• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

after installing auxilliary brake lights...

  • Thread starter Thread starter ShirleySerious
  • Start date Start date
S

ShirleySerious

Guest
I just bought a couple LED strips to use as auxiliary brake lights on my '78 GS550E. I tested them by wiring each of them directly to the battery. They passed, so I wired them serially and hooked the positive wire to a 3 way connector to the white wire that connects to the brake light. My Clymer manual said this white wire is the stop signal wire. I then screwed the exposed black wire into a screw that grounds.

I turned the key to ON then tried pressing the brake light to activate it. To my surprise, the brake lights were already lit up, without even pressing the brake. Then I tried squeezing the front brake in rapid succession to see if that would work. It would go blink once for approx. 3 squeezes. I think that my front brake light switch is at fault, since I've had problems with it before.

Regarding the stop switch, what is the best way to get everything in so nothing falls? Every time I open the switch case, everything falls out and I have a hard time keeping it in. Should I just get a new one, or clean the copper off and try it again? Anyone else have trouble with this?
 
ShirleySerious said:
I just bought a couple LED strips to use as auxiliary brake lights on my '78 GS550E. I tested them by wiring each of them directly to the battery. They passed, so I wired them serially and hooked the positive wire to a 3 way connector to the white wire that connects to the brake light. My Clymer manual said this white wire is the stop signal wire. I then screwed the exposed black wire into a screw that grounds.

I turned the key to ON then tried pressing the brake light to activate it. To my surprise, the brake lights were already lit up, without even pressing the brake. Then I tried squeezing the front brake in rapid succession to see if that would work. It would go blink once for approx. 3 squeezes. I think that my front brake light switch is at fault, since I've had problems with it before.

Regarding the stop switch, what is the best way to get everything in so nothing falls? Every time I open the switch case, everything falls out and I have a hard time keeping it in. Should I just get a new one, or clean the copper off and try it again? Anyone else have trouble with this?
Click to expand...

Front brake switches on our GS bikes are of very poor quality and wear out quickly. I have to replace mine every 2 years or so to ensure it works reliably. Fortunately, it isn't expensive and it's easy to replace. I don't bother replacing the little parts in the switch, since I'm basically a klutz with fine motor coordination.

Others on this forum have replaced the switch with more reliable and sturdy switches. I forget exactly what they use, but it would be good to hear from them.
 
Grandpa said:
Front brake switches on our GS bikes are of very poor quality and wear out quickly. I have to replace mine every 2 years or so to ensure it works reliably. Fortunately, it isn't expensive and it's easy to replace. I don't bother replacing the little parts in the switch, since I'm basically a klutz with fine motor coordination.

Others on this forum have replaced the switch with more reliable and sturdy switches. I forget exactly what they use, but it would be good to hear from them.
Click to expand...


this thread
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=109319&highlight=hydraulic+brake+switch&page=2
talks about 2 alternate replacements

BTW, I suspect the first poster should wire the strips in parallel, not series, they'll be brighter that way.
 
Any switch that requires replacing every two years is simply bad engineering. Unfortunately, it's hard to replace with a newer unit. I simply replaced my entire front master cylinder with one from a newer bike, in my GS's case one from a Ninja. As long as it came from a bike with the same number of front discs and 7/8" handlebars it should work. Now I have a newer, more reliable master cylinder without that ugly plastic reservoir and a new switch that works great. The switch is easily replaceable and the rebuild kits for the MC are easier and cheaper to find. All you have to do is cut the old switch wires and crimp/solder on connectors to fit the new switch. Also, if you get a Kawasaki MC you have to use the Kawasaki MC banjo bolt. Everything else bolts right up.

Plus, the Ninja MC has a nifty little dial for adjusting the brake lever position.
 
Funny, both of my 26-year-old switches are working fine, too.
Of course, they had to be cleaned and adjusted when I got them 3 and 4 years ago.


.
 
I looked through the ones at the other topic and the one that goes into the fluid scares and confuses me, and the other one at partsnmore.com looks good but they have a minumum order amount of $35. At this point, if I can't repair the old one, I'm just gonna get a new one, even if it's OEM.
 
The one that goes in the MC is easy take out the banjo bolt replace with pressure brake switch and bleed the breaks....done, works great.....
 
runewolf said:
I picked mine up new on ebay $9.99 + shipping

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzu...009QQitemZ190130981446QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Click to expand...

I just cleaned off the contacts and with steady hands, super glued the ends of the spring to the copper piece and the plastic piece. Now it's technically one piece and it still compresses. I tested it and it works better than before, but probably won't last.

I looked at that link, but the part# doesn't match the one I found at alpha-sports.com
 
I installed that same ebay piece onto my 77 gs750 3 years ago and it has worked perfectly.
 
distraction628 said:
The one that goes in the MC is easy take out the banjo bolt replace with pressure brake switch and bleed the breaks....done, works great.....
Click to expand...

Forgot about those, I've used them before. Works great if you're trying to hide wires or "clean up" the frame. Basically a reworked oil pressure switch. I've never heard of one failing and if you can bleed your own brakes fairly easy to install.

Still prefer my Ninja MC, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top