Brake Warning light / emergency brake warning light

bteutsch · Feb 17, 2016

So today I set out to make the brake warning light a little more useful. I found a switch on eBay that was designed to add a emergency brake warning light to old ford cars. The switch I found was for a galaxie. Since all the brake imbalance switch does is complete a ground, I got the idea to use this add on switch to do the same thing for the emergency brake (parking brake) and make the light still function for both uses. I forget the dang parking brake is on just about every time I use it.

Only had to mount the switch to the parking brake mechanism where it would make contact when it is depressed. And run a single wire to the proportioning valve harness.

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FordBronc · Feb 17, 2016

Very good idea...I am using it.

sykanr0ng · Feb 17, 2016

To eliminate confusion about why the light was on I decided to use two separate brake warning lights.

Brent13 · Feb 17, 2016

That is awesome! What that the original intention of this light? I have the bezel, red lens is gone, and think there is a bulb, but no worky. May have to copy this one.....

Brent

bteutsch · Feb 17, 2016

Brent13 said:
That is awesome! What that the original intention of this light? I have the bezel, red lens is gone, and think there is a bulb, but no worky. May have to copy this one.....

Brent

The original purpose was to tell you if there is a problem with the brake system. Basically there is a switch in the old H-block or proportioning valve that's centered. If a pressure differential occurs. Like a loss of pressure in the front or back brakes it activated the light letting you know there is a problem. It also does a self check when you crank the engine. The way it's configured now all that still works.. I can just now manually activate it with the parking brake.

horseman · Feb 17, 2016

I have a new portioning valve and the new sensor has one wire. The original has two how do I wire the new one ? Thanks Sorry about highjack

Viperwolf1 · Feb 17, 2016

horseman said:
I have a new portioning valve and the new sensor has one wire. The original has two how do I wire the new one ? Thanks Sorry about highjack

You can connect the two wires together at the single terminal of the new valve.

MarsChariot · Feb 17, 2016

We've had a few threads about this. The latest
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261124&highlight=brake+warning+light
But I like that switch. It is even cleaner than what some of us have used for just that purpose.

bteutsch · Feb 17, 2016

I got the idea from one of those other threads, I like this switch, which I think was mentioned, it was designed for this application and it's a ford part...

Slowleak · Feb 19, 2016

Bronco brake brackets were designed to have a switch on the front side of the pedal which grounds when the pedal is pushed down. There are two pre-drilled holes in the pedal bracket for it. Its the same switch that fits later model f150 trucks. I got mine at Autozone. Duralast part# SW3898
It just pops right in with one screw. The bottom hole in the pedal bracket is for a pin that is molded into the switch.

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bteutsch · Feb 19, 2016

Now you tell me, that's awesome!! Would've been maybe a little easier.. I only had to use one screw also I just had to drill and tap a hole.

Slowleak · Feb 19, 2016

I hooked mine up after smoking my rear brakes a few times...

it sure comes in handy.

Mtgrizzlymn · Feb 19, 2016

Can I still get the light and bezel

NicksTrix · Feb 19, 2016

Mtgrizzlymn said:
Can I still get the light and bezel

yes Dennis Carpenter reproduces them

sykanr0ng · Apr 12, 2016

Slowleak said:
Bronco brake brackets were designed to have a switch on the front side of the pedal which grounds when the pedal is pushed down. There are two pre-drilled holes in the pedal bracket for it. Its the same switch that fits later model f150 trucks. I got mine at Autozone. Duralast part# SW3898
It just pops right in with one screw. The bottom hole in the pedal bracket is for a pin that is molded into the switch.

View attachment 387543 View attachment 387544

The original:
Ford Parking Brake Warning Switch E9FZ-15A851-A

lalberts · Oct 22, 2016

Park brake warning light switch

Will this autozone part number SW3898 fit on a 1973 F-250? I tried a ford brake light switch but when the pedal slams back it hits the end of the switch and knocks it outa adjustment. My idea works but needs improvement. Different switch like the part Number I mentioned? Actually my method work at first but there was a rubber bump pad missing that the Park brake pedal hits when released. But when I added the bump pad the pedal bounces back slightly and light stays on. When I set the switch closer it hits the switch to hard and knocks it back outa adjustment

lalberts · Oct 23, 2016

Park brake warning light switch

I ordered mine today off of ebay we shal see in a week or so how this works. I already have my wiring in place and works when I ground the wire I installed. I will let you know when I get it and install it. Thanks alot for your help!

B-man · Nov 3, 2017

Slowleak said:
Bronco brake brackets were designed to have a switch on the front side of the pedal which grounds when the pedal is pushed down. There are two pre-drilled holes in the pedal bracket for it. Its the same switch that fits later model f150 trucks. I got mine at Autozone. Duralast part# SW3898
It just pops right in with one screw. The bottom hole in the pedal bracket is for a pin that is molded into the switch.

View attachment 387543 View attachment 387544

Sorry I am late to the party, but, where does the other end of the blue wire go to that is on that switch you installed? Back to the housing of the Parking Brake light on dash? Mine stays on.

DirtDonk · Nov 3, 2017

Can't answer the question B-man, but until you find out you can turn the lamp off by unplugging the connector down at the H-block on the frame rail.
The reason to do this isn't so much for any annoyance factor that the light being on all the time will create, but because eventually you can melt the lens out of the socket.

Seen many of those over the years. Best to do that while you figure out whether to fix it as-is, or create the brake lever warning light.
I like the idea of the parking brake light myself, but could go either way.

Paul

Slowleak · Nov 3, 2017

B-man said:
Sorry I am late to the party, but, where does the other end of the blue wire go to that is on that switch you installed? Back to the housing of the Parking Brake light on dash? Mine stays on.

I put a spade terminal on the end of the blue wire. If you crawl under the dash and look at the back of you ignition switch, at about the 2 o’clock position you will see a purple wire with a white stripe. I just plugged the spade connector into the connector with the purple wire on the back of the ignition switch.

When the ignition is on, and you press the emergency brake, the new switch provides a ground thru the blue wire back to the ignition switch. That activates the brake light just like the proportioning valve does. They both still work....no wires to splice or cut up....

Blue wire is in the middle of this picture.

Brake Warning light / emergency brake warning light

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