klr in the snow on the road.

[raven434]

With the benefit of the dark the other night, I noticed that my rear brake-light no longer works on my 05 KLR650. The tail light comes on, but neither the rear or front brake lever triggers the brighter brake light. Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? I'm not a mechanic, but have learned a few things from a great teacher who is no longer with us. I have even done the valves on the KLR. However, I don't have much knowledge of the electrical system. I've got the tools, just need the advice. I so appreciate your help. Valerie

[albatrossklr]

First I would check the light-bulb. That is the most likely culprit unless other things are failing. albatross keep it simple but first --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "raven434" wrote:

> > With the benefit of the dark the other night, I noticed that my rear

brake-light no longer

> works on my 05 KLR650. The tail light comes on, but neither the

rear or front brake lever

> triggers the brighter brake light. > > Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? I'm not a mechanic, but have

learned a few things

> from a great teacher who is no longer with us. I have even done the

valves on the KLR.

> However, I don't have much knowledge of the electrical system. > > I've got the tools, just need the advice. I so appreciate your

help.

> > Valerie >

[Jeff Saline]

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:40:33 -0000 "raven434" writes:

> With the benefit of the dark the other night, I noticed that my rear > brake-light no longer > works on my 05 KLR650. The tail light comes on, but neither the > rear or front brake lever > triggers the brighter brake light. > > Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? I'm not a mechanic, but have > learned a few things > from a great teacher who is no longer with us. I have even done the > valves on the KLR. > However, I don't have much knowledge of the electrical system. > > I've got the tools, just need the advice. I so appreciate your > help. > > Valerie

<><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><> Valerie, My suggestions are to: Take a look at the wire/spring from the rear brake pedal to the rear brake switch. Make sure the switch isn't pulled on all the time. If it is the brake light will always be on and might fool you into thinking it's not working. Playing with the switch/wire might put it back to normal. Make sure the bulb is good. Pull the lens off the taillight and look at the bulb. It should be two phillips head screws holding the lens on. You should see two elements (wires) inside the bulb connected to wires on each side. If one isn't connected that could indicate a burned out element. Then turn on the ignition and look to see if only one element is lit. If both are lit that would indicate the brake light is activated all the time. If it's too bright to look at both elements are probably lit. If you aren't sure if the bulb is good or not maybe remove the bulb (let it cool for a few minutes first) by pushing in and turning it counter clockwise and releasing it. You might have to pull on it a tad to get it to release from the socket after you've turned it counter clockwise. I don't have a stock taillight bulb set up so I'm guessing you'll find the stock bulb has two nubs on the side of the base. One is probably high and one is low compared to the bottom of the base. Make sure when you put a new bulb back in you don't put it in 180 degrees out (backwards) and try to jam the high nub into the low nub slot in the bulb socket. Hope that made sense. The side of the bulb should say how many watts each element is. You should be able to get a replacement at any auto parts store. Bring your bulb as a sample. If the bulb is good and the brake light isn't on all the time then it will be time for some more detailed electrical troubleshooting. If you'll need to continue past this point please tell us if you have a multimeter and or test light. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT ____________________________________________________________ Plan ahead with a quick and convenient rental car. Click now. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw2i4LK47BaxgcBuckP6bfXP8its7uqM5FWvsXfGg60WpulE4/

[Greg May]

Hi Valerie, your question may have been answered by now, but since you say the tail light works but the brake light doesn't work I'm pretty sure that it is safe to say that you need a new tail light bulb. The bulb, probably a model 1157 although I'm not sure has two seperate filiments, one for the brake light and one for the tail light, so if one works and the other doesn't it pretty much points to the bulb. If the bulb doesn't cure it I would check the wire connectors for the the brake light. If you have to go this far just repost or email me and I can guide you trough checking it....have a great evening ....Greg

--- On Sun, 11/16/08, raven434 wrote: From: raven434 Subject: [DSN_KLR650] rear brake-light failure To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Received: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 7:40 PM With the benefit of the dark the other night, I noticed that my rear brake-light no longer works on my 05 KLR650. The tail light comes on, but neither the rear or front brake lever triggers the brighter brake light. Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? I'm not a mechanic, but have learned a few things from a great teacher who is no longer with us. I have even done the valves on the KLR. However, I don't have much knowledge of the electrical system. I've got the tools, just need the advice. I so appreciate your help. Valerie __________________________________________________________________ Instant Messaging, free SMS, sharing photos and more... Try the new Yahoo! Canada Messenger at http://ca.beta.messenger.yahoo.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tengai Mark Van Horn]

Yup; what he said. Mark At 4:34 PM -0800 11/16/08, Greg May wrote:

> Hi Valerie, your question may have been >answered by now, but since you say the tail >light works but the brake light doesn't work I'm >pretty sure that it is safe to say that you need >a new tail light bulb. The bulb, probably a >model 1157 although I'm not sure has two >seperate filiments, one for the brake light and >one for the tail light, so if one works and the >other doesn't it pretty much points to the bulb. >If the bulb doesn't cure it I would check the >wire connectors for the the brake light.

[raven434]

I went out to look at the rear break switch connected by the spring. I played with it, tightening and loosening, and got no response from the brake/tail light. I wanted to take the spring all the way off to get the switch off, but was unsure the best way to do it, since I didn't want to bend the hook at the bottom unless I'm supposed to, and I wasn't sure the trick to getting the top of the spring out of its metal loop, either. But I did determine that the brake light is stuck ON, because when I unplugged one connector from the front brake (the connector closest to the headlight), the brake light went off and the dimmer tail light came on. When I reconnect it the brake light stays stuck on again. I do have an LED light, I believe I got it from DualStar many years ago. Its normal function for the brake is to blink several flashes and then stay solid. I have a multi-meter and am ready to troubleshoot. Valerie

[Greg May]

Good morning Valerie, we can do this in a couple steps since if I read right you have an LED assembly installed so it won't be as straight foreward. First the color code of the wires, black/yellow is battery negative or ground if you refer to it that way, red/white is the supply for your tail light and blue is the suplly for your brake light. With your meter on a DC voltage greater then 15 volts DC and the key turned on so your lighting systen is powered up and your tail light wires unplugged of course, you should measure approx 13 volts between the black/yellow and and red/white wires. We'll use this to ensure that your meter is setup properly since you said that the tail light was working. If you read approx 13 volts there all is happy with your meter and you're ready to test the tail light, Next connect your meter between the black/yellow and blue wires and activate one of the brake levers, you should see 13 volts if all is well in the circuit supplying the brake light, if you don't see 13 volts try the other brake lever. if you see 13 volts when one or hopefully both levers are opereted the problem is in the tail light assembly. Repost on what you find and we'll go from there....Have a great day Greg

--- On Mon, 11/17/08, raven434 wrote: From: raven434 Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: rear brake-light failure To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Received: Monday, November 17, 2008, 2:28 AM I went out to look at the rear break switch connected by the spring. I played with it, tightening and loosening, and got no response from the brake/tail light. I wanted to take the spring all the way off to get the switch off, but was unsure the best way to do it, since I didn't want to bend the hook at the bottom unless I'm supposed to, and I wasn't sure the trick to getting the top of the spring out of its metal loop, either. But I did determine that the brake light is stuck ON, because when I unplugged one connector from the front brake (the connector closest to the headlight), the brake light went off and the dimmer tail light came on. When I reconnect it the brake light stays stuck on again. I do have an LED light, I believe I got it from DualStar many years ago. Its normal function for the brake is to blink several flashes and then stay solid. I have a multi-meter and am ready to troubleshoot. Valerie __________________________________________________________________ Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail. Click on Options in Mail and switch to New Mail today or register for free at http://mail.yahoo.ca [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[dooden]

Change the Bulb ? Dooden A15 Green Ape I took a small LED marker/clearance light, made a bracket and mounted it above the taillight on the rack and scabbed it into the wiring as a additional brake light, so at least if the taillight gets smashed I have some kind of light I can flash to signal folks behind me.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "raven434" wrote: > > With the benefit of the dark the other night, I noticed that my rear brake-light no longer > works on my 05 KLR650. The tail light comes on, but neither the rear or front brake lever > triggers the brighter brake light. > > Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? I'm not a mechanic, but have learned a few things > from a great teacher who is no longer with us. I have even done the valves on the KLR. > However, I don't have much knowledge of the electrical system. > > I've got the tools, just need the advice. I so appreciate your help. > > Valerie >

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "raven434" wrote:

> > I went out to look at the rear break switch connected by the spring. I played with it, > tightening and loosening, and got no response from the brake/tail light. I wanted to

take the

> spring all the way off to get the switch off, but was unsure the best way to do it, since I

didn't

> want to bend the hook at the bottom unless I'm supposed to, and I wasn't sure the trick

to

> getting the top of the spring out of its metal loop, either. > > But I did determine that the brake light is stuck ON, because when I unplugged one > connector from the front brake (the connector closest to the headlight), the brake light

went

> off and the dimmer tail light came on. When I reconnect it the brake light stays stuck

on

> again. > > I do have an LED light, I believe I got it from DualStar many years ago. Its normal

function for

> the brake is to blink several flashes and then stay solid. > > I have a multi-meter and am ready to troubleshoot. > > Valerie >

The brake light switch can get crudded up to the point where the plunger will not retract by itself. Try pushing the plunger in and see if light goes off. Work the plunger in and out with a little WD40 to see if you can get the switch to operate normally. If you have covered this in your posts, then pardon me for missing it, but the goobered-up switch is the culprit about 99 percent of the time.

[Jeff Saline]

On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:28:16 -0000 "raven434" writes:

> I went out to look at the rear break switch connected by the spring. > I played with it, > tightening and loosening, and got no response from the brake/tail > light. I wanted to take the > spring all the way off to get the switch off, but was unsure the > best way to do it, since I didn't > want to bend the hook at the bottom unless I'm supposed to, and I > wasn't sure the trick to > getting the top of the spring out of its metal loop, either. > > But I did determine that the brake light is stuck ON, because when I > unplugged one > connector from the front brake (the connector closest to the > headlight), the brake light went > off and the dimmer tail light came on. When I reconnect it the > brake light stays stuck on > again. > > I do have an LED light, I believe I got it from DualStar many years > ago. Its normal function for > the brake is to blink several flashes and then stay solid. > > I have a multi-meter and am ready to troubleshoot. > > Valerie

<><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><> Valerie, You've figured out the problem is with your front brake switch. Well Done!!!! I almost mentioned that but usually it's the rear brake switch or the bulb. I've never heard of a DualStar LED taillight going out. That's what I use too. With the lens off that set up will blind you if you are looking at it up close and apply the brakes. I took a quick look at my KLR to remind me of how the front brake switch is set up. You should have just a tad bit of free play in the lever. And when it is moved in and out just a tad you should hear the front switch clicking on and off. I'm betting either you have a bent lever and the end is hitting a bark buster (but you didn't mention any falls) or the switch is gummed up. If the lever moves all the way out (away from the grip) so there is no gap near the pivot you probably don't have a bent lever/barkbuster. If the end of the lever is hitting the bark buster you may have to adjust something to allow the brake lever to relax all the way. I've had to do this on bikes a few times. When you apply the front brake take a look from the bottom up with your head below the front turn signal area. You should be able to see a small nub sticking out from the front of the brake light switch. When the brakes are not applied the nub should be pressed in from the lever pushing on it. When you apply the front brake the lever moves off the nub and the nub should pop out turning on the brake light. I'm guessing the switch/nub would be gummed up and stuck out. Maybe try spraying it with WD-40 or electrical contact cleaner and playing with it a bit to see if you can get it to move. If playing with it doesn't get it to work properly you should be able to disconnect the wires and remove the switch. I think it's held on with just one nut/bolt. Looks like maybe a 6mm or 8mm nut on the bottom but I didn't pay close attention on mine. Just remove the nut and the switch should pop right off. Then you should be able to clean the switch on the bench/kitchen table and hear it click when the nub starts moving in and out. To test it you can just connect the wires to it, turn on the key and then push the nub in and let it out to see the brake light come on and off. If you have the LED Brake Light set up to flash when it's first applied you can easily tell if the brake switch is working properly as when you first turn the key on the light will flash if the brake light is powered. Once you've got the switch working properly just reinstall and make sure it works with the lever. If the switch is bad and you can't get it to work you can ride with the front brake light switch disconnected until you get a new one. Just remember to always apply a slight amount of rear brake so you are activating the brake light and signalling your intentions to other road users. Let us know what you find. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT ____________________________________________________________ Find success and happiness with drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Click now. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw2ZDsnXSeIEWHJdkIdgKBoXziwp0L9sJSfZZV8KAXdVNV9Du/