Brake lights!

ShawnD

ShawnD

Member
Hello fellas! I have an 08' k9 and since I've had it the brake lights only worked when using the rear brake never have worked with front brake. I replaced my rear brake pads last week and then had no brake lights using the rear brake! Well a day or 2 later took it for a ride and the brake lights work for front and rear brake use! WTF! An hour after that ride no brake lights at all again! Loose connection? Short somewhere? Best place to start looking?
 
awg

awg

Guru
You answered your own question. Go back and check your work. Maybe a pinched wire. Maybe the switch is going bad.
 
ShawnD

ShawnD

Member
U mean the switch on the handlebars? I've noticed I have to put a lot of pressure on the turn signal buttons to get them to work so I ordered new ones there on the way but didn't think they would have anything to do with brake lights. I made sure I was extra gentle on the wires when I took the calipers off but I'll check em out.
 
mleach72

mleach72

Well-Known Member
I agree with awg. If you had brake lights before the pad change, you probably got a wire pinched or something. If you get that figured out, check the brake sensor connections on your right pcb board. Check to make sure the little allen set screw for the brake sensor is there and tight. If you have a broken connection or the sensor is loose and moving around, it might just be a coincidence that the front brake lights started and stopped working.
 
ShawnD

ShawnD

Member
mleach72 said:
I agree with awg. If you had brake lights before the pad change, you probably got a wire pinched or something. If you get that figured out, check the brake sensor connections on your right pcb board. Check to make sure the little allen set screw for the brake sensor is there and tight. If you have a broken connection or the sensor is loose and moving around, it might just be a coincidence that the front brake lights started and stopped working.
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Where is the allen set screw located I didn't get an owner's manual when I bought the bike.
 
mleach72

mleach72

Well-Known Member
ShawnD said:
Where is the allen set screw located I didn't get an owner's manual when I bought the bike.
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When you take the right hand control apart, you will see the wires for the sensor going from the pcb board in the back where the switches are, to the front part where the master cylinder is. The set screw is just under where the sensor enters the front part of the control. It is very small. .050" I think. As I said, check the connections to the pcb board. Earlier years, they are soldered to the board. Later year have a connector that plugs into the board. Also, check the wires, as they are easy to pinch when you put the control back together.
 
awg

awg

Guru
I never did find the set screw on my bagger. I had the old style board where the wires were soldered to it. So I bought a new switch from Donna and soldered that one to the wires of the old one. Then made sure the magnet (or senser) was adjusted so the brake lights would come on when the brake lever was pulled. Then I took a drop of super glue and glue the wires in place, so they wouldn't move. Worked for me. When I took mine apart the first time to see why my brake lights didn't work, some one already was in there and messed up the set screw and the hole where the magnet (or senser) would go. This was my best option so I wouldn't have to replace the whole housing. It's been working fine now. Some times you have to think outside the box.
 
Th3InfamousI

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
ShawnD said:
Thanks bro!
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It's a 0.050" SAE Allen Key you need. They are small and not in some of the cheap kits. Smaller than 1/16".

The front brake uses a Magnet Switch to activate the break lights and you need to make sure the sensor is close enough to the magnet when you press it the brake lights go on. The Set screw is what holds that sensor in place and the magnet is held into the hand control unit it self.
 
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ShawnD

ShawnD

Member
Th3InfamousI said:
It's a 0.050" SAE Allen Key you need. They are small and not in some of the cheap kits. Smaller than 1/16".

The front brake uses a Magnet Switch to activate the break lights and you need to make sure the sensor is close enough to the magnet when you press it the brake lights go on. The Set screw is what holds that sensor in place and the magnet is held into the hand control unit it self.
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Ok thanks hope that's all it is but have a feeling I'm gonna have to dig deeper to find the problem. I believe I have a bad connection somewhere. Cause they didn't work then they did then didn't again.
 
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