Just followed this video on my 2016 Dyna Street Bob and worked like a charm! One trick I used to stop the circlip flying off, as they do, was to stick some BluTack on the circlip when prying off and that gave me the flexibility to get the screw driver under the clip and not lose it. Thank you.
You are The Man... Ya lucky that wee clip didn't pop into your camera woman's eye. I enjoy and continue to learn your videos. Just put my bike away for the winter so checked it all over and yes. Same problem. Now I know what and how to fix. You've not only taught me so much but saved me lots of money. Imagine what the dealer would charge.
Well presented and explained !! Was just about to book my 2011 FLSTC into the Harley dealer for exactly the same problem and saw your Video. Worked like a charm, and saved me an unnecessary trip to Dealer (and their exorbitant charges) Top Man!
Looks like some videos will last a lifetime and will never be too old to watch and benefit from. Thank you so much for this, I just had this issue on my 2012 fatboy and fixed it following the instructions on your video. Very helpful indeed.
Thanks Delboy! I went to Harley to have my brake light looked at, and I don't know what they did or looked at, but they told me I needed a new light. Almost 200 US cash. I left n looked at it myself. I found same problem in hand brake. So i found your video. How did Harley technicians not know this and try to sell me a light? Mechanic's, you are missed!
Im not sure why they didn't take the time to look at it closer and notice it just needed lubricating.. but at least now YOU know about it, you can keep it working for free.. Glad you didn't spend the money mate !
Done this little service job today as my brake light was staying on, the light now operates as it should and the brake lever has never felt so good! Thank you for your awesome videos have learned loads from you please keep it up. My ride is a 2010 Harley Davidson Fatboy S. Many many thanks again Delboy!
Hey good for you bro, yeah I have a 2005 fat boy I've been watching delroy for about 15 years, doing everything that he says especially when he works on exact same fat boy. Has to be the best mechanic I've ever seen
2014 wide glide. Been in the shop 2 weeks now and I told them forget it. I just watch this video, and I can know for sure that my handle is not popping back out where it should. I'm going to go clean that sucker right now, and get back on the road. Thank you for the video!
You are my favorite go to TH-cam mechanic. I have two different Harleys with different needs and getting parts and service way out here on the island of Guam is expensive. You have saved me loads of cash and I love to work on my bikes at home. So much so I recently purchased my own pnuematic bike lift. Keep up with the great Vids. Cheers Mate. BKD
Was having this problem with my Fat Bob. After viewing and quickly dismissing other how to's, I found your vid was exactly what i was looking for. Straight forward, on point, and easy informative. Thanks for that, and a nod to the camerawoman.
Beltin Del Mot'd the bike yesterday and he mentioned the brake was sticking intermittently,told him i'd sort it. So it was garage day today ,full oil change and sorted the brake light out with your help.. You are a born teacher and your knowledge is top drawer. Thanks Del 👍👍👍
Great video and very helpful with my 2015 Harley Davidson Street Bob! I even had my 16 year daughter help me out with this repair, after I completed a full flush of both front and rear brake calipers- per my local HD dealer's inspection of my bike. Your video saved me around $300 dollars in shop mechanical time and parts! Thank you
Been having the same problem with my 2012 Softail Slim.....The shop told me the brake light switch was in the master cylinder, and I would need a new M/C.......Mine actually threw a BCM code for brake light switch. Thank you very much for the video...I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!!!!!!!!
Most welcome, and good luck with it Sonny.. in my experience of Harley Davidson build quality, most things can be fixed and are rarely beyond repair.. so hope you can get it mended..!
Thank you Delboy! Just returned from a ride to northern new south wales (aus) where my brake light was sticking on. 20mins in the shed at home watching this video, issue now solved. your videos are very informative and save lots of dollars for riders. Subscribed!
Thank you Delboy's Garage. I am no mechanic but during a trip to Austria I noticed my rear brake light was sticking on. I saw your video and thought I would give it ago. All worked brake now fine. I even saw your video about bleeding the brakes front and rear and did that too. Great Job. Keep up the good work.
Bloody good advice. Local Harley shop billed my mate $280 to fix this problem, then sold me a brake light switch for mine. Turns out it was exactly this. I fixed it in 20 minutes.
Good going buddy, that's why it's so wise to share the things we find out so we can save each other a fortune... wouldn't it be a lovely day some time in the future when the dealers wake up and realise we're on to them... it wouldn't hurt them to charge you a token amount just to sort this out and win your faith, and trust, forever... they only ever treat us as cash cow customers aye?!
Thank you Delboy's. Fixed my 2003 Indian Scout. After tracing wiring, changing brake switch, & alot of aggravation I found your video. As soon as I saw your video I realized this was my problem. Works great. Thanks
This is an awesome vid. On my 2013 Harley Slim the red light would come on and then go out. I knew it was lighting, Brake light staying. Followed this vid it's fix in15 mins. Much thanks, you are the man !!!
I went and this and fixed my loose brake lever that I have been having problems with for about a year now. I have tried realigning the switch and everything. But I have heard the plunger on the master cylinder squeaking for awhile now but didn't realize that it could keep the piston front fully returning to it's resting place. Thanks so much for this video and resolving my issue! Much appreciated...
Just addressed the brake light problem on my hog. Took about 10 minutes, and worked like a charm. After cleaning the area with WD-40 and blowing it out with an air gun. Didn't have any of the official "Red rubber grease", so I used some Amsoil multipurpose grease. I worked the piston repeatedly, and then added a small amount of grease and worked the piston repeatedly again. I pulled the handle bushing and lubed it, the pin and the inside pin hole with grease. Reassembled, and voila! Thank you sir!
Appreciate the video. I read about the same problem that another fellow rider on a softail group on facebook. I read a comment that said that Delboy;s Garage on youtube had the solution. I literally walked to the garage afterwards and sprayed WD-40 and greased it up. BAM! Fixed. I even spent $10 on a brake switch thinking that was my problem. Thank's again.
Hi buddy, so glad the video could help, and thanks for the feedback, keep an eye on it, as it may stiffen up again once the WD40 wears off, or washes off, it's a known Harley fault, which they've elminated now with the later designs, so just keep it lubed and working !
Had this issue on my 2013 Fat Bob five years after buying it. The dealer told me I needed my master cylinder rebuilt and charged me $300! I just had this issue pop up again but it was worse than in the video, I had to hold my lever forward to deactivate the light. This fix took me 10 minutes with some store brand brakleen, and brake & caliper grease. Now the lever returns all the way forward with no slop.
I been following you for a very long time. Watching your ‘how to’ videos really helped me along with my triumph. Now I came back with the brake light issue and sure as hell! You had the fix. Thanks a million Sir. You’re the absolute best. 🍻
I just subscribed to your channel; your video just made it possible for me to take my bike to NC from Ohio instead of driving a car. I had planned a bike trip, but when I noticed the evil red light on my dash, I quickly discovered that my brakes were stuck on. I called my mechanic, but unfortunately he was completely booked up this coming week. I watched a few videos about the possible issues, but yours made it look like someone with my rudimentary mechanical skills might be able to make something happen. When I got a look at the inside where the lever does it’s magic, there were cobwebs and nastiness, and the switch was not moving at all. I WD-40’d the shit out of it, cleaned it out and it’s works great now! Cheers!!
Hey Daniel, Thats a great result and im glad to have been the inspiration.. i bet you enjoyed the trip a lot more not just because you were on the bike, but because YOU made it happen too... welcome aboard and i hope we can help again in the future.. Ride safe and enjoy your week..
Thank you very much for this video. I have the exact same equipment and the exact same problem. Harley quoted me $400 usd to fix it!!! But we all know about Harley when it comes to the prices of their repairs! You did a wonderful job making this video and explaining everything. Even the size of the screws! Thank you very much!
Thank you for your kind feedback, im glad the video could help you out, and yes, the dealers do like to charge some hefty prices for what is often quite routine maintenance work..!
Thank you, Delboy. Great clear & complete guidelines. I was able to diagnose & fix my 2013/Dyna Switchback's hand brake -- and I have previously done very little mechanical work myself. My mechanic was not available. Much to me delight I found you.
You're most welcome buddy, it's a benefit having installed that camera in your garage as I did as now I know when you need me lol Good luck with it ...
Thank you sir. 2023 and this video STILL helping. That is a sweet looking Dyna, going to have do check out more of your videos. Thanks for showing me how to get my brake light off!
Hi, I had the same problem today, got the Streetbob out for a ride with my buddies, thought I’d check the stoplights and the front were sluggish to switch off. Got home went to Delboys on TH-cam, followed his video and boom. All sorted, perfect. Thanks.
GREAT advice . Im doing this tomorrow night here in Australia . You may well have saved 2 riders from grief as both our rear brake light stays ON - very frustrating
Fantastic video. This solved the issue of the brake light always being on for my 03 electra glide that my father left me. One of the many, many things I've had to do to refurb his last bike. Thanks!
Well, it worked for my front brake light switch.now works. Unfortunately, my doesn’t work! I have 12 vdc at the terminals so there’s power there. When I disconnect the 2 wires from the switch and operate the rear brake, I have an open circuit ( no continuity) across the prongs on the switch. When I’m thinking brake pressure should close a contact inside and show me an indicated short circuit on my Voltmeter. And then make everything go all bright like when the wires are connected. New rear switch tomorrow. $38.00 AUD. Gotta say, your vid. was very helpful and explained wonderfully. Keep up your very good work.
Thank you, became aware of this problem yesterday on my 2014 low rider. I didn't remove the control but sprayed it out with some crc electronics cleaner and it freed right up. A bunch of black grime dripped out on the rag I had underneath it. Cheers.
I know this is an old video now, but I was having this problem on my 2016 Sportster Iron and I used this video to fix the issue. Although certain things were slightly different (no little circlip to deal with 👍🏻) I was able to get the brake lights working as they should be. Thanks for putting this out there. It really helped me out today.
Thank you Delboy... This is a recurring issue on my 2017 Street Bob, and the last time I took it to the dealer, they replaced the entire master cylinder. I try this fix you demonstrated...
Thanks Delboy - this fixed my problem after replacing my front brake light switch. Also fixed the excessive freeplay in the brake lever. Figured it was the master cylinder plunger...didn't realise it was dirt / gunk stopping the plunger from extending fully.
I was having the same issue. I did exactly as illustrated in this Delboy's Garage video. It took about 20 minutes and fixed the problem. Without this video I would have figured it out...but it would have taken much longer. Thanks
Mate I think you are about to send me out to my workshop to pull my brakes apart. At 1am. I think this has been my problem for the last 10 years on my 12 year old Fat Boy. Thank you, mate. The 2:15am update: it took me just under an hour and yes, same problem with the piston.I used silicone based lube to clean it, then silicon based grease to lubricate it (both I had bought for the treadmill). Wow what a difference....but then I took it further and lubed the throttle cables while at it, and probably a mistake, also the brake light switch. The switch works so good now that it fights the brake lever back toward the same position as when I had this whole problem. Fortunately though, the light does go out and the brake lever definitely returns further than it has in 10 years. Thanks so much for this video mate!
You're most welcome Sir, we're glad the video helped you out, it's often just a matter of little domestic maintenance jobs we overlook that lead to irritating problems!
I've been trying to figure this out on my road glide for a few months now. It was staying on enough that I quit riding for fear of being rear ended. Seems to be working well now. Thanks for posting brother!
I had the same issue with my '07 Softail Deuce and did what you suggested right after watching this. Worked like a charm. Thanks so much for saving me a ton of time.
Thank you for this! I was scared to death when my brake light wouldn't go off. I was holding it back with my right hand to make it return to the open position in my last ride. This was EXACTLY what I needed to do. Of course, I had the tools but none of the products, which cost me about $30 at my local auto parts store. Only took me about 20 minutes to get it done.
Glad to hear it worked for you sir... make it part of your regular maintenance routine, just a small squirt of the lubricant in the end of the plunger now and again and it'll stay working just fine.
Thank you Delboy's garage. Just fixed the sticking brake light on my 2013 FLSTC and it went exactly how you described. Thank you for the quality videos.
Ha, minutes before you posted this we had a call from our youngest at work saying that the brake light on her YBR was stuck on! Nice simple skill again Del. Skal!
Ayup Dave, hope I didn't jinx it - number of things it can be, but this is one of them , so always worth a check ! Good luck with it, hope it's nothing serious....
I've been chasing this problem for about 5 years on my 09 Fat Bob. This video shows exactly how I have been trying to fix it, so it's nothing new there. Except for the magic ingredient. GT85. I've tried WD40 and penetrating oil and the piston always sticks again. But GT85 has PTFE in it. Genius DelBoy and thanks very much. Went out to my garage tonight and hopefully banished the sticking brake light to history. Sweet.
Hi buddy, glad it worked for you now, it's great to kill a fault that's been annoying aye?! But sadly it is a weak point on the bike, maybe a bad design, call it what you like, and that's why I worked a little red rubber lube in round the rubber and the rod to try and keep it moving, I also pumped the fluid through as the most likely place that your fluid will get water logged is at the op by the master cylinder... so that helps as well - it's one of those faults that you'll never fully cure, you'll only just ever 'manage it' ! Glad we could help, take care and ride safe, Del
Thanks Mr. Delboy, just realized my Sportster was doing this today. My local Harley dealer was telling me the master cylinder needed to be rebuilt. Hardy har har, I'll try your way first.
Thanks for the guidance. Same problem with my 2012 FLSTN and it now works just fine. The switch and housing were pretty gummed up thanks to the Florida climate. Appreciate the video.
I had the same reoccurring problem on my 2010 Streetbob after it was about 18 months old. I tried the same fix as you have shown, but it never lasted for very long. After about four years of this I finally found out from the service personnel at my Harley dealership that it is actually a problem with the spring that pushes the brake lever back out, not being strong enough. I was supplied the latest revision rebuild kit for the front brake lever & it has never given me any problems since that day. When I took the front brake lever assembly apart you could actually see the difference in quality between the original spring & the new one! Hope this helps someone, somewhere.
Thank you John, that is definitely a permanent solution, it is certainly a pretty weak old spring in there, am not sure whether it's Harley trying to make the controls lighter to operate, since they developed the light pull clutch, perhaps this was an attempt to do the same with the brakes - mine's been ok since I changed the fluid, but I think it will occur again, and I'll have no choice to poke a re-build kit in it - thanks for the share!
Yahoo Harley vlog, good to know that this fix is there. Hospital contacted me and I'm supposed to be admitted a week Wed for the spinal fusion operation, hope it happens & doesn't get put back again 🖒🖒😎
Hi Geoff, that's good news buddy, and hope it comes through on time and puts you right... thinking of you always, keep in touch my friend, all the best, D&Px
Mine started about a year ago on my '13 Breakout. I'd push the lever back to make the brake lights go off at first, then I'd have to hold it off while riding. Then I put some double sided tape on the lever in front of the button on the brakeswitch and that worked for a few months at a time. Lights on steady yesterday again. Tried the previous "fix" but didn't work this time. I found this video and sure enough the piston was nasty and the rubber seal was dry. Cleaned the switch with contact cleaner and a little dab of dielectric grease, then cleaned the piston with DW40 with the lever removed. Dabbed some PTFE grease on the seal, worked it in like he shows in the video, worked the piston by hand several times. Put it back together and tested lights each step and after tightening each bolt. I had already decided I guess I'm headed to the dealership. Nope. This fixed it. Brake lights working, lever snaps all the way back like it hasn't in a long time! Now that I know, I'll clean and lube the pin every 6 months and that should keep me good. Thank you for this video!
Man you saved my life with this video i was scared it would always be stuck... your video was easy to follow and your tips were important for selecting a lubrication to fix the problem
Glad it worked for you Baudelio, this is why we load the videos, hoping that they might help someone, so that's great news, and thanks for letting us know!
Thanks so much for replying back to my question about which cleaning spray used . I really find your show very informative and educational and am amazed how professional your approach is for people that don’t do mechanic work and haven’t got the knowledge or the money to pay to have it done at at dealership. Thanks again And I will recommend your show for sure and continue to check notifications bell.
I had to rebuild my master cylinder because the spring has lost tention. I tried cleaning and it worked for a while, new spring has the lever snapping back solid. Very essy job. Just thought I'd share what worked fo me excellent video.
Thanks so much! Glad i seen your video!It fixed my brake plunger sticking on my 07 street glide! Better then one video a guy put JB weld on lever to fix problem..I wasn't going to cobble job my bike...lol
Thanks much Del. Always better to see what i'm going to be digging into before i do it. Like a T25 and a T27, sheesh. Mine was a little worse. Corrosion on the end of the piston was keeping it from popping back out. The rounded bottom of the housing is good at trapping water against the dust boot. So, lubing that thing would be good maintenance long before it's a problem. I decided to use some silicon for faucet gaskets from the home store. And i'll check the light every ride out. Nice guy in the pickup may not be behind me next time it gets stuck.
Hi Jeff, good points well made on a daily check, just a glance at your brake light as you ride off can be a life saver... glad the video helped you and thank you for watching.
@@Moonfleet41 no sir. I had a blue 1200 sportster that go turned into a trike by the elderly gentleman that bought it. Also wanted to say, as a country boy from Kansas, I dig the Kansas tag on the wall in your garage lol.
@@jakefrisbie9905 Sorry, mistaken identity, I've only known one other guy called Jake and I bought a FatBoy from him about 8/9yrs ago, great to hear from you Sir, thanks again for your support.
Hey man just wanted to give you a shout out and a huge thank you. Rode my Road King a couple hundred miles yesterday with a few friends one of them noticed my brake lights flashing on and off. Watched your video did what you said problem solved! Thanks!🙂
Great video, I had a switch issue on my Sportster last year. These videos are so helpful for the average non fabricating folks who ride and do simple maintenance on our bikes. Thanks again and ride safe.
Fantastic vid :) I became aware of this when my cruise control stopped working. Sure enough what was happening was this exact issue. If it wasn’t for my cruise control basically alerting me to it, I might not have realised for a long time
Sounds like good fault finding there, the brake light does indeed switch off the cruise control (or at least that circuit does), so it would indeed stop your cruise from working, hadn't thought of that. Glad you fixed it!
This video helped a ton, after watching I realized there was a small gap between the master cylinder clamp and the switch housing, cinched it closer and it's perfect. Thanks for the help!
My brake lights went out on my Harley didn't realize it until I had the dealership work on something else and they found the problem and fixed it. So now I always check my brake lights and turn signals. And thanks for the reminder.
Very helpfully buddy, specially because my friend has 3 Harley and he has no idea how even to start them ahhaah so I need to skill up with those bleeding Harley Davidson Thx Delboy!!
3 years after this was posted and it still helps the frustrated Harley owner. Nice one Delboy, your teachings are invaluable. 👍
Mate, thank you. I'm here in NZ, late 2023 and your video has helped me get my bike through compliance so I can ride south for the holidays. Champion
Most welcome mate, that's what TH-cam should be about, passing it forward and spreading the love... safe travels and a Merry Christmas!
6 years after posting this video just helped solve my issue! Thank you Delboy Garage !🤘😎👌✌️
No problem 👍, glad it helped you out!
Just noticed on my 'pre-ride check' today my brake light is staying on! Now I know what I'll be doing tomorrow morning! Thanks Del!
Just followed this video on my 2016 Dyna Street Bob and worked like a charm! One trick I used to stop the circlip flying off, as they do, was to stick some BluTack on the circlip when prying off and that gave me the flexibility to get the screw driver under the clip and not lose it. Thank you.
Good trick is that.. i like it..! thanks for sharing that.!
You are The Man... Ya lucky that wee clip didn't pop into your camera woman's eye. I enjoy and continue to learn your videos. Just put my bike away for the winter so checked it all over and yes. Same problem. Now I know what and how to fix. You've not only taught me so much but saved me lots of money. Imagine what the dealer would charge.
Well presented and explained !! Was just about to book my 2011 FLSTC into the Harley dealer for exactly the same problem and saw your Video. Worked like a charm, and saved me an unnecessary trip to Dealer (and their exorbitant charges) Top Man!
Looks like some videos will last a lifetime and will never be too old to watch and benefit from. Thank you so much for this, I just had this issue on my 2012 fatboy and fixed it following the instructions on your video. Very helpful indeed.
You're very welcome!
Thanks Delboy! I went to Harley to have my brake light looked at, and I don't know what they did or looked at, but they told me I needed a new light. Almost 200 US cash. I left n looked at it myself. I found same problem in hand brake. So i found your video. How did Harley technicians not know this and try to sell me a light? Mechanic's, you are missed!
Im not sure why they didn't take the time to look at it closer and notice it just needed lubricating.. but at least now YOU know about it, you can keep it working for free.. Glad you didn't spend the money mate !
Done this little service job today as my brake light was staying on, the light now operates as it should and the brake lever has never felt so good! Thank you for your awesome videos have learned loads from you please keep it up. My ride is a 2010 Harley Davidson Fatboy S. Many many thanks again Delboy!
Most welcome Adam, im glad it worked for you, and thank you for the kind feedback sir..!
Hey good for you bro, yeah I have a 2005 fat boy I've been watching delroy for about 15 years, doing everything that he says especially when he works on exact same fat boy.
Has to be the best mechanic I've ever seen
I’m have the same problem with my 2016 Softtail Slim. This video will help me fix my problem. Thank you for doing a video on how to fix it.
Hands down the best motorcycle maintenance channel on TH-cam, saved my bacon many times! Cheers Del and Penny 👍🏻
Thanks mate, Happy to help!
2014 wide glide. Been in the shop 2 weeks now and I told them forget it. I just watch this video, and I can know for sure that my handle is not popping back out where it should. I'm going to go clean that sucker right now, and get back on the road. Thank you for the video!
Most welcome Sir, am glad it helped you!
Sticky and gummy. Yes Sir. Worked !
You are my favorite go to TH-cam mechanic. I have two different Harleys with different needs and getting parts and service way out here on the island of Guam is expensive.
You have saved me loads of cash and I love to work on my bikes at home.
So much so I recently purchased my own pnuematic bike lift.
Keep up with the great Vids.
Cheers Mate. BKD
Most welcome Brad. Glad to help.
Was having this problem with my Fat Bob. After viewing and quickly dismissing other how to's, I found your vid was exactly what i was looking for. Straight forward, on point, and easy informative. Thanks for that, and a nod to the camerawoman.
I just performed this ... 20 minutes and I was back to normal. Thank you Sir, well done!
Beltin Del Mot'd the bike yesterday and he mentioned the brake was sticking intermittently,told him i'd sort it. So it was garage day today ,full oil change and sorted the brake light out with your help.. You are a born teacher and your knowledge is top drawer. Thanks Del 👍👍👍
Thank you mate, you are most welcome, and im glad the videos can help you out.. !
Very well put, yes I have never seen anybody with such astronomical mechanical skills as Delroy (and his phenomenal assistant penny)
Great video and very helpful with my 2015 Harley Davidson Street Bob! I even had my 16 year daughter help me out with this repair, after I completed a full flush of both front and rear brake calipers- per my local HD dealer's inspection of my bike. Your video saved me around $300 dollars in shop mechanical time and parts! Thank you
Most welcome sir.. im glad the video was able to help you.. and thank you for your feedback..
Been having the same problem with my 2012 Softail Slim.....The shop told me the brake light switch was in the master cylinder, and I would need a new M/C.......Mine actually threw a BCM code for brake light switch. Thank you very much for the video...I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!!!!!!!!
Most welcome, and good luck with it Sonny.. in my experience of Harley Davidson build quality, most things can be fixed and are rarely beyond repair.. so hope you can get it mended..!
Thank you Delboy! Just returned from a ride to northern new south wales (aus) where my brake light was sticking on. 20mins in the shed at home watching this video, issue now solved. your videos are very informative and save lots of dollars for riders. Subscribed!
Glad it helped you out mate.. and wlecome aboard ! Sounds like you had an epic ride, i'd love to ride the red sand some day !
Thank you Delboy's Garage. I am no mechanic but during a trip to Austria I noticed my rear brake light was sticking on. I saw your video and thought I would give it ago. All worked brake now fine. I even saw your video about bleeding the brakes front and rear and did that too. Great Job. Keep up the good work.
That's good to hear Gary, glad to know that the videos helped you out!
Bloody good advice. Local Harley
shop billed my mate $280 to fix this problem, then sold me a brake light switch for mine. Turns out it was exactly this. I fixed it in 20 minutes.
Good going buddy, that's why it's so wise to share the things we find out so we can save each other a fortune... wouldn't it be a lovely day some time in the future when the dealers wake up and realise we're on to them... it wouldn't hurt them to charge you a token amount just to sort this out and win your faith, and trust, forever... they only ever treat us as cash cow customers aye?!
5 yeah old video, still helping people to this day! Just got mine fixed following this video 💪🏼 thank you sir!
Glad it could help you and thank you so much for your feedback!
Thank you Delboy's.
Fixed my 2003 Indian Scout. After tracing wiring, changing brake switch, & alot of aggravation I found your video. As soon as I saw your video I realized this was my problem. Works great. Thanks
This is an awesome vid. On my 2013 Harley Slim the red light would come on and then go out. I knew it was lighting, Brake light staying. Followed this vid it's fix in15 mins. Much thanks, you are the man !!!
Glad it helped!
I went and this and fixed my loose brake lever that I have been having problems with for about a year now. I have tried realigning the switch and everything. But I have heard the plunger on the master cylinder squeaking for awhile now but didn't realize that it could keep the piston front fully returning to it's resting place. Thanks so much for this video and resolving my issue! Much appreciated...
Most welcome mate, glad it worked out for you, and thank you for your feedback!
Just addressed the brake light problem on my hog.
Took about 10 minutes, and worked like a charm.
After cleaning the area with WD-40 and blowing it out with an air gun.
Didn't have any of the official "Red rubber grease", so I used some Amsoil multipurpose grease.
I worked the piston repeatedly, and then added a small amount of grease and worked the piston repeatedly again.
I pulled the handle bushing and lubed it, the pin and the inside pin hole with grease. Reassembled, and voila!
Thank you sir!
Thanks for this, I saw some crazy videos about this issue but this is the only one that made clear what I was dealing with! Solid job!
You were spot on in your assessment. Bought the red grease followed your instructions and boom. No more problems. Thanks for the help.
Most welcome.. Glad it helped!
Appreciate the video. I read about the same problem that another fellow rider on a softail group on facebook. I read a comment that said that Delboy;s Garage on youtube had the solution. I literally walked to the garage afterwards and sprayed WD-40 and greased it up. BAM! Fixed. I even spent $10 on a brake switch thinking that was my problem. Thank's again.
Hi buddy, so glad the video could help, and thanks for the feedback, keep an eye on it, as it may stiffen up again once the WD40 wears off, or washes off, it's a known Harley fault, which they've elminated now with the later designs, so just keep it lubed and working !
Had this issue on my 2013 Fat Bob five years after buying it. The dealer told me I needed my master cylinder rebuilt and charged me $300! I just had this issue pop up again but it was worse than in the video, I had to hold my lever forward to deactivate the light. This fix took me 10 minutes with some store brand brakleen, and brake & caliper grease. Now the lever returns all the way forward with no slop.
I been following you for a very long time. Watching your ‘how to’ videos really helped me along with my triumph. Now I came back with the brake light issue and sure as hell! You had the fix. Thanks a million Sir. You’re the absolute best. 🍻
You're most welcome Sergio. Glad to help!
I just subscribed to your channel; your video just made it possible for me to take my bike to NC from Ohio instead of driving a car. I had planned a bike trip, but when I noticed the evil red light on my dash, I quickly discovered that my brakes were stuck on. I called my mechanic, but unfortunately he was completely booked up this coming week. I watched a few videos about the possible issues, but yours made it look like someone with my rudimentary mechanical skills might be able to make something happen. When I got a look at the inside where the lever does it’s magic, there were cobwebs and nastiness, and the switch was not moving at all. I WD-40’d the shit out of it, cleaned it out and it’s works great now! Cheers!!
Hey Daniel, Thats a great result and im glad to have been the inspiration.. i bet you enjoyed the trip a lot more not just because you were on the bike, but because YOU made it happen too... welcome aboard and i hope we can help again in the future.. Ride safe and enjoy your week..
Thank you very much for this video. I have the exact same equipment and the exact same problem. Harley quoted me $400 usd to fix it!!! But we all know about Harley when it comes to the prices of their repairs! You did a wonderful job making this video and explaining everything. Even the size of the screws! Thank you very much!
Thank you for your kind feedback, im glad the video could help you out, and yes, the dealers do like to charge some hefty prices for what is often quite routine maintenance work..!
I was going crazy thinking it was a problem with the led lights then I finally found your video. Thanks!
Most welcome, glad it could help!
Thank you, Delboy. Great clear & complete guidelines. I was able to diagnose & fix my 2013/Dyna Switchback's hand brake -- and I have previously done very little mechanical work myself. My mechanic was not available. Much to me delight I found you.
Glad it helped Michael, good to hear you could fix it, now you have a little trick you can pass forward and help others in the future!
just discovered this problem on my iron 883 last Friday and there you go video how to fix it. Thanks Del.
You're most welcome buddy, it's a benefit having installed that camera in your garage as I did as now I know when you need me lol Good luck with it ...
Thank you sir. 2023 and this video STILL helping. That is a sweet looking Dyna, going to have do check out more of your videos. Thanks for showing me how to get my brake light off!
Thanks mate, appreciate your kind words, and welcome aboard!
Just got back from a brilliant 100 mile ride on my Fat Bob & discovered I have this exact problem! Brilliant video, thanks.
Hi, I had the same problem today, got the Streetbob out for a ride with my buddies, thought I’d check the stoplights and the front were sluggish to switch off. Got home went to Delboys on TH-cam, followed his video and boom. All sorted, perfect. Thanks.
GREAT advice . Im doing this tomorrow night here in Australia . You may well have saved 2 riders from grief as both our rear brake light stays ON - very frustrating
Fantastic video. This solved the issue of the brake light always being on for my 03 electra glide that my father left me. One of the many, many things I've had to do to refurb his last bike. Thanks!
You're most welcome. Glad it helped!
Well, it worked for my front brake light switch.now works.
Unfortunately, my doesn’t work!
I have 12 vdc at the terminals so there’s power there.
When I disconnect the 2 wires from the switch and operate the rear brake, I have an open circuit ( no continuity) across the prongs on the switch. When I’m thinking brake pressure should close a contact inside and show me an indicated short circuit on my Voltmeter.
And then make everything go all bright like when the wires are connected.
New rear switch tomorrow. $38.00 AUD.
Gotta say, your vid. was very helpful and explained wonderfully.
Keep up your very good work.
Thank you, became aware of this problem yesterday on my 2014 low rider. I didn't remove the control but sprayed it out with some crc electronics cleaner and it freed right up. A bunch of black grime dripped out on the rag I had underneath it. Cheers.
had the same brake light issue this morning riding to work. as soon as i get home this evening i'll take a look at it. thank you very much!
I know this is an old video now, but I was having this problem on my 2016 Sportster Iron and I used this video to fix the issue. Although certain things were slightly different (no little circlip to deal with 👍🏻) I was able to get the brake lights working as they should be. Thanks for putting this out there. It really helped me out today.
Most welcome mate, Glad it helped!
Thank you Delboy... This is a recurring issue on my 2017 Street Bob, and the last time I took it to the dealer, they replaced the entire master cylinder. I try this fix you demonstrated...
Good luck with it Billy,hope it fixes it for you!
Thanks Delboy - this fixed my problem after replacing my front brake light switch. Also fixed the excessive freeplay in the brake lever. Figured it was the master cylinder plunger...didn't realise it was dirt / gunk stopping the plunger from extending fully.
Glad it helped Colin, simple fix aye?!
My 2007 softail deluxe is doing the exact same thing right now! Now I know what to look for. You’re doing the lords work man.
Most welcome Sir, im glad the video could help you out.. Good luck with it.
I was having the same issue. I did exactly as illustrated in this Delboy's Garage video. It took about 20 minutes and fixed the problem. Without this video I would have figured it out...but it would have taken much longer. Thanks
just brought a 2010 Fat Bob with this problem. Best video I've seen that addresses it. Thanks
Mate I think you are about to send me out to my workshop to pull my brakes apart. At 1am. I think this has been my problem for the last 10 years on my 12 year old Fat Boy. Thank you, mate.
The 2:15am update: it took me just under an hour and yes, same problem with the piston.I used silicone based lube to clean it, then silicon based grease to lubricate it (both I had bought for the treadmill). Wow what a difference....but then I took it further and lubed the throttle cables while at it, and probably a mistake, also the brake light switch. The switch works so good now that it fights the brake lever back toward the same position as when I had this whole problem. Fortunately though, the light does go out and the brake lever definitely returns further than it has in 10 years.
Thanks so much for this video mate!
You're most welcome Sir, we're glad the video helped you out, it's often just a matter of little domestic maintenance jobs we overlook that lead to irritating problems!
I've been trying to figure this out on my road glide for a few months now. It was staying on enough that I quit riding for fear of being rear ended. Seems to be working well now. Thanks for posting brother!
Most welcome Sir, glad it helped you, a simple safety trick aye... ride safe!
I had the same issue with my '07 Softail Deuce and did what you suggested right after watching this. Worked like a charm. Thanks so much for saving me a ton of time.
Glad it helped you Sir.. Most welcome.
Saved my bacon yet again... Thank you very much... I just discovered my springer light was sticking... this is a great video! Thanks again!
Most welcome buddy, glad it worked for you!
Thank you for this! I was scared to death when my brake light wouldn't go off. I was holding it back with my right hand to make it return to the open position in my last ride. This was EXACTLY what I needed to do. Of course, I had the tools but none of the products, which cost me about $30 at my local auto parts store. Only took me about 20 minutes to get it done.
Glad to hear it worked for you sir... make it part of your regular maintenance routine, just a small squirt of the lubricant in the end of the plunger now and again and it'll stay working just fine.
Thank you Delboy's garage. Just fixed the sticking brake light on my 2013 FLSTC and it went exactly how you described. Thank you for the quality videos.
Ha, minutes before you posted this we had a call from our youngest at work saying that the brake light on her YBR was stuck on! Nice simple skill again Del. Skal!
Ayup Dave, hope I didn't jinx it - number of things it can be, but this is one of them , so always worth a check ! Good luck with it, hope it's nothing serious....
@@Moonfleet41 Hi. What if the plunger is stuck all the way in so you can't press it in and out?
I've been chasing this problem for about 5 years on my 09 Fat Bob. This video shows exactly how I have been trying to fix it, so it's nothing new there. Except for the magic ingredient. GT85. I've tried WD40 and penetrating oil and the piston always sticks again. But GT85 has PTFE in it. Genius DelBoy and thanks very much. Went out to my garage tonight and hopefully banished the sticking brake light to history. Sweet.
Hi buddy, glad it worked for you now, it's great to kill a fault that's been annoying aye?! But sadly it is a weak point on the bike, maybe a bad design, call it what you like, and that's why I worked a little red rubber lube in round the rubber and the rod to try and keep it moving, I also pumped the fluid through as the most likely place that your fluid will get water logged is at the op by the master cylinder... so that helps as well - it's one of those faults that you'll never fully cure, you'll only just ever 'manage it' ! Glad we could help, take care and ride safe, Del
Cant find red rubber lube... dielectric grease work?
Its a good second best if thats all you can find buddy.. but you can buy RRG in Halfords or Amazon online pretty easy..?
Thanks Mr. Delboy, just realized my Sportster was doing this today. My local Harley dealer was telling me the master cylinder needed to be rebuilt. Hardy har har, I'll try your way first.
Ha ha, Awesome, i hope this is all it is and you can tell him har de har ...! Good luck sir.
Thanks for the guidance. Same problem with my 2012 FLSTN and it now works just fine. The switch and housing were pretty gummed up thanks to the Florida climate. Appreciate the video.
Glad it helped Fred, thank you so much for your kind feedback!
Thank you. Solved the sticking front brake-actuated light on my Iron 1200.
I had the same reoccurring problem on my 2010 Streetbob after it was about 18 months old. I tried the same fix as you have shown, but it never lasted for very long. After about four years of this I finally found out from the service personnel at my Harley dealership that it is actually a problem with the spring that pushes the brake lever back out, not being strong enough. I was supplied the latest revision rebuild kit for the front brake lever & it has never given me any problems since that day. When I took the front brake lever assembly apart you could actually see the difference in quality between the original spring & the new one! Hope this helps someone, somewhere.
Thank you John, that is definitely a permanent solution, it is certainly a pretty weak old spring in there, am not sure whether it's Harley trying to make the controls lighter to operate, since they developed the light pull clutch, perhaps this was an attempt to do the same with the brakes - mine's been ok since I changed the fluid, but I think it will occur again, and I'll have no choice to poke a re-build kit in it - thanks for the share!
Watched the vid , did what it said , problem solved . No more melted tail light bulbs . Thank you ..
love your work Delboy. all the very best from down under... Cheers Winston.
Thanks mate. Much appreciated !
Thank you! Because of your video, I was able to fix this problem myself in a very short amount of time and no money required!
Great video. Mine stuck on on a long ride and found it got so hot it melted the bulb holder. Got to get a new one. Simple yet effective fix
Thank you for this video! I was having the same problem with my 2005 Road King and this process worked perfectly.
You're welcome!
Yahoo Harley vlog, good to know that this fix is there. Hospital contacted me and I'm supposed to be admitted a week Wed for the spinal fusion operation, hope it happens & doesn't get put back again 🖒🖒😎
Geoff Oz Evans good luck, Bro!
Gary A Thanks bud, appreciate it 🖒😎
Hi Geoff, that's good news buddy, and hope it comes through on time and puts you right... thinking of you always, keep in touch my friend, all the best, D&Px
Did it today and my Dyna is good to go. Thanks for posting this video.
Can always count on a solid youtuber and their DIY vid. Followed your steps for my Softail and my brake works perfectly once more. Thanks, mate! 🤙
Great to hear Brent, glad the video could help you out!
Mine started about a year ago on my '13 Breakout. I'd push the lever back to make the brake lights go off at first, then I'd have to hold it off while riding. Then I put some double sided tape on the lever in front of the button on the brakeswitch and that worked for a few months at a time. Lights on steady yesterday again. Tried the previous "fix" but didn't work this time. I found this video and sure enough the piston was nasty and the rubber seal was dry. Cleaned the switch with contact cleaner and a little dab of dielectric grease, then cleaned the piston with DW40 with the lever removed. Dabbed some PTFE grease on the seal, worked it in like he shows in the video, worked the piston by hand several times. Put it back together and tested lights each step and after tightening each bolt. I had already decided I guess I'm headed to the dealership. Nope. This fixed it. Brake lights working, lever snaps all the way back like it hasn't in a long time! Now that I know, I'll clean and lube the pin every 6 months and that should keep me good. Thank you for this video!
Man you saved my life with this video i was scared it would always be stuck... your video was easy to follow and your tips were important for selecting a lubrication to fix the problem
Glad it worked for you Baudelio, this is why we load the videos, hoping that they might help someone, so that's great news, and thanks for letting us know!
Thanks so much for replying back to my question about which cleaning spray used .
I really find your show very informative and educational and am amazed how professional your approach is for people that don’t do mechanic work and haven’t got the knowledge or the money to pay to have it done at at dealership.
Thanks again
And I will recommend your show for sure and continue to check notifications bell.
Wooden coffee stirrers make a handy alternative to a screwdriver to apply grease to rubber boots and seals. Good video and advice.
Still helping us 3 years later! Worked like a charm. :D
I had to rebuild my master cylinder because the spring has lost tention. I tried cleaning and it worked for a while, new spring has the lever snapping back solid. Very essy job.
Just thought I'd share what worked fo me excellent video.
Thanks for sharing!
fantastic advice, this simple repair has also allowed me to reset the BCM error code b2161 no more red security light on the speedo.
Dude, I just put the Vance and Hines fuel pack three on my 2018 1200 XL NS. And I am having the exact same problem.
Thanks so much! Glad i seen your video!It fixed my brake plunger sticking on my 07 street glide! Better then one video a guy put JB weld on lever to fix problem..I wasn't going to cobble job my bike...lol
Thanks much Del. Always better to see what i'm going to be digging into before i do it. Like a T25 and a T27, sheesh. Mine was a little worse. Corrosion on the end of the piston was keeping it from popping back out. The rounded bottom of the housing is good at trapping water against the dust boot. So, lubing that thing would be good maintenance long before it's a problem. I decided to use some silicon for faucet gaskets from the home store.
And i'll check the light every ride out. Nice guy in the pickup may not be behind me next time it gets stuck.
Hi Jeff, good points well made on a daily check, just a glance at your brake light as you ride off can be a life saver... glad the video helped you and thank you for watching.
Just had this same issue, followed your video and all is good. Thanks a lot!!!
Most welcome Sir, glad it helped you!
Thank you for this video! Only took 10 minutes, and fixed the issue I'd been fretting about for a while now on my '11 Crossbones.
Most welcome Jake, Glad it helped you mate. ! can i also ask mate.. before your CrossBones... did you own a Red Fatboy that got Painted green..?
@@Moonfleet41 no sir. I had a blue 1200 sportster that go turned into a trike by the elderly gentleman that bought it. Also wanted to say, as a country boy from Kansas, I dig the Kansas tag on the wall in your garage lol.
@@jakefrisbie9905 Sorry, mistaken identity, I've only known one other guy called Jake and I bought a FatBoy from him about 8/9yrs ago, great to hear from you Sir, thanks again for your support.
Hey man just wanted to give you a shout out and a huge thank you. Rode my Road King a couple hundred miles yesterday with a few friends one of them noticed my brake lights flashing on and off. Watched your video did what you said problem solved! Thanks!🙂
Hi Brent, thanks for the feedback, its great when a video can reach out and help a fellow biker... take care and keep in touch.. Del.
Thanks for the advice Delboy. I’ve had a sticking front brake light switch for a while on my old Road King, this has fixed the issue. Excellent video.
Glad it helped mate.
Great video, I had a switch issue on my Sportster last year. These videos are so helpful for the average non fabricating folks who ride and do simple maintenance on our bikes. Thanks again and ride safe.
Fantastic vid :) I became aware of this when my cruise control stopped working. Sure enough what was happening was this exact issue.
If it wasn’t for my cruise control basically alerting me to it, I might not have realised for a long time
Sounds like good fault finding there, the brake light does indeed switch off the cruise control (or at least that circuit does), so it would indeed stop your cruise from working, hadn't thought of that. Glad you fixed it!
Did this whole procedure, rear light still stuck on but atleast its not the front. Good video
Pre MOT check, found out I had this problem and following your advice now all sorted... Great stuff ;)
Glad it helped!
one of the best "how to" videos Ive watched. Very close up video from beginning to end. very informative. keep them coming great job sir.
Thank you most kindly sir..
Thanks I was ready to get a new switch until I watched your video saved me a lot of time and money thanks
Glad to hear it Kevin, nothing feels better than fixing a fault for free aye.. .
Had the problem come back and this video walked me through the bots i forgot. Thanks.
Brilliant. I've got a bloody elastic band on the lever at the moment! So I'm off to the shed to do some basic maintenance. Thanks heaps.
Good luck with it buddy!
Just did the cleaning on my '99 FLH...glad it was easy to get to. Thanks for the vid!
Dealing with the same problem, thanks so much for a great vid !!! I was going crazy trying to figure why this was happening. Jeff in Canada
Most welcome Jeff, glad it worked for you!
This video helped a ton, after watching I realized there was a small gap between the master cylinder clamp and the switch housing, cinched it closer and it's perfect. Thanks for the help!
My brake lights went out on my Harley didn't realize it until I had the dealership work on something else and they found the problem and fixed it. So now I always check my brake lights and turn signals. And thanks for the reminder.
Was just a little job needed on my Harley, and thought we'd share... ride safe and have a good week! D&Px
Very helpfully buddy, specially because my friend has 3 Harley and he has no idea how even to start them ahhaah so I need to skill up with those bleeding Harley Davidson
Thx Delboy!!
Nice one Steven, it's great to be able to help a buddy out aye??
You’re a great asset to YT, great detailed info every time, Thank you!
Wow! My 2016 low rider s is having this EXACT issue right now. Thanks for the video, I'll fix it this weekend!
I’m not very mechanically inclined, but can usually tackle the smaller stuff. This was a super easy fix!!