Cruise control

[nick]

Has anyone installed a cruise control. I was thinking that if a person were contemplating a long trip, like US coast to coast and back a cruise control would certainly come in handy.

[img][IMG]http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt234/nickmi/TR7%201975/Yellow.jpg[/img]
nick
'79 TR7 DHC
'76 TR7 FHC

[FI Spyder]

I've thought of it as I have cruise control on the Integra and Tercel which I had the dealers put in before I bought them. There was a kit you could but for about $100 often available on eBay, can't remember the name off hand but started with a C. There was an optional vacuum ball for small engine like motorcycles if you didn't have enough vacuum. There's probably many more now.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[Hasbeen]

Hi Nick.
I would want advice from someone who had experienced it on a 7 before you fitted one, as you are looking for.

I've never had it on a 7, but do have it on my Ozzy built Ford Capri, which is the Mercury Capri in the US, a 2+2 convertible, built on the Mazda 323 floor pan & drive train. It is original equipment, so a Mazda or Ford unit.

The Capri is very close to a 7 in specification, 100 BHP, & 1050 Kilograms. Mine is an auto, so pretty slow, but does have an overdrive that keeps the revs down.

I find the cruise on it really annoying. I live in undulating country, so if you are not climbing a mild hill, you are descending one. You will feel it slowing the car if it gains a couple of MPH down a gentle grade, then having to accelerate moderately to climb the next up grade. It is in & out of overdrive continually. I find the inefficiency very frustrating.

I rarely use it for this reason. The only time I have found it useful is on the expressway to the airport, which is littered with speed cameras. It helps stop me getting booked for speeding.

My daughter used it, when she had the thing for a few months, then complained she was using 15% to 20% more petrol than I did.

Hope this helps.

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

I have contrasting experience. The Integra has 120hp/2500lbs approx. It has 4 speed auto with lockup at over 80kph (more like 90 kph), drops a couple hundred rpm and has the same gearing as the TR7. It rarely kicks out of lockup mode except on the long upgrade to summit of Highway 5 (featured in the TV series Highway Thru Hell)

http://www.discovery.ca/article.aspx?aid=45273

The Tercel has 75hp auto and doesn't kick down but doesn't have over drive and is geared lower.

Gas mileage isn't affected by it in either car.

It would be an asset on those long drives where you'd like to change foot position so you don't get stiff on those long straight highway drives but how it would actually work in the end you'd have to see.

Maybe you will be the first.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[Last TR]

One of the guys here installed cruise control on his TR6. He indicated it was a fairly straightforward project. He no longer has the Triumph, though, having bought a pair of E-Jags since then. I think cruise control would be great for a cross country trip, say, Oregon to North Carolina. I'll have to track down Tom and ask him what he used on his TR6.

Ken Morton
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

[gaz]

It has been done on a TR7 before....
It was one of the features/upgrades on the TRZ Sheafer car

www.classiccarrunblackpool.co.uk

1981 DHC 2.0 Litre
1980 DHC pedal car
1982 DHC TR-ailer in the making

[nick]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Hasbeen</i>

Hi Nick.
I would want advice from someone who had experienced it on a 7 before you fitted one, as you are looking for.

I've never had it on a 7, but do have it on my Ozzy built Ford Capri, which is the Mercury Capri in the US, a 2+2 convertible, built on the Mazda 323 floor pan & drive train. It is original equipment, so a Mazda or Ford unit.

The Capri is very close to a 7 in specification, 100 BHP, & 1050 Kilograms. Mine is an auto, so pretty slow, but does have an overdrive that keeps the revs down.



I find the cruise on it really annoying. I live in undulating country, so if you are not climbing a mild hill, you are descending one. You will feel it slowing the car if it gains a couple of MPH down a gentle grade, then having to accelerate moderately to climb the next up grade. It is in & out of overdrive continually. I find the inefficiency very frustrating.

I rarely use it for this reason. The only time I have found it useful is on the expressway to the airport, which is littered with speed cameras. It helps stop me getting booked for speeding.

My daughter used it, when she had the thing for a few months, then complained she was using 15% to 20% more petrol than I did.

Hope this helps.

Hasbeen
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I know what you are saying about annoying. But the installations vary considerably. My '94 4Runner 5 speed is spot on. But the acceleration in 5th on that truck is so poor that throttle modulation is hardly felt. On the other hand my M3 is so quick on the throttle that any change by the cruise control is a lurch. Getting the gain setting exactly correct is tough. Sort of like autopilot development.

However, in the US we have so much limited access 4 lane highway that anything that would give some relief on a long drive would be worth the money.

[img][IMG]http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt234/nickmi/TR7%201975/Yellow.jpg[/img]
nick
'79 TR7 DHC
'76 TR7 FHC

[FI Spyder]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by nick</i>


However, in the US we have so much limited access 4 lane highway that anything that would give some relief on a long drive would be worth the money.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yah, that I5 drive is boring (except where it goes through the Shasta mountain range) all the way to LA.[|)]



- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[Hasbeen]

Nick I was just suggesting that you do your checks carefully, as the unit on similar powered Capri is very annoying.

The one on my sons Ford ranger, [3.0L turbo diesel], is almost seamless in operation. I have no idea if the Capri's problem is with the cruise, or the way the auto is set up. It does kick down at fairly low throttle openings, & I am assured it is operating correctly for the unit.

Hasbeen

[Last TR]

Nick,

I'm actually more interested in hearing about your prospective long trip, though now you've got me thinking about cruise control for my trip.

Ken Morton
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

[silverseven]

Every car I own right now has cruise except for the rumpf. I use it all the time even on the boulevards , and as it keeps my speeds constant ,which therefore does a great job at saving me a chunks of cash in the land of photo radar that I live in!
Cruise control will not save you gas as the throttle movements are more brisk/severe... the car would run more economically with a soft and steady foot [;)]

At the dealer level, I've had experience with aftermarket units and much prefer the factory equipped systems for their function-ability, but would have no problem with a jobber if that was the only option.
So that being said if you can find a system that would adapt to our cars , I'd say why not ...it certainly could be a viable option if long distance driving is your plan !!!!

Ron.

[Odd]

In my '8 I have the original Hella system that came with the 3.9 efi out of the Disco. Connected to an original SD1 cruise stalk - so it looks correct and OEM... Haven't got it fully working yet but it's all there and when I get a chance to allocate time to it - it will be peachy!

One unexpected gremlin we've found when fitting an aftermarket kit (dads TR7V8) is: Bevare of fitting LED-bulbs in your brake lights! Most aftermarket CC units, as a safety feature, grounds the ECU through the brake bulb system - and goes 'dead' if the bulb filament is replaced by a diode... [:(]

In my daily driver Passat [170hp 2L TDI with 6sp DSG] the Cruise Control is one of the most often used 'extras'. It gives a very smooth ride!
The added effect of the DSG selecting the most optimal gear in cooperation with the CC makes it all better yet.

<font color="red"><b>My two 1980 Wedges...</b></font id="red">

[nick]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Last TR</i>

Nick,

I'm actually more interested in hearing about your prospective long trip, though now you've got me thinking about cruise control for my trip.

Ken Morton
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well, there is this very long drive to NC that seems to be gaining momentum and peaks my interest. However, having been in aviation as a career I always said that I would be hesitant in flying an airplane that I had built (one from a kit.) Same goes for a long cross country trip in a car I had rebuilt. Sort of speaks to the confidence level in my shade tree mechanical abilities.

[img][IMG]http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt234/nickmi/TR7%201975/Yellow.jpg[/img]
nick
'79 TR7 DHC
'76 TR7 FHC

[FI Spyder]

That's why it's called an adventure.[8D]



- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[Last TR]

Nick,

How much time are you thinking about taking to make the drive to NC?

Ken Morton
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees