Brake Lamp Switch Modification

[65RoadRacer]

Assuming you are only talking a 1/4" or less, just glue a small rubber pad to the brake pedal where it contacts the switch plunger. Problem solved.

If it was that simple I would only have to adjust the bracket. The point was that the pedal comes back to a different spot every time, and the off position has to be flush with the body of the switch. A pad wouldn't solve it because if the pedal comes back too far, it bends the bracket, which makes it misaligned the next time.
Hopefully this image will explain better than I did.
The switch is available at just about any auto parts store, but the modification was done from hardware I had in the garage (hobby shop parts)

 

[65RoadRacer]

65RoadRacer, where did you get the new brake light switch and do you have a part number? I am going to do the same thing to mine. I converted from manual to power and now the brake lights are on all the time because the pedal is not hitting the switch.

Does the pedal come back to a different spot all the time? If there's a positive stop you could just adjust the bracket, but with mine, that proved not to work because the pedal height changed slightly. The switch is a standard replacement, the small screw/nut was bought at a hobby store (RC cars, planes, etc.)

 

[Yatzee]

I'm not sure if this is common, I've talked to another person who has seen this issue.
Background: I have a four-wheel disc conversion with a Mopar M/C, and I removed the brake booster to switch to manual brakes. My brake pedal doesn't have a positive stop or return spring, so when it comes to rest it doesn't always come back to the same spot.

This sometimes left my brake lights on, and other times the pedal returned far enough to shut them off. Occasionally I'd put my foot under the pedal to pull it back, but that sometimes damaged the switch or bent the switch bracket. So I got creative to fix this problem and thought I'd share it in case others have had this issue.

Since the plunger part of the switch doesn't "open" until the plunger and the switch are in alignment; that meant that if the pedal didn't come back far enough, it would leave the brake lights on, and if it came back further it would damage the switch. I've been at a couple of car shows where I've had to climb under the dash and make yet another adjustment to the switch, and it's annoying.

So I came up with a solution that seems to work great: I drilled a small hole in the plunger, tapped it for a small machine screw that I got at a hobby store (not sure if home improvement stores have them that small), and threaded the screw into the plunger. I used a small nylock nut to lock into place on the plunger.

Now I can mount the switch so that the lights turn off at the lowest brake return level, but if it comes back further, the plunger still works properly when it exceeds the face of the switch, and the small screw allows it to push the plunger further in without any damage to the switch or bracket.

Why the switch has to be fully "plunged" to create the open circuit is a mystery, but that always meant that the pedal had to contact the body of the switch to shut off the brake lights. This allows for that little variance.
View attachment 279188View attachment 279189

I've used a double-acting Allen Bradley limit switch with a roller arm on both my Plymouth and '64 Fairlane for years. They serve double duty ( NO/NC ) are easy to mount, easier to wire, and really easy to set up because the roller arm can be customized for length and contact. Once installed, you'll never replace it, not like the cheap plastic versions and they are truly industrial strength.