Fast Brake Lights switch review

[toxicavenger70]

I have noticed people have been riding the back of my 65' frequently. When I engage my brakes it takes a bit for my taillights to actually turn on. I think I read somewhere it takes 20lbs of pressure for them to light up. Kind of nerving racking considering the way people drive these days.

I saw the Fast Brake Light switch that Keith sells in the classifieds and I believed it might be a solution to the problem I have been experiencing. Luckily it is!

Here it is installed:

Black wire pig-tailed off the fuse box.

Red wire from the switch goes to the black/red tail light junction

The installation was pretty easy. I feed the red/black wire down thru the grommet on the front left hand side of the gas tank. Then I ran the wire inside of some black shrink tube down to the pedal assembly.

Check it out if you are experiencing the same issues.

Take care.

[brando90gl]

I installed one of Keith’s kits a couple weeks ago. Super smooth install, no issues. Works as it should.
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67 Type 1
68 Campmobile
70 Single Cab

[rcroane]

LED brake light bulbs are another solution. Instant turn on and much brighter.
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'65 Sunroof Bug

[wayne1230cars]

I installed these on both my bugs. As soon as you touch the brake pedal the lights come on. I also have the LED bulbs which are much brighter.
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1960 beetle
1970 beetle convertible

[iowa vw]

I have also installed this on my beetle and love it. I put just enough "slop" in the brake pedal so that when I press the pedal the micro switch triggers the brake lights without any brake pressure to the wheels. Gives a good break check light to people behind me. I also installed a 55W red fog lamp on the bumper so there is no way they are going to miss my lights, lol.

[vwoldbug]

Thanks for the information.

[tcmia]

I have put together a similar setup in my buggy since the original switches stopped working. Excellent idea!

[glutamodo]

I don't know the spec, but even 20PSI in a brake system is not really that much. The problem is that hydraulic switches degrade and end up needing a lot more than that. Non-German switches have a horrible track record. I have German switches in both of my bugs and they work fine. I have NOS German switches to replace them if and when they stop working right. And with the exception of the bulb in the add-on third brake light in my Baja bug, I have incandescent bulbs in my rear lights.
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Andy T.

"What is Glutamodo, Horror of Toyko, besides total, fiendish, quality-a-you brain!"

[sjbartnik]

FYI for you guys running cars that don't have the brake warning light on the dashboard, a rear brake light switch from a Harley-Davidson screws right into the master cylinder and activates with the barest amount of pedal pressure. Been using one on my Square for a few years now with no degradation in performance. The switch is also DOT5-friendly.

Coupled with super-bright LED brake lights like the ones from CuLayer, life is good.

The HD part number for the switch is 72023-51E.

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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[toxicavenger70]

[toxicavenger70]

[toxicavenger70]

[toxicavenger70]

[Acab77]

[glutamodo]

[toxicavenger70]

[MrGoodtunes]

[Busstom]

[Cusser]

Periodically, I check for operation of my tail light, brake lights, turn signal lights by looking at their reflection of vehicles behind me or in front of me.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[toxicavenger70]