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MikeyM73 Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2016 Posts: 506 Location: Napa Valley, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:54 pm Post subject: Mechanical brake switch connection help?? |
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Hey all,
I was hoping to ask your assistance.
Following this post: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7964822 I'm installing a mechanical brake light switch in parallel with the existing setup.
I've been wanting to do this mod for quite a while now because my brake light pressure switches work, they just don't come on soon enough (for me) hence the mod. I've installed the switch and run the wires but I think the OPs bus is a '79, mine is a '73. I realized there might be difference between the years, wiring wise, and I have gone over my Bently but got stuck. I swear the '72 & below year wiring diagrams are so much easier to read.
Anyway, so I can't figure out which fused output on the fuse box I should attach to; I think it's 12?? and which wire in the 8 pin connector to T into (if this wire is still in the 8 pin connector). Any ideas?
Thanks much,
Mikey _________________ '73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway. |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12686 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2022 8:44 pm Post subject: Re: Mechanical brake switch connection help?? |
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Here are the useful parts of your wiring, from this very website…
The wiring in the thread you linked works perfectly in your '73 as well, but your fuse 12 (labeled S12) will have the power to the brake light switches. It may get a little crowded on the wiring terminals, but use piggyback connectors instead those awful plastic splice clips please.
T6 connector should be a plastic 8-pin plug, on top of the horizontal steering column brace. There will be two black/red wires going into one side, and one black/red coming out the other. Depending on the plug type, you have a few options of adding wires to it. I just forgot what kind of plug a '73 has…
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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MikeyM73 Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2016 Posts: 506 Location: Napa Valley, CA
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 8:50 am Post subject: Re: Mechanical brake switch connection help?? |
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Robbie,
Thanks very much. Luckily, my '73 does have the 8 pin connector you speak of. Along with what I think are the 2 black/red wires you mentioned. I included a pic for reference.
So would I simply connect the piggyback and 1 wire to fused S12 and the other wire to the single black/red coming out of the plastic 8 pin connector? Pretty much just like that other thread referenced?
Thanks again,
Mikey _________________ '73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway. |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12686 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:26 am Post subject: Re: Mechanical brake switch connection help?? |
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Looks good. You might need to buy proper crimps and crimping pliers to get two wires into one plug pin.
What’s the current rating of that mechanical switch?
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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MikeyM73 Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2016 Posts: 506 Location: Napa Valley, CA
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Mechanical brake switch connection help?? |
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Thanks Robbie,
I got the wires twisted together and crimped fine. Heatshrink added for good measure. Got it connected to the fused output side. I believe the switch is rated at 15 amps but I'm confirming.
Confirmed - rated @ 20 amps but the brake lights should take far less than that so it seems I'm ok, I think.
Now I'm able to depress the pedal about 1/2" or so and the brake lights come on. Before I'd have to put quite a bit of pressure on the pedal and I just bled the brakes last week so I think this is a mod well worth doing if anyone is experiencing the same thing.
Thanks,
Mikey _________________ '73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway. |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12686 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Mechanical brake switch connection help?? |
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Very nice. Enjoy your safer lights and disc brakes.
Drum brake folk, smugly laugh your superior brake light actuation thanks to residual valves.
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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