Superformance S-1 Brake light switch.

[Off Road SHO]

Any S-1 owners ever replace that little micro switch they use to actuate the brake lights. Mine (while under the previous owner's rule) gave out and caused the incandescent bulbs to melt the sockets of the Land Rover Defender tail lights that they used in our cars.

 

I've replaced the lights with LED versions, and the defective lever arm micro switch with a new one but due to the design, it is an extremely fine line between on all the time and now a dead battery, and not coming on when I hit the brake pedal.

 

I'd like to put in a regular hydraulic pressure switch like everybody else uses. Have any other S-1 owners changed out their car's brake light switch?

 

Tom

[xcarguy]

Tom,

 

While not an S-1, here is how my Stalker is set up with an in-line pressure switch; no issues with brake lights/switch:

 

http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=23555

 

X

[Off Road SHO]

X

 

Thanks, that is what I'll probably do. I don't know what the thread pitch is though, probably metric, eh?

 

Tom

[xcarguy]

X

 

Thanks, that is what I'll probably do. I don't know what the thread pitch is though, probably metric, eh?

 

Tom

 

Tom,

 

Standard 1/8 NTP. Here is the one on my car, available from Jegs:

 

http://www.jegs.com/i/Painless+Performance+Products/764/80174/10002/-1

 

X

[powderbrake]

I have had bad luck with pressure switches, They take too much pressure to operate, and the taillights don't go on in some light braking situations.

I replaced mine with a brake light switch from Auto Zone, off a GM car.

 

Sorry I can't find a pic, but it's a round cylinder, threaded on the outside for nuts for travel adjustment, and has a plunger about 3/8 diameter that contacts the brake pedal arm. Lots of travel, ease of adjustment, no opening brake lines to install.

[Off Road SHO]

Jerry,

 

On the S-1 the brake pedal is enclosed in the footwell and only sticks out at the fulcrum point, a total of about 3/8". So unless I can loose about 40 years, to be able to crawl into the footwell, I going to have to stay in the engine compartment. Thanks though.

 

Tom

[jlumba81]

Quick pic of my Caterham pedal box showing the brake light switch.

[Off Road SHO]

Hmmm....I might be able to do something like that. On the S-1 there is hardly anything sticking outside the pedal box that moves much.

 

Tom

[Off Road SHO]

Finally fixed it permanently, I hope. I basically moved the micro switch's actuating arm away from the pivot point of the brake pedal. They originally had it mounted so close to the pivot point that the switch could only see about 1/4" of travel from the pedal's arm. I built a new platform out of 1"X1" tubing that not only raised the new switch up 1", but was also able to move it away from the steering shaft. This allowed me better access to both of the mounting screws of the switch. At one inch above the pivot point, the arm moves about 3/4", thus allowing a full "ON" condition as well as a full "OFF" condition.

 

I still don't like the use of micro lever switches on brake light systems and might eventually go to something like JLumba81's solution.

 

Tom

[DaveD]

I had to replace my stop switch. The contacts became pitted from the arcing to the point that the stop lights would not always light. I just bought a new micr switch and it has been fine. I expect eventually it will do the same again.

 

Dave

[Off Road SHO]

Here is a pic of my solution to the poorly placed micro switch that Superformance used in the S-1. Basically, it is a short 2" long piece of 1x1 tubing with the micro switch mounted to it in just the right position so that the long arm of the switch contacts the part of the brake arm that moves the most during braking operation. Where they had it originally, the toatal movement that the switch would see was about 1/4". In the new, raised location, the switch see about 1/2"-3/4" of movement.

 

The piece of 1x1 is mounted to the pedal box using the same mounting hole and screw as the original aluminum switch mounting plate.

 

 

 

Tom

[xcarguy]

Tom,

 

Great to see you got it worked out. :cheers: