jersey280 Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Hey guys, Own a 76 280z with the brake safety switch block that is leaking (the thing under the booster that looks like a proportioning valve). I have replaced all of my gauges with a modern style and have no need of the indicator light that would be displayed by the safety switch. Has anyone ever deleted the switch? Does it cause proportioning issues? If you did any tips or ideas on how to rerun the lines? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhm Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Yes, I've deleted, along with many others here. It does not affect the operation of the stock proportioning valve (which can also be replaced with an adjustable unit). The biggest pain is making new brake lines after you've removed the switch....I guess you could rejoin the existing lines with adapter connectors, but I've always made my own lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 The switch, IMHO, is an important safety feature, and I recommend repairing it. I don't see how having updated gauges negates the need for a brake pressure monitoring switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkerbk Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 They are easy to prepare. The hardest part is pulling the cylinder out from in the middle if it is seized. To solve this, I grabbed a grease zerk from napa and pumped it out with the addition of some heat. Then just replace the seals with ones from mcmaster (cant remember the part numbers that I used). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jersey280 Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 JHM- Thanks for the response. It appears that the safety switch feeds from the front and rear master. It then has 2 lines for the front and 1 for the rears. Is there some sort of bridge you used to connect the 2 fronts to feed to the single proportioning valve? SleeperZ- I agree, the safer the better. I assumed the brake gauge light was inside the cluster that I have removed? Which would cause me to no longer be able to read the signal it produces. Additionally, we are driving tin cans which weren't designed to be on the roads today (for example: federal speed limits were 55 in 1973, the advent of airbags and crumble zone technologies) they really don't get any more unsafe then they already are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhm Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 I removed the safety switch, replaced the stock prop valve with a Wilwood, and made my own brake lines from cunifer tubing (copper-nickel). A brass brake line tee connector is used the split the front line for each side (similar to the stock tee connector in the rear of the car that splits the rear feed line from the MC). As sleeperz suggested, you may still want to retain the switch for safety reasons. When functioning correctly, it will prevent the loss of all brakes if you have a line failure somewhere in the system....but your aftermarket gauges may not have the ability to read the electrical signal it transmits when activated. I suppose you could install a standalone LED for that purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grannyknot Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Now that you have no brake safety light on the dash, you could just disconnect the wire to the sensor and leave the unit in place. It is doing the job of directing the flow of your brake fluid and if the front or back brake lines ever crack or fail the shuttle inside will close off the half of the system that is leaking. If half of the braking system suddenly isn't functional you won't need a little red light to tell you that, you'll know it as soon as you put your foot on the pedal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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