Parking brake warning light for a 71?

[Stanglover]

Last weekend, ******* drove from a show with the parking brake (slightly) on. The car was on an incline downwards, so I applied the P/B (why??) and totally forgot about it when I left. It was not until I smelled something, that I realized the P/B was still on. Fortunately I had not fully applied it and no damage done. Yes, I did take the wheels off and checked the drums and shoes!! I dodged a bullet for sure and not the first time I'd forgotten the damn stupid thing. (European cars ALL have HAND BRAKES!!!)

On the 71, I don't believe there was an optional parking brake warning light, or at least not on my low optioned car. So, my question to the knowledgeable is, is there such a thing and can it be added to my basic 71 Mach 1 and where can I get one?

If I were not too worried about authenticity, I'd put in a HAND BRAKE. My car is a manual trans 4 speed, I have 3 pedals and only two feet, making hill starts a bitch. Fortunately there are not many hills around where I live, so I can avoid them most of the time.

 Coming from England, I was taught how to do hill starts using the hand brake. In fact the hand brake is/should be used almost all the time when starting off. You just get in the habit as most cars when I lived there were all manual trans. Just a side note, when I did my driving test (in the sixties) the instructor actually had me stop on an upward incline, got out and placed a match box behind a rear wheel. If I'd rolled back and crushed the match box, I would have failed my test. I passed!

The dumbest thing is they call it an "emergency brake" Been there, tried that, didn't work!! Fortunately I had a box full of gears to get me slowed down before I hit someone. This type of brake is (well maybe) fine on an automatic car, but on a stick shift, no way, but I'm stuck with it.

Thoughts?

Geoff.

 

[Don C]

The wiring diagram shows them as part of the convenience system for 71s.

My no option car doesn't have them either. The dual brake warning light works by applying a ground to the negative side of the bulb. So, I'm going to add a switch to my parking brake pedal that will be connected to ground on one side and to the dual brake warning light circuit on the other, by tapping into the purple/white stripe wire that runs from the combination valve to the dash. This will apply the ground to the brake warning light in the dash cluster when the parking brake is on, turning it on. It won't identify whether it's a hydraulic problem or parking brake on, but if the parking brake is fully released it will be obviously a hydraulic problem.

 

[RCH71]

You mean something like this? If the PB is activated it turns on a warning light in the lower left side of the dash. If your car dosnt have the light, it should be really easy to wire the switch to a warning LED and place it somewhere in your dash!

Let me look for a pic of how the switch is installed in the brake pedal an will send it later.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-parking-brake-warning-light-switch-1994-2001/p/HW2315/

Enviado desde mi SM-G9600 mediante Tapatalk

 

[Stanglover]

You mean something like this? If the PB is  activated it turns on a warning light in the lower left side of the dash. If your car dosnt have the light, it should be really easy to wire the switch to a warning LED and place it somewhere in your dash!

Let me look for a pic of how the switch is installed in the brake pedal an will send it later.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-parking-brake-warning-light-switch-1994-2001/p/HW2315/

Enviado desde mi SM-G9600 mediante Tapatalk

 Awesome, thanks.

 

[Stanglover]

The wiring diagram shows them as part of the convenience system for 71s.

My no option car doesn't have them either. The dual brake warning light works by applying a ground to the negative side of the bulb. So, I'm going to add a switch to my parking brake pedal that will be connected to ground on one side and to the dual brake warning light circuit on the other, by tapping into the purple/white stripe wire that runs from the combination valve to the dash. This will apply the ground to the brake warning light in the dash cluster when the parking brake is on, turning it on.  It won't identify whether it's a hydraulic problem or parking brake on, but if the parking brake is fully released it will be obviously a hydraulic problem.

 I was thinking alone those lines as well, but not being an electrical genius, not sure how to do it. Since I added power front discs, I use a separate adjustable bias valve for the rear brakes, so the original non-power drum brake combination valve is only used as a junction for the front, the warning light is disconnected otherwise it would be on all the time.

That would be a very convenient way to have a parking (or emergency) brake warning light without having to add any non-stock lights and or drill holes in the dash.

Thanks for the ideas.

Geoff.

 

[Don C]

You can see where the parking brake switch is located in post #12 of this thread.

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-location-of-parking-brake-light-switch?page=2

Just run a wire from it and connect it to the purple/white stripe at the instrument cluster connector, or even run it to the wire where it used to be connected to your combination valve.

Or, add this someplace

https://www.amazon.com/Alpinetech-PLB16MS-Signal-Indicator-Parking/dp/B07KJPY78F/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=dash+brake+indicator+light&qid=1561842100&s=automotive&sr=1-6

 

[Stanglover]

You can see where the parking brake switch is located in post #12 of this thread.

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-location-of-parking-brake-light-switch?page=2

Just run a wire from it and connect it to the purple/white stripe at the instrument cluster connector, or even run it to the wire where it used to be connected to your combination valve.

Or, add this someplace

https://www.amazon.com/Alpinetech-PLB16MS-Signal-Indicator-Parking/dp/B07KJPY78F/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=dash+brake+indicator+light&qid=1561842100&s=automotive&sr=1-6

Awesome, sounds like a plan. Now just got to find a suitable switch...……… and the ambition to do it.

Geoff.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

You will never notice the light if you had one. I don't. I fried my F-150 emergency brake and the light is up in the cluster and did not even notice it. With the Mustang factory one down low on the dash like right beside the rear window defogger or power top switch I never see them because of my leg.

When they do inspection here the apply the brake and put in gear and give it some gas it is moves it fails. Over 35 years old does not have to be inspected.

Hang you a note on the dash or steering wheel, lol. My cars have the convenience group.

I guess since I live in the mountains I just got use to timing my clutch. Never used the brake. Our drivers training car was a 1963 Plymouth 3 speed. and the clutch was totally different than the car my dad let me drive 1950 Ford sedan.

I did have a Hurst Line Loc on my 1950 Ford when I drag raced it back in the 60's. You have a button on your floor shift, you applied your brakes and hit the button and a solenoid in the front brake line prevented the pressure from going back to master cylinder.  You could do a hell of a burn out with it, lol. Once was in Asheville on Patton Avenue that is 4 lanes and I was in the left turn lane first in line. A cop was in right lane a few cars back. I told my buddy to watch this. I locked the front wheels and spun the rear tires until it smoke up the intersection so bad nobody could move. The cop was going crazy. I took off and went to a hiding spot.

It will save you lots of U-Joint, axle and transmission issues also but tough on rear tires.

All the VW dune buggy guys here have the dual handle ebrakes so they can climb rocks better.

I think Studebaker was first to put on car from the factory.

 

[Stanglover]

You will never notice the light if you had one. I don't. I fried my F-150 emergency brake and the light is up in the cluster and did not even notice it. With the Mustang factory one down low on the dash like right beside the rear window defogger or power top switch I never see them because of my leg.

When they do inspection here the apply the brake and put in gear and give it some gas it is moves it fails. Over 35 years old does not have to be inspected.

Hang you a note on the dash or steering wheel, lol. My cars have the convenience group.

I guess since I live in the mountains I just got use to timing my clutch. Never used the brake. Our drivers training car was a 1963 Plymouth 3 speed. and the clutch was totally different than the car my dad let me drive 1950 Ford sedan.

I did have a Hurst Line Loc on my 1950 Ford when I drag raced it back in the 60's. You have a button on your floor shift, you applied your brakes and hit the button and a solenoid in the front brake line prevented the pressure from going back to master cylinder.  You could do a hell of a burn out with it, lol. Once was in Asheville on Patton Avenue that is 4 lanes and I was in the left turn lane first in line. A cop was in right lane a few cars back. I told my buddy to watch this. I locked the front wheels and spun the rear tires until it smoke up the intersection so bad nobody could move. The cop was going crazy. I took off and went to a hiding spot.

It will save you lots of U-Joint, axle and transmission issues also but tough on rear tires.

All the VW dune buggy guys here have the dual handle ebrakes so they can climb rocks better.

I think Studebaker was first to put on car from the factory.

David, thanks for the comments. A line lock was another thought, but as I seldom need to do hill starts, not worth the expense. 

The "hill" that gets me often is really only a rise to a busy junction. Trouble is the road is from a very popular lakeside village were many go to fish, go boating and sun on the beaches (what's left of them as the lakes are really high this year) and drink beer at the local craft brewery. So stopping on that rise, it's inevitable someone will pull up on your tail, no room for a roll-back error! 

I had also thought of a note on my steering wheel, but then I have to remember to put it there. No easy fix for being a bumdass!!!

Geoff.

 

[NOT A T5]

Perhaps an audible beeper or alarm you could hide under the dash or some place else would be another option, just my 2 cents.

 

[Stanglover]

Perhaps an audible beeper or alarm you could hide under the dash or some place else would be another option, just my 2 cents.

 Yes, another good thought. Could likely hook it up to the door buzzer I don't use, the wires are right there.

Food for thought indeed.

Also, IF these cars were built so a person could "Toe & Heel" the gas and brake pedals, the hill start thing would be eased.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I believe the relationship of the clutch, brake gas pedal was a government spec. My feet are too big to toe heel. I would never make it on road coarse.

 

[tony-muscle]

The wiring diagram shows them as part of the convenience system for 71s.

My no option car doesn't have them either. The dual brake warning light works by applying a ground to the negative side of the bulb. So, I'm going to add a switch to my parking brake pedal that will be connected to ground on one side and to the dual brake warning light circuit on the other, by tapping into the purple/white stripe wire that runs from the combination valve to the dash. This will apply the ground to the brake warning light in the dash cluster when the parking brake is on, turning it on.  It won't identify whether it's a hydraulic problem or parking brake on, but if the parking brake is fully released it will be obviously a hydraulic problem.

Great idea. One more mod for the long list...

 

[Stanglover]

I believe the relationship of the clutch, brake gas pedal was a government spec. My feet are too big to toe heel. I would never make it on road coarse.

 Hmm, got the opposite problem, feet too small to reach both pedals easily!! 

But then all my cars in the UK had hand brakes, hill starts no problem. 

Still, the focus here is to find a reminder for when I (and apparently others) leave the stupid parking brake on.  I'm liking the buzzer idea the more I think about and from other comments about not noticing the light.

Geoff.

 

[Don C]

Perhaps an audible beeper or alarm you could hide under the dash or some place else would be another option, just my 2 cents.

 Yes, another good thought. Could likely hook it up to the door buzzer I don't use, the wires are right there.

Food for thought indeed.

Also, IF these cars were built so a person could "Toe & Heel" the gas and brake pedals, the hill start thing would be eased.

This should work, flashing red and buzzing

https://www.amazon.com/DIGITEN-Flash-Alarm-Indicator-Buzzer/dp/B017YL31OY/ref=sr_1_24?keywords=park+dash+indicator+light&qid=1561922544&s=automotive&sr=1-24

 

[Stanglover]

Perhaps an audible beeper or alarm you could hide under the dash or some place else would be another option, just my 2 cents.

 Yes, another good thought. Could likely hook it up to the door buzzer I don't use, the wires are right there.

Food for thought indeed.

Also, IF these cars were built so a person could "Toe & Heel" the gas and brake pedals, the hill start thing would be eased.

This should work, flashing red and buzzing

https://www.amazon.com/DIGITEN-Flash-Alarm-Indicator-Buzzer/dp/B017YL31OY/ref=sr_1_24?keywords=park+dash+indicator+light&qid=1561922544&s=automotive&sr=1-24

 Ideas abound! Thanks. Now, just need to find a suitable switch that can be mounted on the brake mechanism, or is there a repop for that?

Geoff.

 

[Don C]

http://www.ohiomustang.com/store/order_page.asp?itemid=1135

https://www.npdlink.com/product/switch-and-bracket-park-brake-signal/102197?backurl=search%2Fproducts%3Fsearch_terms%3Dparking%252Bbrake%252Bswitch%26top_parent%3D200001%26year%3D1971&year=1971

Or, the next time you go to Pic-n-Pull get one from a '79 to '92 Mustang.

 

[midlife]

Still, the focus here is to find a reminder for when I (and apparently others) leave the stupid parking brake on.  I'm liking the buzzer idea the more I think about and from other comments about not noticing the light.

Geoff.

Please feel free to install my MIL, as she'll let you know immediately if you do anything stupid.  I'll even ship her out to you at no charge to you in addition to no charge for the MIL.  Please.

 

[Stanglover]

Still, the focus here is to find a reminder for when I (and apparently others) leave the stupid parking brake on.  I'm liking the buzzer idea the more I think about and from other comments about not noticing the light.

Geoff.

Please feel free to install my MIL, as she'll let you know immediately if you do anything stupid.  I'll even ship her out to you at no charge to you in addition to no charge for the MIL.  Please.

Ah! took me a minute to figure out what you meant, still half asleep this morning. I already have one, yaps at me every time I step on it...… amongst other things!!

I'll settle for a buzzer.

Geoff.