the switch would not operate, but after blowing air at the switch it appears to operate more reliably. So for the time being, all is well.
When I pick up the 750 Sport, wearing her newly-coated exhaust, I will put in an order for a brake light switch. Hopefully, these are a standard item.