No Brake Lights?

[jspagna1]

Ok I have to mash the heck out of my brakes to get the brake lights to come on. I do not want to get rearended. Anyway, I had this problem a year or two agao and I replaced the brake light switch at the brake pedal (1966). It was fine for a while and now this year I take the car out of winter storage and I have the same problem again. I looked at the switch and it still looks new and i cleaned the connections for the plug and it still not working.
Should I just replace the switch with a new one again or is there something else I should look for? Again, the brake lights come on,but only if I mash the brake and when I'm already at a stop.... too late.

 

[hivewax]

i had a similar problem a while ago, but no lights at all. had to replace the brake light switch twice. first one lasted like 1 week. i think not all switches are alike and maybe how it's installed is an issue.

 

[Grabber70Mach]

Had a the same problem before, hope this makes since. If you remove the switch and can press the part that your brake pedal pushes against and activate it. Them slightly bend each end of the switch out so that the pedal hits it sooner, hopefully the picture will help. The red is the flat plate that the pedal pushes against and the blue represents it after you have slightly bent it.

View attachment 324292

 

[jspagna1]

I'll give it a shaot and if that doesn't work I'll just buy another switch.
Thanks Guys.

 

[jspagna1]

Yep, it was the switch. I went to Mustangs Unlimited last night to pick one up and put it in and it worked like a dream. I can't beleive the original one lasted 40 years and the new one I bought a year ago already crapped out. I guess they just don't make them like they used to.
This time I got the more expensive Motocraft one, hopefully I will have better luck.
Thanks for all the help guys. Always appreciated.

 

[hivewax]

that cool to live locally close to a distributor and inspect all the parts you buy... no such luck here.