Hand brake activates stop light

Doctor's Ford

Doctor's Ford

Senior Member
I tested the emergency brake handle that I just installed on my 33 Tudor and noticed that when I activate the hand brake the stop light switch turns on. At the time the handle is engaged the brake foot pedal gets depressed and remains there with the stop lights on. I can cancel the stop light switch activation if I hold the foot pedal upwards with my hands. I strongly suspect there must be some type of spring that I am missing that will return the foot pedal to the upright position when the hand brake is set.

Please look at the setting of my mechanical brakes shown on the photos. I understand that when the stop light switch plunger is depressed the switch circuit is open(resting position) and the stop lights turned off.

What do I need to do to prevent activation of the stop light when using the emergency brake? Thanks for your input

Manuel
 

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Is the return spring connected to you brake pedal? I see a spring in the photos, but can't tell what it is connect to or if it is connected correctly.
 
I know VERY little about '33's. I thought the brake switch was operated from a pad on the brake pedal. If I am reading the pictures right you are operating the switch from the linkage further back in the brake system. If I am right getting the correct switch and putting it in the correct location would solve your problem.

Charlie Stephens
 
Me too--


QUOTE=petehoovie;1221362]I had this same problem after the break pedal return spring broke on my '34....[/QUOTE]
 
JSeery said:
Is the return spring connected to you brake pedal? I see a spring in the photos, but can't tell what it is connect to or if it is connected correctly.
Click to expand...

Is this the large spring around the cross shaft (equalizer)? Where is it attached to? A diagram will be very helpful if available.


Charlie Stephens said:
I know VERY little about '33's. I thought the brake switch was operated from a pad on the brake pedal. If I am reading the pictures right you are operating the switch from the linkage further back in the brake system. If I am right getting the correct switch and putting it in the correct location would solve your problem.
Charlie Stephens
Click to expand...


This is a RHD car and the switch is not operated from the brake pedal but further back as shown on the photo. You can see a round plate just in front of the switch plunger for this purpose.
 
Pull the pedal all the way back, does is stay there? Now push the pedal down an inch or two and release it, does it return to the original position? If all this checks out that spring should be ok, if not you most likely need to change it or install one. I really not sure on the right hand cars how the return spring is setup. Need some of the guys from down under to chime in.
 
JSeery said:
Pull the pedal all the way back, does is stay there? Now push the pedal down an inch or two and release it, does it return to the original position? If all this checks out that spring should be ok, if not you most likely need to change it or install one. I really not sure on the right hand cars how the return spring is setup. Need some of the guys from down under to chime in.
Click to expand...


It depends on whether the hand brake is engaged or not. When it is not engaged and I push the pedal one or two inches and then release, it returns quickly to the original position. But when the emergency brake is connected the pedal goes down by itself and when I pull it upwards it does not stay there. It becomes completely loose and floppy.

Again, are you talking about the large spring around the cross shaft?
 
Roy had excellent reproductions (likely better than originals), however I believe that he no longer reproduces them. You may give him a call to see. If he doesn't message me as we still have a couple in stock. Fred Wilner at Southside Obsolete likely does as well.
 
Manuel,

I don't have access to my '33-'34 Ford of Canada chassis parts catalogue at the present time so I can't verify if the subject spring is the same for both LHD and RHD applications. For what it is worth, on a '32 they are not the same. The overall length is the same, but the orientation of the hooked ends is different. If they are different on '33-'34s, it is highly unlikely that anyone has reproduced the RHD version (whose part number would be 40F-2456) and finding a usable original may be a real challenge. You may end up having to use some generic spring from a hardware supplier.
 
For the USA cars they look like this 2.4" for the brake and 2.9" for the clutch pedal on the left.
 

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Had the same problem with my '35 Cabriolet. Removed the floor pans and discovered the brake return spring was missing. Used a generic spring from the hardware store and the pedal now returns all the time without setting off the brake light. Stan.
 
Terry's helpful photo suggests that the RHD spring might not be different as the hooked end at the front of the spring is on the left side of the coils which would not interfere with the arm on the pedal, assuming that the hole for the rear end of the spring in the cross member is on the right side of the center line of the pedal (front to back).
 
I forgot the car was RHD. Manual, PM your address and I will send one out to you. Hopefully a LHD variation will suit you needs.
 
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