Oil on the brake light switch?

[RedOregon]

Installed the kury extended rear brake pedal. It's kind of a pita but got it done. Part of the process is unmounting the rear master cylinder and shifting it around a little.

Went for a long ride out through the Hill Country, and on the way home, the cruise control refused to set. At one point, I held down the switch for a few seconds, and that earned me a check engine light. Okay fine, I know that's BS, so I came home with no cruise control.

Got home and pulled codes; bad back brake light switch. Aha! Scary thing is that the codes showed it failed *on*, so apparently I rode over an hour on 35 with my brake lights locked on.

Anyhow, got the trike up on the lift now, and the two switch connector housings are looking pretty oily from a sloppy oil change some time ago (so sue me, I don't detail a lot). When I fired up the engine and checked things, all is well, so I'm thinking oil film is causing intermittent crappy connection when hot.

Here's the question: is it cool to clean switches, connectors, etc with brake cleaner, or should I stop by and grab some contact cleaner? Some say they're the same thing, some don't. What do y'all think?

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Installed the kury extended rear brake pedal. It's kind of a pita but got it done. Part of the process is unmounting the rear master cylinder and shifting it around a little.

Went for a long ride out through the Hill Country, and on the way home, the cruise control refused to set. At one point, I held down the switch for a few seconds, and that earned me a check engine light. Okay fine, I know that's BS, so I came home with no cruise control.

Got home and pulled codes; bad back brake light switch. Aha! Scary thing is that the codes showed it failed *on*, so apparently I rode over an hour on 35 with my brake lights locked on.

Anyhow, got the trike up on the lift now, and the two switch connector housings are looking pretty oily from a sloppy oil change some time ago (so sue me, I don't detail a lot). When I fired up the engine and checked things, all is well, so I'm thinking oil film is causing intermittent crappy connection when hot.

Here's the question: is it cool to clean switches, connectors, etc with brake cleaner, or should I stop by and grab some contact cleaner? Some say they're the same thing, some don't. What do y'all think?

I would shoot for the contact cleaner ... no residue when it dries ... then I would probably use some dielectric grease ... just to prevent corrosion

[1dn5up]

Contact cleaner won’t eat plastic, brake clean and carb cleaner will ☎️

[Jack Klarich]

Brake clean leaves oily residue, bad Ju Ju

Contact cleaner or alcohol would be better, followed by dilectric grease

[MDO]

Sorry you had problems. I installed the Kuryakin extended brake pedal & love it. It positioned the pedal where it should be.

I think you mean the rear brake light switch & not the master cylinder.

Also remember, there is a quick & easy to use diagnostic test for the entire cruise control circuit, testing all switches. It's a sticky at the beginning of the Freewheeler forum.

I would stay away from the brake cleaner, as some of it is not friendly to plastic/rubber parts.

Let us know after you resolve your issue & good luck.

[MDO]

Installed the kury extended rear brake pedal. It's kind of a pita but got it done. Part of the process is unmounting the rear master cylinder and shifting it around a little.

Went for a long ride out through the Hill Country, and on the way home, the cruise control refused to set. At one point, I held down the switch for a few seconds, and that earned me a check engine light. Okay fine, I know that's BS, so I came home with no cruise control.

Got home and pulled codes; bad back brake light switch. Aha! Scary thing is that the codes showed it failed *on*, so apparently I rode over an hour on 35 with my brake lights locked on.

Anyhow, got the trike up on the lift now, and the two switch connector housings are looking pretty oily from a sloppy oil change some time ago (so sue me, I don't detail a lot). When I fired up the engine and checked things, all is well, so I'm thinking oil film is causing intermittent crappy connection when hot.

Here's the question: is it cool to clean switches, connectors, etc with brake cleaner, or should I stop by and grab some contact cleaner? Some say they're the same thing, some don't. What do y'all think?

Red,

What happen with your rear brake light switch problem, you left us hanging?

[RedOregon]

Red,

What happen with your rear brake light switch problem, you left us hanging?

Got the contact cleaner and dielectric grease, just haven't had the time to get to the job yet.

[RedOregon]

Got the contact cleaner and dielectric grease, just haven't had the time to get to the job yet.

Well, shit. Got 'er all cleaned up and reconnected, out for a ride, same issue. Time for that test mentioned above.

[RedOregon]

...there is a quick & easy to use diagnostic test for the entire cruise control circuit, testing all switches. It's a sticky at the beginning of the Freewheeler forum...

Okay, just ran that. Either it's changed, or I misunderstood something or...

Turned off the run switch, turned on the ignition, pushed the cruise control button to on, held the set switch, flipped the run switch to run. According to the post and the video, the light should go amber and change to green as you run each test, but mine just went to green and stays there when I hold the set switch. Anyone know more about this system?

[RedOregon]

Well, poops. Used the FP3 to pull trouble codes. B2223, rear brake switch shorted low. Google tells me there may be a recall or a known issue kinda thing on this sucker. I sure hope so, because it seems that this would require bleeding, which is a major PITA at best, and I've read that on the Freewheelers it also requires the pipes to get pulled. NOT looking forward to this little service visit.

[Tucci]

Brake switch went out on my 15 fw at 15000 right after getting stuck in 3 1/2 hour traffic, 98° weather in Georgetown trying to get out of D.C., Rolling Thunder a few years ago. 100 miles from home, brake light stuck on, no cruise control. State College, Pa #1Cycle took me right in. Young tech worked on it while red hot, was done in 20 minutes, didn't bleed brakes.

[RedOregon]

Brake switch went out on my 15 fw at 15000 right after getting stuck in 3 1/2 hour traffic, 98° weather in Georgetown trying to get out of D.C., Rolling Thunder a few years ago. 100 miles from home, brake light stuck on, no cruise control. State College, Pa #1Cycle took me right in. Young tech worked on it while red hot, was done in 20 minutes, didn't bleed brakes.

Eh? How the heck would you replace a switch in the middle of a brake line without bleeding? Must have been the *front* switch. That one I've done. Learned the hard way about the cardboard shim on that job!

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Eh? How the heck would you replace a switch in the middle of a brake line without bleeding? Must have been the *front* switch. That one I've done. Learned the hard way about the cardboard shim on that job!

It can be done if you're lucky. Trick is to only allow fluid out and not air in. Having sad that ... LOL ... it's not easy. If you can replace the switch before fluid level gets low in the reservoir and air gets in the system lines, you just need to top it off. I've never been real successful at it.

If you look at the brake lines like a straw, that you have a finger over, you can pull the straw out of the glass and not loose fluid. So basically, leave the master cylinders covered and be quick.

[Jack Klarich]

It can be done if you're lucky. Trick is to only allow fluid out and not air in. Having sad that ... LOL ... it's not easy. If you can replace the switch before fluid level gets low in the reservoir and air gets in the system lines, you just need to top it off. I've never been real successful at it.

If you look at the brake lines like a straw, that you have a finger over, you can pull the straw out of the glass and not loose fluid. So basically, leave the master cylinders covered and be quick.

Gravity will pull the fluid to its lowest point, while air bubbles in a system will try to rise to the highest point

I have replaced switches by putting my finger over the hole and then finger off screwing in the switch almost tight, rap on the line with the end of your wrench, loosen the switch 1/4 turn, let fluid trickle out then tighten switch. Good to go

[RedOregon]

If you look at the brake lines like a straw, that you have a finger over, you can pull the straw out of the glass and not loose fluid. So basically, leave the master cylinders covered and be quick.

Oh I wish you could see the grin on my face right now! It took me probably a half hour minimum with a mechanic's pick and a pair of longnose hose pliers just to get those two wires off the switch,cleaned, and back on! That switch is inside the pipes and against the engine and frame so tight... I'd pay a case to any guy who could get in there and pull that thing in fifteen minutes without pulling the pipes, let alone replace it! 😆😆

Not doubting you or the guy above, just really difficult to imagine, having just had my hands jammed in there!

[Tucci]

Eh? How the heck would you replace a switch in the middle of a brake line without bleeding? Must have been the *front* switch. That one I've done. Learned the hard way about the cardboard shim on that job!

It was the rear/foot brake switch. Parts man said they always have them in stock. Apparently hd in their infinite engineering wisdom placed the switch close enough to the exhaust pipe that the heat will cause failure. That's why the tech was able to change it in less than 30 minutes. Practice,practice, practice.

I forgot to add (it was in an earlier post) the tech was wearing heat resistance forearm protectors. Yeah, he's done it before!

[RedOregon]

Ah, interesting. Thanks!

[RedOregon]

Called the shop, 200 or so to replace the switch, depending on whether it's just a bad switch or a short somewhere that needs to be chased down. They suggested lubing the plunger just on the off chance it's sticking and causing a bad signal to be sent... makes sense, and if that clears things it'd be a lot cheaper! Now I just have to make time to do it.

[Tucci]

Called the shop, 200 or so to replace the switch, depending on whether it's just a bad switch or a short somewhere that needs to be chased down. They suggested lubing the plunger just on the off chance it's sticking and causing a bad signal to be sent... makes sense, and if that clears things it'd be a lot cheaper! Now I just have to make time to do it.

I know it's like rubbing salt in an open wound. On my 15 Freewheeler, out of warranty, approximately $30.00 for switch and $45.00 labor.

[RedOregon]

Well hell. Disconnected the rear brake switch (unplugged both wires). Took her out, turned on the cruise, got amber light, hit the set button, nothing. Still amber, wouldn't set. No trouble codes.