Brake pedal/switch question

[cdohner44mag]

So my question mainly is, how much travel should there be with the break pedal. Mine has almost no travel, breaks work very well, but I only have to push down maybe a 1/4". It's not enough travel to activate the break light switch, at least it seem. I've made all the adjustments I can to the switch, just feel like there should be more than 1/4" of travel and was wandering if I have an issue going on. Thanks.

 

[Coug]

If you run out of adjustment, you can always just bend the rod to make it shorter

 

[Mogman]

So my question mainly is, how much travel should there be with the break pedal. Mine has almost no travel, breaks work very well, but I only have to push down maybe a 1/4". It's not enough travel to activate the break light switch, at least it seem. I've made all the adjustments I can to the switch, just feel like there should be more than 1/4" of travel and was wandering if I have an issue going on. Thanks.

This seems to be a common "issue" not really a problem, someone should crank up their CNC machine and knock out some 1/4" spacers for the master cylinder as I don't think there is any adjustment available, may even be some spacers out there in the hot rod world, I have never looked.
EDIT, I did look and there are some out there, nothing right off hand that looks like it is for the GM master cylinder, but many are 3D printed, makes sense as they are not really under allot of strain.

 

[cdohner44mag]

I tried bending the rod and bracket and it helped some. Now the lights come on when at a stop without having to stand on the pedal but still not enough when light pressure when slowing to a stop. I will look into spacers to see if the will give me the extra travel I need. Thanks for the ideas guys.

 

[Mainsail]

The word you're looking for is brake, not break. It will matter more in the future when someone is doing a keyword search on the site for the same problem you describe.

 

[cdohner44mag]

The word you're looking for is brake, not break. It will matter more in the future when someone is doing a keyword search on the site for the same problem you describe.

You are correct. Darn auto spell and I didn't notice it, thanks for catching that.

 

[86humv]

After awile, those switches get a bad spot inside....sometimes adjusting helps it inside on contacts.

 

[Coug]

After awile, those switches get a bad spot inside....sometimes adjusting helps it inside on contacts.

it's also recommended that you use LED bulbs in the brake light position if you don't have the newer LED assemblies for the rear, to reduce the amount of current going through the brake switch which in turn reduces wear/arcing

 

[Coonass77]

I tried bending the rod and bracket and it helped some. Now the lights come on when at a stop without having to stand on the pedal but still not enough when light pressure when slowing to a stop. I will look into spacers to see if the will give me the extra travel I need. Thanks for the ideas guys.

Try adding washers between the switch and mounting bracket. I've had to do this on a few trucks and have more luck with washers than bending the rod.

Brake light switch question 1123

My first truck was a 998. Had to move the brake light switch a little to get the brake lights to work. On my 1123 the brake lights are not coming on so I checked out the switch. When you push the brake pedal the switch lever maybe moves a 1/16".... Couldn't see where or how the adjust it for...

www.steelsoldiers.com