I've started recommissioning my Rapide and upon removing the brake light switch it appears to be open to the elements. I see from the parts diagrams it's missing a backplate but is there also a gasket for this or should I just use some gasket sealer to try and reduce moisture ingress? Or would it be better without any gasket or sealer to aid moisture draining because as far as I can see it's inevitably going to allow moisture in?
Misc: Electrical (General) Brake Light Switch
- Thread starter Cannop
- Start date
Hi, I just make up a rubber flange the same size as the back of the switch. The rubber is about 2mm thick or there abouts.
I think the brake light switches originally had a piece of grey coloured vulcanized fiber sheet on the back. Same stuff as carburetor gaskets were made of.
My reproduction switch has a small (1/16th ish) home in the top (the side with the terminals) that I presumed was to allow it to breathe.
Whilst I don't have a garage full of machine tools, I do have a little 3D printer, so knocked up a back plate with a bit of a plug that fits into the body of the switch.
Whilst I don't have a garage full of machine tools, I do have a little 3D printer, so knocked up a back plate with a bit of a plug that fits into the body of the switch.
My recommendation is: Make the back not watertight! Where the rod enters and exits the case it is never watertight and you can not make it tight.So the moisture inside the switch has to have a chance to escape again! I fitted only a stainless steel backplate and ,ready! Regards Erik
Hi all. Many, many, many years ago I sealed the back of my brake light switch with a stainless steel plate and silicone sealant. Several years later the switch stopped working. The bottom of the switch was rotted right through. Lesson learned. The replacement switch is now twenty-five years old, and still works perfectly. It has a generous amount of grease in it, and the same stainless steel back plate, but no silicone,I hope this helps.
Cheers, Chris.
Cheers, Chris.
Thanks for the replies, thinking about it I agree it's probably better to just use the steel backplate and rely on a copious smearing of grease to keep any corrosion at bay, at least that way moisture should be able to egress as well as ingress.
Oddly enough the switch was mounted on the left which meant the wheel t-bar couldn't be undone without removing the switch. After removing the rear light cable from the mudguard stay/handle and threading it down the correct side I can only assume that whoever successfully fed it down the wrong side didn't relish removing and threading it down the correct side. What a pig of a job!
Oddly enough the switch was mounted on the left which meant the wheel t-bar couldn't be undone without removing the switch. After removing the rear light cable from the mudguard stay/handle and threading it down the correct side I can only assume that whoever successfully fed it down the wrong side didn't relish removing and threading it down the correct side. What a pig of a job!
This I an unused switch I bought years ago with it's box and it came with a fiber type back plate.
I checked my bikes, neither has anything on the back of the switches. The twin has been like that for 25 years, never had a problem, never put any grease inside and yes it rains here and yes I have ridden often in torrential rain storms, sometimes all day.
I checked my bikes, neither has anything on the back of the switches. The twin has been like that for 25 years, never had a problem, never put any grease inside and yes it rains here and yes I have ridden often in torrential rain storms, sometimes all day.