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Poor quality, or was Lucas ever thus?


JohnD

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The brake light swicth ona Vitesse is a mechanical "push to off" swicth mounted so that the pedal pushes the switch to off when it's at rest.   I've just received a new one from a well-known supplier (I've emailed them, wiat and see their response before I name them) and fitted it.      I plugged in the two spade connectors and gave the cable a light tug to ensure they were home - and the back of the switch came away! 

The switch looks like this:

Brake Light Switch - Non ABS - 134529P - Aftermarket

The rear cover closes the box, and holds the two conectors in place,  It is "secured" into the rest of the switch by two little knobs of plastic in two recesses.  You may be able to see the one on this side of the pic, just forward of the connector.

What really galls me is the sticker on my switch -  "Lucas Approved Quality Control".   I don't know if this is OE kit - it came in a "Lucas" box - but if Joe Lucas passed this in the day, it's no surprise that the Yanks call him the Prince of Darkness! 

I hope that this is a modern reproduction, badly made, but so many other suppliers sell items that look identical, I'm not hopeful that mine can offer anything better. It's not the cost, this was less than £8, inc.postage, it's the principle, that goods should be 'fit for purpose'.   But for the same reason, I fear that all such switches will be as bad.

 I believe that early (?) Heralds, MGBs, etc, and many other cars, used a pressure switch in the brake line, and Morgans get converted.  http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/brakelightswitch.html  At least a pressure switch should have a body and cover that holds together!   Has anyone converted their later Triumph to use such a system?  Any comments?   Or any ideas for an alternative switch in the original place?

JOhn

Edited by JohnD
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Ifyou check Lucas out, they are now just a brand name. All the stuff is made by lowest bidders.....

When I needed to replace mine, I had a look at ebay. I was looking for a OEM switch with the threaded bit. In the end I found a SEAT OEM switch, spade connectors and supplied with 2 nuts. £4 delivered. A bargain methinks. Anyway, Nissan and other manufacturers also used similar switches, though the threaded section is usually rather longer.

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If you wnat a job doing properly....

No idea aif the ?polyproylene casing will adhere, but I've resorted to some "Super Steel" 2-pack epoxy, and thr switch now looks like thisP1040072.JPG.e283c2ab0875dcff8b069dc25a99b9e1.JPG

Dabs of glue inside the rear of the casing, facing the cover,and in the recesses that 'hold' that knobs.   It going off now, I'll leave it until tomorrow and try again.

Zetec, 

Can you recall what your SEAT switch looked like?  This is by Facet, for a SEAT Terra (?), early 90s.   But the circuit diagram may mean that this  is "push for ON" so won't do the job.

image.png.8faf944d4edeeb5f220d8943fe6bbf25.png

 

If you would kindly look at https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=SEAT+brake+light+switch&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=SEAT+brake+stop+light+switch&_sacat=0  you might see what you have used?

Thanks and bests

John

 

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That looks unusually well made for a VAG part - the 'orrible plastic tat showing on ebay looks more typical.  They also often have more terminals than that as they have other functions aside from brake lights.

I had a similar problems to you a while back.  I think I ended up breaking into the original switch, fixing it and somehow getting it back together.  It's been fine since, several years now.... or probably longer - I forget.

Nick

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Thanks, Zetec!   I'll try my lodged up switch, as i have it, and keep your suggestion in reserve.    Maybe my 'repair'  ( can you repair a brand new item?) will.hold as long as Nick's!

John

ps. The barrel.if the old one was cracked, but it was exacyou the same design.   But the production, or materials, meant that I couldn't pull.off that back cover without a vice and pliers!!  J

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Before I was lured into the world of British classics, I owned a few Saab 96's and I still have one (MY 71). The car's electrics are a mix of Hella and Lucas parts. Readily available, off-the-shelf stuff back in the 70s. And guess what: the cars' electrics never (and have never) failed! 

Saab did a few interesting tricks with the electrics: only a handful earth points on the car (near the LH rear light, under the dash, under the bonnet). They also stepped away from British' classics "Oh, two or three fuses are enough..." concept and installed a row with low amp fuses.

Finally: the wiper motor. My 71 Saab has the same wiper motor as some Jag models from that year. The Jag motor (Barrett...) is 3x the price of a Saab wiper motor! Even cheaper when you have a Saab breakers yard nearby.

In short: when looking for Lucas parts, take a look at the Saab part catalogue as well.

 

M

 

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16 hours ago, JohnD said:

The brake light swicth ona Vitesse is a mechanical "push to off" swicth mounted so that the pedal pushes the switch to off when it's at rest.   I've just received a new one from a well-known supplier (I've emailed them, wiat and see their response before I name them) and fitted it.      I plugged in the two spade connectors and gave the cable a light tug to ensure they were home - and the back of the switch came away! 

The switch looks like this:

Brake Light Switch - Non ABS - 134529P - Aftermarket

The rear cover closes the box, and holds the two conectors in place,  It is "secured" into the rest of the switch by two little knobs of plastic in two recesses.  You may be able to see the one on this side of the pic, just forward of the connector.

What really galls me is the sticker on my switch -  "Lucas Approved Quality Control".   I don't know if this is OE kit - it came in a "Lucas" box - but if Joe Lucas passed this in the day, it's no surprise that the Yanks call him the Prince of Darkness! 

I hope that this is a modern reproduction, badly made, but so many other suppliers sell items that look identical, I'm not hopeful that mine can offer anything better. It's not the cost, this was less than £8, inc.postage, it's the principle, that goods should be 'fit for purpose'.   But for the same reason, I fear that all such switches will be as bad.

 I believe that early (?) Heralds, MGBs, etc, and many other cars, used a pressure switch in the brake line, and Morgans get converted.  http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/brakelightswitch.html  At least a pressure switch should have a body and cover that holds together!   Has anyone converted their later Triumph to use such a system?  Any comments?   Or any ideas for an alternative switch in the original place?

JOhn

Hi John

I bought a one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E21-E30-E12-E28-E34-E23-E32-Brake-Light-Switch-2pin-61311379830-1368786/142914419883?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D52945%26meid%3Dbce30cfe50984ace96164ee8b67e0a8a%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D250609981532%26itm%3D142914419883&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850 for my TR6 and it works perfectly.

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My supplier has  responded, apologised and promised to find me an original Lucas switch, and send it to me FoC.

Can't argue with that for service, but i don't want to name them in case the new part's failure carries more weight.

They said that there is no alternative to the pattern part, that is marketed by many other suppliers

I suggested to them that  the majority of their customers, all of them apart from those obsessed with originality, would be grateful if they researched the wider market of modern switches and pointed them to the examples given above.

John

 

PS.  My mistake.  The switch I posted about for a SEAT is a Reversing Light switch, so would be "press for on".  Why eBay put in a search for stop light switch I cannot imagine.

And also my mistake in 'repairing' the faulty switch.  Must have put tto much epoxy in itas it won't work now!   J

Edited by JohnD
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No offence to any of my advisers, but this is what EuroParts could get me.   It's for a 90's Fiat Panda.

The barrel is a lot longer than the Lucas one, but a length of copper C/heating pipe (15mm) asa sopcer and it's ideal!

I will fit the OE Lucas part now, if only to repsect my supplier's customer service!

John

P1040080.JPG

P1040078.JPG

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