44 replies to this topic

[langers2k]

Surely a unit could be made to work with either engine or road speed?

I have thought about trying to create my own cruise control system a few times and from what I can see, the electronics needed are very basic.

You need a pulsed signal for either the road or engine speed, as all the cruise control is trying to do is keep either of them constant (in a manual, road speed for an auto). Convert this signal to a voltage, you can then compare this voltage to another voltage the drive has set (using a pot, or more likely a electronic resistor you can change the value of with buttons), then apply/reduce the accelerator depending on the voltage difference.

Only fun bit I can see is to connect the electronics to the throttle. I was thinking something like a servo from a model plane, but I don't know how powerful they are. You want something powerful enough to be able to move the throttle, yet robust enough not get damaged if you were to press the accelerator while the unit was in action (to overtake for instance).

If anyone has any ideas on a suitable motor and a method to connect it to the throttle cable/pedal or carb linkage then I may also have ago at creating cruise control in my mini! If anything works I will of course post the results

[Ethel]

You could maybe use inlet vacuum to move the throttle, you'd need a reservoir, Some sort of clutch to engage the the throttle might be useful too.

Have a search on the Patent Office site for some ideas.

[roofless]

I'm all for trying this.... for a while I've been contemplating putting a cruise on, I've had cars with cruise control for a number of years and when doing motorway miles, it's an absolute god send.

Here's the proposal... I'll get one, and sort out the fittings and fixtures, if possible build some bespoke brackets to enable quick fitmet for the servo in the engine bay and to the carb (will try and do one for injection too) and sensors on the pot joint. Adjust the wiring so it can be plugged straight into the mini loom. Then if it all works and is marketable, get a job lot shipped over from the US, and offer a DIY kit for mini. Finger in the air sort of price I reckon would be about the �100 - �150 mark, obviously this will depend on how cheap I can get them bulk, and the USD exchange rate

how do you fit the sensors to the pot joint ? remember the small piece of metal doing 160mph at southam a couple of weeks ago? that was the magnet off my pot joint

[langers2k]

You could maybe use inlet vacuum to move the throttle, you'd need a reservoir, Some sort of clutch to engage the the throttle might be useful too.

Have a search on the Patent Office site for some ideas.

I was thinking, as you can get TPS (throttle position sensors) for megajolt, it may possible to create something similar, but instead of using it to give the throttle position, have it move the throttle cable.

A stepper motor is probably the best bet depending how strong they are. I think with a cunning linkage the motor may not need to be as robust I thought, the cable could slide when the throttle was applied. This way the motor and your foot aren't fighting for control any more as which ever is furthest down has control.

[langers2k]

how do you fit the sensors to the pot joint ? remember the small piece of metal doing 160mph at southam a couple of weeks ago? that was the magnet off my pot joint

Get stronger magnets?!

I have three Neodymium magnets on my drive flange (I think that is the name), they are glued for extra security but I think the magnetic force is holding them pretty well. Although I haven't hit 160mph...

Edited by langers2k, 12 April 2008 - 10:38 AM.

[Guess-Works.com]

The sensor for my kit ( when built ) will be mounted in such a fashion to take the speed reading from the rear wheel hub assembly

[Ethel]

I bet you could get away with tapping a small hole in to a pot joint.

The link to the Vauxhall kit earlier in this thread has some useful piccies, looks it uses a worm gear, it'd be a doddle to build in a clutch with the cable running through the middle of the worm. I guess the Audiovox kit uses a chain to keep the cruise from interfering with the pedal.

Any issues with not using a driven wheel as a speed sensor? Not that it's likely you'd want cruise control on if you were in a situation where you had locked or spinning wheels.

If you used an engine speed sensor only, it wouldn't be difficult to build a circuit to halve the ignition pulses or just use an inducted pickup on one plug lead like a timing strobe does.

[langers2k]

Any issues with not using a driven wheel as a speed sensor? Not that it's likely you'd want cruise control on if you were in a situation where you had locked or spinning wheels.

I wouldn't have thought so... Just depends which is the easiest to attach the sensor to.

Next question, does anyone know how much torque/force is needed to move the throttle linkage/accelerator cable?

[Jammy]

I would take any speed sensor off the rear wheels too as GW says. Stops any mis-readings for wheel spins (although thats not really relevant to this subject, it might be relevant for what roofless wants). Maybe use either superglue, or probably better to use some chemical metal?

[miniboo]

now this is very interesting. i think i may invest in one of these kits once my engine is done!!

[Guess-Works.com]

you're all forgetting that in the rear hub there's a very nicely place 1/4" unf tapped hole...

[Guess-Works.com]

First shipment have arrived in the UK...

The first prototype kits will now be developed for the Carbed mini, servo and non-servo, SPi and MPi...

Eventual price range for the kit will be somewhere between £150 and £200... all depends on what is included within the kit, thinking like a new throttle cable and things like that.

When everything is sorted I'll be putting up a new post

[Spider]

I found this thread, from a link Guess-works put up bringing me here;-

 

http://www.theminifo...more-practical/

 

I've fitted many Cruise Control kits to my Minis and Mokes over the years and wouldn't be with out one but only because I do tend to drive long trips.

 

These are the one's I've used (though the earlier ones were a little different)

 

https://www.autoelec...?id=2218&cat=52

 (only I don't get them from those guys, I can't find the link from the supplier I use)

 

Damn awesome, most of the time they work straight out of the box, but I have had some that had me running around in circles for a few weeks, no fault with the kits in any way just 'curly' installation issues, for example, these have a cut out if the brake (or clutch) is depressed when engaged, they constantly monitor the Brake Light Circuit so if a problem occurs there, it drops out, rather good fail-safe system BUT they don't tell you the circuit needs a certain minimum load to 'detect' the integrety of the Brake Light Circuit. So, if you have LED Brake Lights, it won't engage. Yeap, that one took me a few weeks to work out, fitted a resistor and bang, off she went.

 

<edit: I have fitted all these up using the standard Push Button key pad they come with, but would like to fit a stalk if I can find a suitable one>

 

Another problem is if you are running a bit of a Cam, there is not always vacuum in the manifold and it can blow a little fuel in to the Vacuum Actuaor, this in turn causes the seals in the solenoids (which open and close the ports on the Actuator) to swell and jam. I over came this by fitting an Aux Vacuum Reservoir and a non-return valve. Now, as a matter of course, I fit non-return valves to all of them, just as a precaution I guess.

 

The last one I fitted uses the pulse generator that also drives the electronic speedo. This one did also take a while to sort. The Cruise Control will also drop out if it detects over speed (it must work on some kinda approximation as to what consitutes an over speed), however the pulses were at a considerably higher frequency than what the CC would accept at normal road speeds, I could have fitted a frequecy divider, but being the lazy sod that I am, I just fitted a speedo corrector and set that to 10%, now works a treat.

Edited by Moke Spider, 15 December 2014 - 07:13 AM.

[TMW.Racing]

Is something that will be fitted to my mini once the bodywork has been tidied up!!

 

Can you (or anyone else!) recommend any UK suppliers?

[Spider]

I can only suggest a google search on "Command AP60 Cruise Control"

 

These guys have come up (who are here in Aust - WTH? but I have dealt with them and they are OK)  http://www.ebay.co.u...d-/150764716340

 

 

If you have no joy, send me a PM.