For this situation, you either have continuity or you don't. I wouldn't worry too much about the amount of resistance. I personally would buy myself a digital multimeter at Radio Shack (as someone suggested), Walmart, or what ever. They are cheap and can save you a ton of money. Read the instuctions and learn how to use it. Everyone riding these ATV's should have a minimally equipped tool box at home and this is a darned good addition. I even carry a multimeter with me when I'm riding trails (something I learned riding Harley's for years and years). You may want to look at the tail light bulb with the lens off to see if both filaments are lit. If they are you're getting power from somewhere (either a short or a bad switch). If they're both not lit and still aren't when you step on the brake, you probably have either a bad switch, a broken wire, bad socket or bad bulb.

The switch can be one of two types; a pressure activated switch from brake fluid pressure or a switch that is mechanically activated by pressure from your foot/hand activating a momentary switch (Harley's used the latter type of switch - at least the one's from the 1970's did). If you one that's activated by brake fluid pressure, you will have to open the brake system to replace it and may require you to bleed the brakes. The other type is simply unbolting the old and replacing with new. The brake switch on my Outlander is the type that uses brake fluid pressure.

I can't believe there's anything detrimental about your brake light not working correctly other than riders behind you running you over. I doubt if there's enough heat to melt the lens. The actual fix shouldn't take but a couple of minutes if you don't have to bleed the brakes. And when the system is open (switch removed DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKES! You'll definitely have to bleed the brake system if you do and you'll have a mess besides). Not sure how bad DOT4 brake fluid is (used in my Outlander), but DOT 1 and 2 will disolve paint and plastic very quickly. Read the instructions on the can.

Hope this helps....

Dave Young

 

From what I can see, it looks like they're the type that's activated by brake fluid pressure. The weird thing is, I unplugged the 2 electrodes, and the light remained on. I figure this means I've got issues elsewhere in the circuit. I'm definately going to invest in that meter!!!
Thanks for the info guys, you rock!!!
Justin

 

That is weird. Check the connections at the tail light socket. Some how you're getting power to the bulb so you must have a short or bad socket.....

 

I know someone already asked this, but I have to ask again. Are you absolutely sure you got the right bulb.

The correct bulb is an 1157 bulb (dual contact, dual filiment). The incorrect bulb is 1156 (single contact, single filiment).

Also, I have seen some manufacturers make some hybrid 1157 bulbs that have dual contacts, but only one filiment (I have no idea why the hell they would do this, but they did).

 

The 1156 shouldn't fit as the locating pins on the bulb are not indexed (off-set) and the socket (and 1157 bulb) is indexed. Not saying you couldn't force the bulb to fit, but I think it would be very obvious that it's the wrong. Just a little trivia in that the outer shell is designed to be the negative side of the circuit and the contact(s) on the bottom are meant to be the positive side. I've never seen a 1157 single filament bulb, but I don't doubt they exist.

Back to the original poster, any chance the bulb is not turned all the way so that the tail light contact on socket may touch both contacts of the bulb simultaneously? Look at the contacts inside the socket and check for damage. If you had a multimeter, you could check both contacts in the socket for power when the ignition switch is in the "on" position. You should have 12 vdc to the tail light and 0 vdc (maybe some low stray voltage) to the brake light (without the brake applied). I would have thought that removing the wires from the brake light switch would have created an open circuit and your brake light would not have come on. This gives me suspicion that the problem is in your tail light socket.

Dave

 

Yes, it's definately a 1157..as far as the dual filament issue, I'll check that out today. I'll also check to ensure the bulb is in the socket correctly, then go from there. Thanks for all the replys guys, your definately getting me headed in the right direction.
J.