Front Stop Switch

[Solina Dave]

Recently my front brake light switch wasn't working properly. It was making very intermittent contact. I decided to buy an new original equipment switch. I found them to be no longer available, and found several NOS switches available on Ebay. I won't tell you how much I paid for it, but it was plenty. Almost as much for shipping as for the switch itself. What a ripoff! One very small padded envelope. Anyway that's history now.
Just a bit of a tip. After I took delivery of, and installed the new one, I thought I'd open the old switch just to have a look. There appeared to be a couple of tabs that needed to be depressed to allow for separation of the switch body. But I had no luck getting that to work. So I thought, since I really had nothing to lose, I'd get more aggressive with it, and inserted a knife blade between the two halves and gently pried them apart. The switch body split in two. Internally it's a very simple operating system, and the contacts were a dirty mess. I cleaned all the contacts, and snapped the two halves back together, and now the switch works perfectly. If I'd operated on the old switch before ordering a new one, I would have saved myself a lot of money.
So if you run into a similar situation, maybe this post will help.

Cheers.............Dave

[DenverWinger]

Good advice Dave,

I've done that a couple times now on the 1100, Apparently the poor little switch doesn't like the added load of the four extra bulbs in the Vetter trunk (not to mention stoplights on the trailer if connected). Probably should add a relay from the switch to drive all the stoplights, maybe it will help save what's left of the switch contacts.

[Fred Camper]

Keep in mind another option is to replace the front master assemble for almost the same cost as a brake electric switch. The front brakes on a GL1000 feel wooden and take lots of effort. They do stop very well. But to reduce effort and still stop well, a Master Cylinder with a 5/8th boar is optimal. There are masters available from Randakk and eBay of the right size.

[landisr]

Thanks for this info, Folks.

Ron in AZ

[Solina Dave]

You're welcome Ron.

Cheers........Dave

[Solina Dave]

Keep in mind another option is to replace the front master assemble for almost the same cost as a brake electric switch. The front brakes on a GL1000 feel wooden and take lots of effort. They do stop very well. But to reduce effort and still stop well, a Master Cylinder with a 5/8th boar is optimal. There are masters available from Randakk and eBay of the right size.

That might have been a very good idea Fred. I wasn't going to say how much I eventually paid for the switch, but the whole master cylinder package would have been considerably more. The switch alone cost me $61 US delivered, and the complete master cylinder upgrade, from Randakk's, is $196 US delivered. But since the switch is included in the package, you could say that you'd be looking at $131 US delivered for a very impressive upgrade for front braking.
I wish you wouldn't do that! Now you got me thinking. Why is it, that everytime I get thinking, it costs me money? But it sure sounds sweet!

Thanks a lot Fred ...........................Dave

[WingAdmin]

I wonder if you could snake the tube from a can of electrical contact cleaner into the switch when it is depressed, so that you could just flush the innards out with contact cleaner? That way it would save you having to disassemble it, you might even be able to do it when it's still on the bike.

[Solina Dave]

I wonder if you could snake the tube from a can of electrical contact cleaner into the switch when it is depressed, so that you could just flush the innards out with contact cleaner? That way it would save you having to disassemble it, you might even be able to do it when it's still on the bike.

I did try that initially. In the photo of my old switch, there is that access hole in the switch body. The mid-section of the plunger's shaft is itself a moving contact, and the brass you see is part of the stationary contacts. The shaft is of course spring loaded. I filled that hole with contact cleaner, worked the plunger, and let it sit for awhile. Later when I tested it, I think it was better. But in my opinion not as reliable as I wanted it to be. So I went for a new replacement. But it's worth a try for sure.

Ride safe................Dave.......PS...Maybe a routine shot of cleaner in the hole wouldn't hurt.

"Honda OEM Part #35340-413-013"

[Fred Camper]

If you search on eBay for a cb750 or GL1000 Master Cylinder they can be had for about the price of the switch yet the quality is not as good as Randakks. So there are good options for better braking at various budgets.