Brake Light Switch - Circuit 2/3

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Major System Category: ISIS Wiring
Task: Mount brake Light switch
Parts: Mounting bracket and brake light switch
Power Cell: 2
Circuit: 3 - LIGHT GREEN
Master cell: YELLOW/BLUE
Prerequisite Tasks: Install Steering Column
Additional Costs: N/A
Time Requirement: 2 hours
Date Started: August 7, 2013
Date Completed: August 8, 2013
The brake light switch is a pretty simple item. Basically, you take the Factory Five bracket and the donor car's brake light switch. Install the switch on the bracket, and figure out how far the switch needs to be positioned so that when pressing the brake the circuit closes.

This is the bracket and dwitch clamped in place for measurement. This is looking towards the front of the car from beneath the dash. The switch needs to be half way depressed when the brake pedal is at rest.

This is a job best performed by skinny midgets. The kit manual makes this look deceptively easy, and it is if you haven't installed anything beyond the brake and clutch pedals. However, you really need the steering column in place due to the pillow block on the column. The best thing to do is to leave the steering wheel off (this is the only way I could get my head under the dash). It is definitely impossible for anyone taller than three feet or weighing more than 90 pounds to get under there if the seats are installed.

This is a small space. I have removed the steering wheel, but it is still an acrobatic exercise to get positioned under the dash. You need eyes down there to get things lined up so holes can be drilled .

This ends up being about three or four trips under the dash to get this put together. The manual indicates that rivnuts should be used to attach the bracket. (I'm not a fan of rivnuts, and as the BLEEPING tool is busted, I no longer use them in the build.) If you have done any serious building on the driver's side foot well, then I don't see how it is possible to get leverage that far under the dash to effectively use the rivnut tool. Instead, I use Helicoils. Some people argue there isn't enough metal for Helicoils. I have had good success with Helicoils on the frame when I use them with Red Loctite.

Only two wires are required for the brake switch per the manual. As this is going to connect into the brake circuit and act as the switch via th ISIS system, I wired it with a terminal block so it would be easy to splice into the circuit.

The other thing I did was wire the brake switch into a terminal block so it would be easy to connect. These wires were cut off very short, so a terminal block seemed a better way to go. It is always easy to cut wire shorter; it is less easy to lengthen it in tight spaces. I did all the wiring work on my bench in the Northern Man cave's lower level.