Brake lights for Max II?

[Flaxton1]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and don't even own a Max yet, but am considering getting one for use in the Bethel Alaska area starting this summer. The only thing is, it would have to be legal within town limits - the only thing the Max really lacks to get registered are brake lights (local requirements are at least one working headlight, tail lights, and brake lights). Looking at the design I'm not sure of the best way to add them or if it's even possible. Has anyone done this or have any Ideas?

[Mike]

The easiest would probably be to just add it to the foot brake. That way if you had to you could use them. However with this method they wouldn't come on every time that you braked, just if you remembered to push the foot brake.

You could also add switches to the levers but your lights would come on every time that you turned.

[racerone3]

i had a junky car in college... when the brake light switch broke, and the parts store didn't have one in stock i ran 2 wires up to a horn button on the shifter. you could do the same thing with a push button "momentary on" switch on one of the laterals. it wouldn't be automatic, but you could hit the brake lights as needed

[George]

You could also add switches to the levers but your lights would come on every time that you turned.

I suspect that if you were really handy you could create a circuit that needed both laterals pulled back in order for it to be closed. I can imagine one but I'm not sure a can build it.

[Don]

I suspect that if you were really handy you could create a circuit that needed both laterals pulled back in order for it to be closed. I can imagine one but I'm not sure a can build it.

...or better yet, a switch on each stick wired to the corresponding rear light. If you pump the handle, you've got turn signals!

[Don]

A little more on a serious note, The military Attex had brake light switches on both sticks and I suspect they were in series to ground so that both sticks had to be pulled back to make contact. The switches themselves were a "pull type" with a short link connecting them to the lateral. I may have a couple somewhere - if I can find them I'll post the pics.

[Flaxton1]

Thanks for all the ideas - what a helpful and very active forum this is! Well it definitely sounds doable - simply putting a switch on the foot brake might work for convincing the authorities who might not be aware or concerned that pulling back both steering levers also stops the vehicle - the pedal I think would be the most obvious stopping mechanism to the casual or uniformed viewer, and not having a switch there might create suspicion. Having switches linked (in series) to both steering levers combined with a separate circuit to the pedal would however be the ideal I suppose.

[Eldon]

To have brake lights would require dual element tail light bulbs and sockets and the two laterals would each have a switch which were wired in series and the foot brake could have a switch wired in parallel with the lateral switches would turn on the brake lights whether braking with the laterals or the foot brake.
Easier said than done because to avoid the brake lights coming on when reversing would require yet another switch on the shifter to make only when in forward again in series with the lateral switches.A lot of frigging but doable.

[Killr]

Brake lights for Max II?

I ride on groom trails along with 4x4 atv's,so I've install a momentary close switch on the foot brake and put some 4" park & stop Led lights.They offer great lighting and are 100% waterproof.You can rest assure when I hit the brakes they will notice.

[Dennis Saskowski]

brake lights

Easy, costs about $10. 2 motorcycle brake light pull switches. mount one end to frame other end via a spring to steering lever horizontal shaft with a hose clamp. Look at a old motorcycle brake light switch set up or old school chopper set up to get a better idea if needed. Need a switch on each shaft. A ground wire to one connection then a wire to the other switch then the other wire goes to your brake lamp to ground it. That way both levers would have to be pulled back to activate ( outt'a luck appling brake lights in reverse) . Use a hot wire for the other side directly to brake lamp(s), why? because if a wire breaks loose at the switches the worst that would happen is the light(s) would stay on and wouldn't pop a fuse. Used the same set up to activate my reverse light off the foward/reverse shaft. Spray with WD-40 to keep switch from corroding