brake light switch

4

42merc/ma

Junior Member
Is there a Harley Davidson brake light switch that works in old Fords. I am useing silicone fluid, regular switches don't last very long. Thanks
 
I just ordered a switch from Ron Francis. The connections are different but I can hopefully adapt to them. Thanks for helping.
 
I have been having problems with the brake light switch on my 47- V8 as I am using silicon brake fluid so I purchased Harley Davidson Part no MC-SLS2 brake switch which has spade terminals as silicon brake fluid is used in Harley Davidson bikes.
 
Sort of related but not exactly - In October 2011 Harley Davidson issued a recall for over 250,000 touring, CVO and trike models for a problem with the brake light switch being exposed to excessive heat from the exhaust and causing it to fail.
 
Clem, what sort of brake switch do you use now with Dot 5 brake fluid? What I am concerned about with the Harley Davidson switch, I wonder if it carry the amount of current that is required for the V8 stoplights.
 
I have used HD switches for years using Dot 5, with no problems, but I found out the newer ones were for a higher pressure system and my brake lights would not come on during most of my stops but would work when I pushed hard on the pedal. Put the Ron Francis low pressure switch on and have not had any problems. HD must have changed switches because I had one on a 40 sedan 20 plus years ago and it worked fine.
 
I had a Harley switch fail after a number of years. I dissected it to find out what happened. It turned out to be fluid leaked past the diaphragm and caused hydraulic lock not letting it make the connections. The contacts looked heavy enough to handle the current of the bulbs and showed no major pitting at the contact points.
 
I started out riding a 1977 74 CID electraglide that had DOT 3 from the factory and it is still working fine. I later purchased a 1981 80 CID electraglide with DOT 5 from the factory and I've replaced several switches on it. The last switch I purchased is the longest lasting one so far. Maybe they changed materials somewhere in there and got it right but I wouldn't know one way or the other. Most of this stuff is made in Mexico or Taiwan now so maybe I just got lucky.
 
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The Harley switch I have just fitted to the V8 from a Harley dealer has been made in Great Britain, and ditributed by Standard Motor products Inc, Long Island City, N.Y.
 
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