GREAT stuff here folks! Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge! I have a '53 3100 that I just acquired and I'm sorting out the wiring. What type connector is on the stoplight switch? I tried a female bullet connector and wasn't entirely impressed with, it's grip. And maybe I'm just being overly cautious? What have you all used and had success or failure with?
I would guess that the proper size female bullet connector will work, and that's what the re-pro switches come with, but if my old memory serves me correctly, the original connector was a funny looking thing with little springs clips the clicked into the notches on the male prongs and held them fairly tight..could be wrong though, it's been a bit since I worked on one.
"With it's grip" . You mean too loose? My 50' was a bit loose and I used pliers to tighten the females a bit. No problem ever since. Good luck & keep us posted. Todd
Thanks all! Atomarc- there might have been spring clips on the original, they fell apart when I removed them. Todd-I tried "adjusting" what I had with pliers before I test fit them, I was still a little concerned. I think I have found the smaller ones Bartamos mentioned. Of I can't find the smaller ones, i'll try adjusting them after they're installed Thanks all!
atomarc your right on those clip connectors,I last used a bullet from my local flaps. Just called em about those still have 2 sizes like was said .157,and .187 there is a bigger one no call for it.
The only thing I remember about what Stuart said is on gauge studs. The little connectors "zipped" on a serrated pin (like threads). The safest bet will be the AAW I linked. If you want to use FLAPS female bullets, just use a crimp tool squeezed while rotating around them to slightly close them up. The next key to that is create a wire loop back to the firewall and clamp the wires in such a way as to give some connection pressure and also give strain relief.
I fixed this problem on my truck about 40+ years ago. I simply installed a pressure switch in the brake line, easy peasy, never worried about it since. Pretty sure it was a 57 Buick stoplight switch. Gotta think outside the box once in a while................
The pressure switches they make these days are junk. I was going through one about every year because they would require more and more pressure to close the circuit. They would get to the point where my brake lights would never come on unless I stood on the brake pedal. I changed to a lever switch and no issues since. I found the correct female bullet connectors at a local FLAPS.
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