[Dropsomegears]

I changed my grips and my exhaust. Went from stock exhaust to Toxic Vlux sounds good thanks MattD. For grips I went from black diamond to Avon. I had the grips for about a week I like the feel but they stick a lil bit which was scary but I sanded them down a lil and with time they should be good. I get the exhaust on heat cycled the whole nine and noticed no red light comming from my rear then I hit the brakes and still nothing burnt bulb....

Thanks to this forum and my Vrod brothers I was able to get part number 1157 or GE198 to replace a nasty bulb that had china stamped on it from Kragen 5 min before closing .

Swapped it out runnin light is on but both front or rear brakes wont light up the brake light =\ WTF!!!

 

[stever975]

...both front or rear brakes wont light up the brake light =\ WTF!!!

You probably pinched an O/W (orange with white stripe wire) somewhere. Check your ACCY fuse but find the short in the O/W wire before you change it or you’ll just blow another one.

 

[usanigel]

Changed the grips? Then thats the first place to check. Pinched wire sounds right.

 

[vrodinspring]

Does the foot brake pedal make the brake light come on? If it does and the hand brake lever does not I bet you broke the switch. If you dont put a 4mm spacer in the brake lever to hold it away from the switch before you replace the switch housing you will destroy the switch.

 

[Dropsomegears]

At least both fillaments aren't on.

I checked the actual light itself to make sure both lights were not on and only one is on (the taller fillament if that means anything to anyone) Which I am assuming its the running lights. I tried both brakes and still nada.

I really don't think its the exhaust. All I did was take off the old one and the new one does not go near the switch at all. I was reading in another thread that the rear brake light switch overides the front so unplugg the rear switch to check the front. But both don't work. When I get home I'll start pulling fuses and see if that bares fruit.

Any help to which fuse is which? I have the service manual (but no electrical manual) and tried looking up this infamous 4mm gap needing "switch" and cant "SEE" it. I see the arrow pointing to "it". So I'll have to wait and see. Is this switch expensive? Knowing Harley it is and it will have china stamped to the side just like the old tailight bulb. I hope its somthing simple last thing I want to do is throw parts at this. So check for pinched O/W wire and fuses. Oh and the 4mm gap needing front brake light switch. Anything else?

Ben

 

[stever975]

... Any help to which fuse is which? ...

As I mentioned in Post #2, check the ACCY fuse. It's in the fuse block under the passenger pillion.

 

[Dropsomegears]

Wow

Passenger Pillon check. SWEEET!!! I would have been looking every where but there too

 

[RustyG]

Does the foot brake pedal make the brake light come on? If it does and the hand brake lever does not I bet you broke the switch. If you dont put a 4mm spacer in the brake lever to hold it away from the switch before you replace the switch housing you will destroy the switch.

I checked the actual light itself to make sure both lights were not on and only one is on (the taller fillament if that means anything to anyone) Which I am assuming its the running lights. I tried both brakes and still nada.

I really don't think its the exhaust. All I did was take off the old one and the new one does not go near the switch at all. I was reading in another thread that the rear brake light switch overides the front so unplugg the rear switch to check the front. But both don't work. When I get home I'll start pulling fuses and see if that bares fruit.

Any help to which fuse is which? I have the service manual (but no electrical manual) and tried looking up this infamous 4mm gap needing "switch" and cant "SEE" it. I see the arrow pointing to "it". So I'll have to wait and see. Is this switch expensive? Knowing Harley it is and it will have china stamped to the side just like the old tailight bulb. I hope its somthing simple last thing I want to do is throw parts at this. So check for pinched O/W wire and fuses. Oh and the 4mm gap needing front brake light switch. Anything else?

Ben

I've been preaching the need to lock the front brake lever in the pulled position for years but it always falls on deaf ears.

Pull the front brake lever and add a shim to the hole in the front to cause the lever to remain pulled when you disassemble the right control. You will not damage the brake light switch when reassembling the controls if you do this. It's hit or miss as to whether or not you damage the switch if you do not do this. This method is documented in the service manual.

 

[Dropsomegears]

I've been preaching the need to lock the front brake lever in the pulled position for years but it always falls on deaf ears.

Pull the front brake lever and add a shim to the hole in the front to cause the lever to remain pulled when you disassemble the right control. You will not damage the brake light switch when reassembling the controls if you do this. It's hit or miss as to whether or not you damage the switch if you do not do this. This method is documented in the service manual.

Preaching is easy its listening thats hard. I preach to my junior Marines all the time. " Don't get married till after your deployement if she didn't cheat on you by then god bless" " Don't put too much CLP ( Lube ) on the rifle when at the range it will create jams or stoppages" " DON'T USE ANY CLP IN IRAQ IT ATTRACTS SAND TO YOUR RIFLE ONLY BRUSH!!!!!" " Now look what you did Pfc Wyn you are a IDIOT!!! What am I supposed to tell your mama if you dont make it home? HUH all because you didnt listen BAM PINK MIST!!!
Sooo yeah I hear ya loud and clear preach.
My favorite thing is say is " I'm not a doctor so don't ask me to look at ANYTING!!! Instead ask your self did I look in my boots? Did I look in my rack ( bed etc) did I look in, around, etc the portapotty I'm about to expose my ass in?????" Some nasty critters out there.


So far the fuses under the pillon are good. I have the ride side grips taken apart. Honestly everything looks fine but only cause I don't know wtf the switch looks like. And if its easy to tell if I broke it or not like a broken, bent ,or missing tab or something. But I'm gonna take apart the left grip too I noticed in another thread that the horn is tied in with the accy O/w wire too soo we shall see.

I'm also gonna try the other bulb in the pack. WHO KNOWS!!!!

 

[Dropsomegears]

Well I see what the front light brake switch is its a "pressure style" switch. As soon as you squeeze the breaks the brake lever allows the pin pops out and activate the breaks. I dont feel the switch pushing out so I'm guessing it broke inside and thinks I'm not squeezing the brakes. My question is why doesnt the rear breaks work then? Circuit maybe? Yeah has to be I saw the rear brake switch wire heading forward towards the controls. Anyone have a part number? Common Rusty ole pal you have to have a part number seeing on how this is a pet peave of yours :stilpoke: Common and if I ever visit my family in Homestead I'll find you and buy you a beer deal?

 

[RustyG]

The rear brake should work as long as the front is not frozen ON. Vice versa also. Are you sure the brake light is not on all the time? There have been posts by guys claiming their brake lights were not working when in fact they were on all the time because of a shorted switch (Both front and rear).

Don't have a '09 parts catalog so I can't help with the part number. I'll bet the H-D dealer can.

 

[vrodinspring]

the switch should make a definite click noise when pressed and released. i can hear mine just by squeezing the hand brake lever. you can check to see if your brake light is always on by looking at the two filaments inside the bulb the smaller of the two is your parking light the larger is the brake light.

 

[Dropsomegears]

Yeah there is def no clicking in my levers. And the smaller fillament that is taller is or running light is on but the shorter fatter fillament brake light is not on LOL. yeah I posted that before but thanks guys. Hey my replacement switch came in any helpful hints? I'm figuring cut the old one off then soder the new one in. There is no way in hell I am gonna re wrap all that wire not gonna happen.

Wish me luck but I'm gonna tackle this along with another project this weekend. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[vrodinspring]

its really easy. there is a torx screw that holds the clamp that holds the switch in place feed the zip tie around that before you re-install it then when its re-installed you can just cinch down the zip tie and it will hold wires back like factory. I cut the leads to like 1" and used two pieces of heat shrink tubing and just soldered it right back in. there is no polarity its a single pole switch so it doesnt matter which way you hook it up. prob took 20 mins tops. Just make sure you use your 4mm spacer in the hand brake or your back to square 1 lol. good luck, its pretty easy!

 

[RustyG]

Just make sure the lever is fully depressed when reassembling or you will be replacing the switch again.

 

[Dropsomegears]

Just make sure the lever is fully depressed when reassembling or you will be replacing the switch again.

Smart ass. AND THANKS!!! Dont worry Rusty your preaching isnt falling on deaf ears ok.....WHAT!!!! WHAT!!!!


Oh and I already have the lever as deppressed as it will go. And I soldered the switch and it works. The thing is the woman tore me away from the bike and I dont think the rear is working now =\ but I'll get back to her in the morning and see whats what.
Thanks again.