MachineMan Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 (edited) I noticed my brake lights were staying on after parking and walking away. I jiggled the pedal and they went out. Looked around and found the correct switch from a good maker,........ But when I get under there to swap in the new switch there is an issue. I took pictures but more than one are blurry from too short a distance. It's like this,.... the switch is a plunger type, open when compressed, closed when released. The brake pedal has a little plate welded on it's arm, (up high), that plate, when the brake pedal is at rest, compresses the plunger of the switch. When the brakes are applied the plate moves away and the plunger of the switch extends making the connection for the brake lights. Problem was, instead of a simple plain, flat, plate,.... This one at least has a hole drilled in it. The little plunger was catching just a bit of the edge of the hole, and sometimes slipping into the hole making the lights go on and stay on. All I could think was there was probably some kind of plug and it was missing. I made a small nylon plug, pressed it in, and adjusted the gap, (.012" - .039"), everything works fine. Here are some pictures for what their worth. This ugly hole in the black plate, is what the switch was coming in contact with. To figure out the size of the hole I used a pin set. The hole size in this case was, .362" / .363" I had to pass through the mounting hole for the switch to check for hole size. Nyon Plug I pressed it in with my thumb, it was snug. With the switch installed and adjusted. Has anyone else come across this problem? MM Edited July 9 by MachineMan 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 It's happened here multiple times on different vehicles. One fix was scotch taping a penny on the pedal. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 I believe there is supposed to be a rubber dome shaped bumper there, right? 1 Quote Link to comment
MachineMan Posted July 9 Author Report Share Posted July 9 2 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said: I believe there is supposed to be a rubber dome shaped bumper there, right? Stoff, there isn't much room for anything except something thin. Like Michael said, "a penny" I'm thinking there may have been a "Black plastic plug" in there. Has anyone seen a parts book, that covers the brake pedal assembly, indicating a plug for that hole? Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts-list/1986-nissan-720_pickup/brake/brake_clutch_pedal.html 1 Quote Link to comment
MachineMan Posted July 9 Author Report Share Posted July 9 2 hours ago, Crashtd420 said: https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts-list/1986-nissan-720_pickup/brake/brake_clutch_pedal.html Son of a gun,..... looking at that part one has to think, "how do you set the 012" to .039" gap specified in the manual?" I was thinking that a member may have threaded the hole and plugged it with a flat face set screw, lock nut on the back. MM Quote Link to comment
Thomas Perkins Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 (edited) Hi,back in December 2,2023,I posted on here when I changed my brake light switch.I have done it long ago too.I did take one picture.It is the switch with a nut that is needed to adjust the length of the switch to work.When you buy the switch it only comes with one nut.The other nut is a lock nut.The switch goes in a hole with the nut on one side and lock nut on the other.The plastic stopper on mine dry rotted long ago.So I just put a bolt in the hole as a stopper and it works perfect.I pushed the brake pedal in with my hand and wedged a 2x4 in there to hold brake pedal in to remove and replace the switch.The clutch switch uses the same switch.I have replaced that one also and use a bolt there as a stopper.Get switch from Auto Zone,life time warranty.So save your nut off the old switch.Here is a picture of my switch and my saved nut.Also pictures from my Haynes manual.The picture showing the 2 nuts there's a plate with a hole that switch goes in. Edited July 9 by Thomas Perkins 2 Quote Link to comment
Thomas Perkins Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 (edited) I believe in the picture where it says pedal bracket to the right is where the swich goes and behind that I'd the bracket that holds it.In this picture,looks as the stopper is gone. Look under switch,stopper gone,plastic was dumb on Nissan's part.These pics here are from Ebay,someone selling this. Edited July 9 by Thomas Perkins Quote Link to comment
Thomas Perkins Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 Here are the stoppers,better to use a bolt like me,it won't wear. 1 Quote Link to comment
Thomas Perkins Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 The bolt won't come out. Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 The stopper is there so you don't hear a clunk when you quickly release the pedal. 1 Quote Link to comment
Thomas Perkins Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 (edited) Yeah ,rubber wears out.Put a bolt in the stopper hole,also can put a nut on it.Believe me I been using this bolt for over 20 years.Nissan went brain dead on this, how many times do you push the brake and clutch pedal in and out The rubber wears out.The bolt will out live both of us and everyone has one in there bucket can.As you seen it in the picture ,plastic is gone and guy said ,where this come from.The switch will stop at the bolt. Cant come out.Use stainless steel.Try it and see.You can go 4x4ing and bolt won't come out,don't need a nut on the end. Edited July 9 by Thomas Perkins Quote Link to comment
MachineMan Posted July 10 Author Report Share Posted July 10 1 hour ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said: The stopper is there so you don't hear a clunk when you quickly release the pedal. Some cushion,..... that makes sense. MM 1 Quote Link to comment
MachineMan Posted July 10 Author Report Share Posted July 10 1 hour ago, Thomas Perkins said: Use this. If you tap the hole in that plate,......... Better to not be using a coarse thread fastener. A "fine" pitch fastener will give a reasonable amount of threads to be reasonable. Also reduce the thickness of the head of the bolt, (face it off on a lathe, grind it down, etc) To keep things in about the same position, a bolt head thickness of roughly 3/32", (.090") would be fine. Lock nut from behind because it's Brake related,...... and all is good with the world. MM Quote Link to comment
MachineMan Posted July 10 Author Report Share Posted July 10 (edited) 19 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said: 19 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said: 19 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said: Same exact part I bought. There were a few to choose from. I chose the one made in Italy Prices ranged from $8.99 ~ $24.99 I paid $18 and some change for the one I bought. MM 19 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said: Edited July 10 by MachineMan Spelling 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted July 10 Report Share Posted July 10 18 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said: Yeah ,rubber wears out.Put a bolt in the stopper hole,also can put a nut on it.Believe me I been using this bolt for over 20 years.Nissan went brain dead on this, how many times do you push the brake and clutch pedal in and out The rubber wears out.The bolt will out live both of us and everyone has one in there bucket can.As you seen it in the picture ,plastic is gone and guy said ,where this come from.The switch will stop at the bolt. Cant come out.Use stainless steel.Try it and see.You can go 4x4ing and bolt won't come out,don't need a nut on the end. It may wear out, but it takes 15 years and then you buy a new one from McMaster-Carr for a few bucks. Quote Link to comment
Thomas Perkins Posted July 11 Report Share Posted July 11 Mine never wears out.Forever.One and done. 1 Quote Link to comment
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