How do I adjust the brake light switch?

[kobachi]

After switching to DMCH's new taillight boards, it became quickly obvious that my brake lights do not come on soon enough. They come on with about 30% brake pressure; IMHO this should be more like 5-10%. The current setting is dangerous, in any case.

SpecialT has a good picture brake-light-switch-loc.jpg

There are two nuts holding it in, and the repair manual just says to loosen the smaller one. But I cannot for the life of me manage to get a wrench in in a way that would even allow me to determine the size of the smaller nut, let alone actually get enough angular clearance to turn it one way or another.

Does anyone know what size these nuts are, and/or have any tips for adjusting them? I'm at a total loss. Maybe there's something else I should be (re)moving that I'm not understanding...

[Bitsyncmaster]

You may have to take the top nut off, pull the switch and then move the back nut. So trial and error method.

[Rich]

Does anyone know what size these nuts are, and/or have any tips for adjusting them? I'm at a total loss. Maybe there's something else I should be (re)moving that I'm not understanding...

Our early-VIN D has just one nut on that switch so telling you it is 14mm might or might not be useful.

Get a good box wrench on it. An adjustable wrench won't fit. A crow's foot wrench with a universal on it might work better.

Or skip the nuts and try bending the sheet metal bracket that holds the switch. "Adjust" it backward to get it to make contact sooner. Without breaking it off of the pedal box, of course. I haven't tried this myself so bend it at your risk.

[kobachi]

You may have to take the top nut off, pull the switch and then move the back nut. So trial and error method.

Same problem, I can't get a wrench in there to even size the nut -- the wrench heads are thicker than the clearance.

[kobachi]

Our early-VIN D has just one nut on that switch so telling you it is 14mm might or might not be useful.

Get a good box wrench on it. An adjustable wrench won't fit. A crow's foot wrench with a universal on it might work better.

Or skip the nuts and try bending the sheet metal bracket that holds the switch. "Adjust" it backward to get it to make contact sooner. Without breaking it off of the pedal box, of course. I haven't tried this myself so bend it at your risk.

Thanks. 14mm sounds about right for the smaller nut. Box wrench wasn't possible because there's the steel plate on the one side, and even with the brake pedal fully depressed (by my skull) and some really, really awkward+uncomfortable maneuvering to get the switch spindle fully retracted, the wrench head was too thick to get over the nut.

Bending the bracket might be easier.