The Moss third brake light is pictured in catalogue. It's a third
light that can be set on top of the fuel tank and wired to illuminate
when brake lights go on.
You can buy theirs or make up one. Buying is less hassle. Making up one
is less expensive.
Some years ago I bought a light at WalMart, approx 2 x 4 inches, looks
a bit like a mini bread loaf. It might be for a boat trailer. Drilled a
piece of band aluminum to fit over stud on the TD spare tire and be held
tight by lug nut. Aluminum was scrap from some other project. Any metal
would do if it is thin enough to allow hubcap to snap in place. Light is
fastened to aluminum, then wire is lead down behind spare tire to tie
into a wire to brake light. I used Lucar connectors, so light could be
easily dismounted. Cost was about five bucks, though that was six or
seven years ago.
You could do something similar. As the TC has a spoked spare wheel,
any sort of metal that could fasten to the light, turn to lock in spokes,
would do as mine does. Or use velcro. Or mount on a magnet ( I believe
Moss's is on a magnet) Rubber-coated magnets are used for CB antennas
and childrens' toys.
Those who study such things say that the third brake light is
effective because it is closer to height-of-eye of the following drivers,
and because it goes from off-to-bright. Off-to-bright is more
eye-catching than on (as in tail light) to bright (as in tail light plus
brake light).
Were I to make this today, I would use a LED fixture, polarity
permitting, because LEDs get bright faster than lightbulbs, giving a tiny
fraction of a second more notice to the guy behind.
Another approach I have seen is for the MG owner to wire the third
light through a separate normally-off switch rigged in the pedal
linkage. That has merit, since the switch can be set to flash on
slightly before the brake lights illuminate. If there is a polarity
issue, this avoids conflict with Pos earth systems.
My subjective evaluation is that behemoth vehicles stop a bit farther
back from my bumper now that the third brake light is in place.
Bob
On Thu, 9 Feb 2006 11:16:44 -0600 "RickL" <vinmoto@comcast.net> writes:
> What pray tell is the Moss third brake light ? I have been
> pondering how
> to improve the visibility of the brake lights on my TC. That lone
> red
> glowing thing down near the tail pipe doesn't quite cut it when I
> drive
> amongst the SUV land yachts in Chicago.
>
> At one point my brake light was working intermittently so I stopped
> by the
> shop of the local Vincent MC specialist to ask for a hand. He went
> underneath and pronounced that the brake light switch is the same
> article
> used on a Vincent. He cleaned and fiddled for a few minutes and it
> has
> worked fine for the past year.
>
> -RickL
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