Author |
Message |
MootPoint Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2006 Posts: 862 Location: ABQ, NM
|
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:45 am Post subject: Simple Brake Warning Light Mod |
|
|
I don't know about you folks but for me and my 5 foot 7-1/2" frame, the Seat Belt and Brake warning lights are exactly behind the steering wheel when I drive. I don't care about the seat belt light because I'm so automatic about belts that I even belt up when I'm moving the van ten feet and I've disabled the @#$@! buzzer.
The hand brake, though, is a different matter as sometimes I have something else on my mind between the time I start the van and the time I drive away (Any strange sounds from the rear? Damn, where did I put the iPod, etc.) that I have been known to try and drive off with the hand brake on and then wonder why the van is so sluggish. You don't have to admit it here but I bet you have done that, too.
I've wanted to move the brake warning light somewhere that I might actually see it and finally came up the solution where it's mounted just below my oil pressure and temp gauges in the slide-off heater vent cover under the radio and silver socket. I usually glance at the gauges as I put it in gear so it was a logical location.
I picked up a second pair of lights and their connector at the U-Pull and then trimmed off the seat belt portion of the light housing so it would fit in the small, upward angled part of the heater cover and cut the red lens in half with a fret saw:
I gingerly cut a hole in the heater cover and glued the light in with JB weld.
It looked a little messy so I made a bezel out of plastic (the black of an old audio cassette box. 'Member those?)
I tapped into the wiring at the original lights (black wire and gray/green wire) and left the original light intact and operational. The two new leads just threaded through the dash to the new light.
Here it is, complete and operational. I don't know if this will cure my occasional absentmindedness with the hand brake but it can't hurt.
Works for me... _________________ 1984 Westy with tencentlife power! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
I am Wildcat Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2011 Posts: 318 Location: SF Bay Area
|
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
Clean install and nice write up! I knew those old cassette tape cases had to be good for something still... _________________ No more van. Wildcat has a new home.
1997 Land Rover Defender 90
2005 MB SL55 AMG
2014 Tesla Model S P85+ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
psych-illogical Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2004 Posts: 1181 Location: AZ
|
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 3:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Funny coincidence that you'd post this today. I've never even noticed that silly light until today ('bout time, I've owned the van for 7 years). It does sit directly behind the steering wheel and I was sort of looking at the dash today (I was out having my lunch in the ol' Westy as I often do) and noticed that light and that it doesn't even work. So, I might have to get around to both fixing it and relocating it one of these days. Nice job. _________________ 83 1/2 Westy waterboxer
'57 Beetle-sold
Coupla '81 BMW motorcycles (R80G/S; R100RS)
'96 BMW R1100GS |
|
Back to top |
|
|
ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6304 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|