Fabricating a Brake Light Switch Bracket for the WDM 20

Editor: Here is a wonderful example of Hans' imagination, execution, and workmanship.

Unless you live on an island without other motorized vehicles, you will NEED a rear brake light; if not for legal reasons, it might just keep you alive.

I tried to keep the necessary switch out of sight, but a micro switch hidden behind the pannier bags was no success. So I decided to forget a hidden mounting, and did it this way: on the rear pillion foot rest. (I NEVER ride pillion, nor do I allow anyone to sit behind me).

I began by making a cardboard template

Next,

I cut it out of .7 mm sheet steel,
drilled a 8 mm hole for the pillion rear bolt, and
5 mm holes for the standard brake switch, and
folded it along the dotted line

The original small spring that is intended to be mounted on the brake rod was too soft, so I replaced it with a piece of steel spring wire; the maximum movement of the brake rod is slightly less than the maximum switch pull length.

Finally, I replaced the light bulbs in the Lucas (repro) rear light by modern LED's; now I have nearly blinding rear- and brake lights, and a well illuminated license plate, at a fraction of the amps they consumed before.

Hans Muller
WDM 58764

Version August 2007