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R60/5 Front Brake Switch Servicable?

kentuvman

New member
Front Brake Switch has been inop for awhile - pulled it off last night and it seems to have a short - when I press the spring loaded ball on end that interfaces with brake lever, there is a short - picture shows leads from multi-meter set in sound function mode - all I'm getting is a scratch intermittent beep - already sprayed contact cleaner beneath ball and did my best to scrape contacts where 2 wires reside. The wires, when shorted and outside the switch, activate the brake light as it should.

Is this switch serviceable or easiest to buy a new one?

As always, thank you!
 

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If too far gone WD40 or penetrating oil won't get it working again. Of course if you're like me when the new one arrives you'll carefully cut this one open and see what went wrong! :scratch
 
I just R&R'd mine. Too many battles, got pick the low hanging fruit sometimes.

I've rebuilt my /5 starter/turn signal switch a couple of times, but it's about to go the R&R route too.
 
Yes, by all means cut it open and do an autopsy. Then wrap in in fine cloth, dig a hole and give it a proper burial. :hug Or do like me unscrew the little threaded screws,save them for who knows what and throw the carcass in a metal scrap pile to be recycled into a new whatever product. Something tells me it won't be something as exciting as a /5 light switch. :wave Just teasing.:)
 
repaired mine

I am rebuilding a '72 R75/5 and found the front brake switch inop. One of the terminals was loose and moved around. I looked for a replacement and found that they are out of stock everywhere I tried. What do I have to lose by taking it apart?
Used my dremmel to carefully remove the crimp in the metal case without cutting into the plastic switch body.
pulled out the switch.
found that the loose terminal was not attached to the rest of the switch like the other side was.
cleaned everything up with deoxit.
Applied a bead of solder to each of the 2 parts that were separated
held everything in the correct position with small clamps
heated the part of the terminal I could see with a soldering iron to melt the solder on both parts at the same time
checked to see that the terminal was not tight (after cooling)
it seemed OK physically and works electrically.
used epoxy to hold the switch part inside the metal body and let it cure for 2 days (the bike is a project, so time is not important)
Seems OK after a week, but can not be sure if a permanent fix.
The workings of the switch are simple once you get it apart.
It might work for you - nothing to lose if the parts are not available until late 2015 as MAX says. Part is 61 31 1 351 662
 
Update:

Well, I expeditiously received my new front brake switch from BMW Hucky. When I tested it, before installing, I was confused as the rear brake light was powered w/out pushing the end of the switch.

I paused and thought back to the switch that had been in there - the one that wasn't working and the one I'd sprayed contact cleaner in and compressed air - I powered up the original switch and same thing - power w/out pushing the end of switch.

Had a revelation! The BMW engineers designed the switch to be compressed when installed into front brake perch and to release when brake lever is pulled - seemed so counterintuitive.

So, powered up original switch and have a spare. Will be watching it thought, as it failed before I removed it and cleaned it up so the extra switch may be useful in the future.

Bottom line for me - have never seen a switch that is hot in the "off" position. The German engineers continue to blow my mind!:scratch
 
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