Newbie Question - Rear Brake

[RichInFla]

After getting the bike home last weekend, I went out to ride Saturday morning, dead battery..bummer...Got a charger and charged it, cranked up just fine the next morning.

Now, question. I notice that when I press the rear brake pedal, the brake light doesn't come on. It only comes on if I apply the front brake on the handle bar. Is this normal ?? Just checking.

Thanks,
Rich

[primal]

Your brake light should come on regardless of which brake you are using. I'd look at the brake light switch first.

[RichInFla]

I got this from the manual:

"The rear brake light switch is located behind the muffler. To adjust the brake light switch, turn the switch body in or out so that the brake light will come on just before a pressure rise is felt when the brake pedal is depressed."

I'll probably have my neighbor check it out, as he does work on his HD, but this sounds like something I might be able to check, or is it one of those "leave it to the professionals" ??

Thanks.

p/s: It's a 2000 GZ250

[5th_bike]

The brake light switch has its own little cable. And, you should be able to check it yourself. It is really easy to adjust.

Find the switch and pull the stem out like the brake pedal should do, and see if the brake light comes on.

[RichInFla]

Thanks 5th...

Got it...Okay...I got by the muffler and pulled the cable. The rear brake light did come on when I pulled it toward the front of the bike. Then I applied the foot brake, and the brake light didn't come on UNTIL I had the pedal almost to the fully engaged. So, do I need to adjust the little ball where the cable comes out ? and if so, if I'm on the muffler side, do I go clock-wise or counter clock-wise ?? OR, how do I adjust it ?

Thanks.

[RichInFla]

Or is it that there's a little play in the rear brake so when I put my foot on it and it goes down a little bit, the rear brake isn't really applied until I really, really, press down ??? I noticed I can push the brake pedal down about an inch and the light doesn't come on, BUT does come on when I really press down hard...Sound normal ??

[primal]

I'd rather have it come on earlier than later...

[RichInFla]

I guess I'll have to take it out and see if the rear brake is actually being applied when I put my foot on the rear brake with that inch or so of play before the rear brake light comes on ?? Doesn't really bother me because I would rather keep my foot on the brake pedal just in case, I just don't want to wear down the pads by keeping my foot on the pedal while I'm riding. Make sense ??

[Orpheus]

There's just a nut on that cable behind the muffler that you tighten and it adjusts how soon the brake light comes on; you should be able to push the brake just a little bit before it actuates the light.

[Easy Rider]

There's just a nut on that cable behind the muffler that you tighten and it adjusts how soon the brake light comes on; you should be able to push the brake just a little bit before it actuates the light.

Close but no cigar. I don't think the nut on the cable is meant to be an adjustment. As the quote from the manual says, the switch itself is actually mounted inside a big plastic sleeve with a "nut" formed on the front end. You can turn that nut with your fingers and it moves the switch body forward and back to adjust the trip point. To make it come on sooner, the switch moves BACK; IIRC, you turn the nut counter-clockwise to accomplish that......but the proper direction should be fairly obvious after a couple of turns.

HOWEVER.......

That switch should be the LAST thing you adjust. First you should adjust the slack in the mechanism. Your description of the one inch play and having to push real hard to get anything to happen makes me believe you need some slack adjustment and/or pedal height adjustment BEFORE you make the final adjustment to the light switch.

Most bikes have similar adjustments. Your Harley friend should be able to help you accomplish all the adjustments you need in 5 minutes or less.

:tup:

[Orpheus]

Close but no cigar. I don't think the nut on the cable is meant to be an adjustment. As the quote from the manual says, the switch itself is actually mounted inside a big plastic sleeve with a "nut" formed on the front end.

The plastic nut is what I was talking about; sorry if I wasn't clear. I'm going to go look at it right now.

Edit:

Okay, I just went and looked at it and there isn't a plastic nut, but rather the sleeve that you're talking about. You can see it on the left side of the spring in this (blurry) pic:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0077.jpg

That's what triggers when the light comes on. I needed to adjust it when I got a new spring due to the original one breaking. I'm not sure if you'll have to unattach the spring, then adjust it a little, then reattach it and see when it triggers, or if you can turn it while it's attached; I forget what I had to do.

[Water Warrior 2]

Adjust the brake pedal first and then tackle the brake light switch. You will not need to remove the spring for adjustment. Ideally the brake light comes on before there is any actual braking effect. This will allow you to tell following drivers your intensions a bit sooner just by tapping the pedal before actually slowing down.

[Easy Rider]

Okay, I just went and looked at it and there isn't a plastic nut, but rather the sleeve that you're talking about.

I'm not sure if you'll have to unattach the spring, then adjust it a little, then reattach it and see when it triggers, or if you can turn it while it's attached; I forget what I had to do.

OK, slightly different than what I remembered.....and the manual is spot on (I though it might have suffered in the translation)......you actually turn the body of the switch itself to make the adjustment.

You should NOT remove the spring, as that might cause new problems and if a couple of 1/2 turns one way or the other doesn't produce the desired result......you should pause a minute and study the situation. If the switch takes more than a slight adjustment, something ELSE may be out of whack (bent, loose, etc).

Good pic. BTW! :tup:

[mcintyre_aerospace]

Iff that question has been solved, I have a new one about the back brake. I recently installed new brake shoes, and now theres a strange squeak. I found out that the two brake shoes have two springs that hold them together at top and bottom, and the brake engages by a flat piece of metal prising them apart. Upon further inspection I found that the springs were scraping against what looks like turbines on the inside of the drum on the wheel. After hours of trying to get the springs away from the turbines, I gave up and left it as is. Now I get about 3 to 6 squeals per every rotation of the tire. Has anyone else had this problem, if so is there a solution. Thanks for your help

[Easy Rider]

Now I get about 3 to 6 squeals per every rotation of the tire. Has anyone else had this problem, if so is there a solution. Thanks for your help

Oh crap....a mind is a terrible thing to waste! :cry:

I know I've heard that one before but don't remember the solution.
Is it possible that one (or both) of the springs is in upside down or backwards ??
Just a tiny position change will get them away from the (I think) cooling fins.

If you don't get this figured out in a few days, I know a Suzuki "expert" in another fourm who probably does know the answer.

P.S. Where are you located? (Fill out your profile ??)

[mcintyre_aerospace]

Sorry, ill do that now, just kinda slipped my mind. Im glad this has happened before and can be fixed. Ill post updates as soon as possible.