Yet another brake light switch question

Charging, starting, lighting, gauges, HVAC

Moderators: FORDification, Thunderfoot

Post Reply
User avatar
thejunkman
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 254
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:14 pm
Location: Southwestern PA

Yet another brake light switch question

Post by thejunkman »

So my brake light switch has been finicky since I got the truck. I bought a closeout replacement on rock auto, and when I got it I noticed the plug style is different. My 67 has a plug that looks like /\ and the new one looks like ||. That I can easily fix, the problem is that obviously polarity is important since the plug is keyed, and one terminal on my old switch has a positive symbol. My new switch isn't marked. I'm curious as to why polarity matters. The way I envision the switch to work is just closing the circut when the pedal is pressed and allowing the lights to illuminate. Maybe I'm missing something. My question is if I poke and hope, and put the wrong polarity to one of the terminals will it fry the switch or worse, or just maybe cause the lights to be on constant, until the switch is pressed, turning them off? Or will it just not work period?
-Dave

1967 f100 long bed 2wd, 390, np435
1999 Mercury Grand Marquis
Busboy
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 943
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2015 9:51 am
Location: Nampa Idaho

Re: Yet another brake light switch question

Post by Busboy »

There is no polarity on the brake light switch. Just connect it with female crimp on spade connectors.
1967 F-100 4x4 custom cab.
Another 67 F-100 4x4 custom cab.
2016 F-150 Eco-Boost 2.7 liter. (It will smoke the tires!)
1972 F-350 Sport Custom cab & chassis.
1972 F-250 Explorer Special, Camper Special.
1971 F-100 custom. 302, C-4, p.s. p.b. factory 65 amp alternator with transistorized voltage regulator.
Post Reply