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Front stoplight switch

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Old Oct 22, 2017 | 09:52 PM
  #1  
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Default Front stoplight switch

The front stoplight on my '07 King seems very sensitive. Comes on with just a very slight pull on the lever. When the lever hasn't been used for a few seconds, it's OK, but right after a brake actuation,you barely hafta touch it again for it to come on. Had it in service once before for another issue & asked them to check it. Tech said it's coming on where it should, but I always worry that it's gonna get to a point where it will stay on. Just seems too close for comfort. I remember my '05 NightTrain you hadda pull the lever almost to the stop to get it to come on. Anyone else have this issue, if it indeed IS an issue? Maybe I'm just being paranoid?
Nice thing about Jappers was you could always adjust the stoplight switch fore & aft. Don't think Davidsons have an adjustment, unless it's a shim of some sort that you fabricate, or maybe a drop of JB weld on the lever to close the switch sooner.
 

Last edited by dickey; Oct 22, 2017 at 09:55 PM.
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Old Oct 22, 2017 | 10:34 PM
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I was fiddling around with my controls a few years ago and that is when I found out it works sort of opposite of what is expected.

I will try my best to shorten a really long story.

If your brake lever is removed, or rotated out of the way, the button on the switch is poking out which causes the brake light to be on all the time.

What this means is when you squeeze the brake lever, the button is released which completes the brake light circuit. Most people think that pressing the button completes the circuit but that is incorrect.

Does your brake lever have any slop in it or worn bushing on the pivot? A worn pivot bushing could cause the problem you describe.

Kind of weird. A legitimate technical question from Dickey.
 
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Old Oct 23, 2017 | 05:42 AM
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If your able to deal with wiring at all, it is a simple, fast, fix.

Sounds like the button enclosure is starting to crack, allowing the button to get pushed up to far.

New switch online is like $12.00.

Pull the throttle housing and button casing off. Cut the wire as close to the old switch as possible, and remove it. Put the new switch in, then solder and shrink wrap them.

Switch is a normally closed circuit, meaning it causes the light to go on, when the circuit is opened.
 
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Old Oct 23, 2017 | 06:29 AM
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Dicky I had the same problem on my Road King, a couple or three years ago. It finally got to the point that any little bump in the road would turn my brake light on and cut my cruse control off. I finally had enough of that garbage and got my Indy to fix it. He took my front master cylinder apart and stretched out the spring that pushes the piston out, and voila no more problems. My Indy also told me that, that spring was was very weak from the factory.
 
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Old Oct 23, 2017 | 07:16 AM
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On my 07, the brake light was flickering and sometimes staying on. Return spring in your front master cyl gets weak. Installed a Mcyl rebuild kit, all good now. Flushed out front and rear brakes with new fluid while I was at it.
 
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Old Oct 23, 2017 | 07:23 AM
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I agree with the above posts that a master cyl. overhaul is in your future.
 
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