Builds Just had to treat myself for Halloween... 65 SWB (2 Viewers)

[DomSmith]

FYI, I have used those Rostra cruise controls a few times and they are really cheap and end up breaking eventually. I wish someone made a similar model but better quality components.

Interesting. The Rostra on the 40 has been rock solid aside from a few times it’s dropped the cruise. Not that I drive it that much.
I used a nice stalk controller on the 40...

I will be using the small cheaper looking push button control on the 45 so it can flip up and out of sight.

Hoping I have as good of luck with this one as the other one. Will probably order tomorrow.

 

[DomSmith]

After thread-reading motivation last night I got home and tackled the parking brake debacle.

I don’t know why but it binds up once released if I go in reverse. If I pull forward a little first then it’s fine. Even adjusted all the way out where it wouldn’t even hold I still had the same problem. Not sure what I’d find but I thought a broken spring or a c-clip had fallen off.

Everything looked in order. I tested the brake a few times with out the drum on and nothing really suspicious. Pulled it all apart and still couldn’t figure anything out.

Then I noticed a weird grove in the back plate where both shoes rest. F’ing weird. In all the rigs I’ve worked on I’ve never seen this before.

It matches the edge of the shoe...

 

[DomSmith]

So I decided to use a die grinder with a small bit and see if I could flatten them out.

Flattened them both out and put everything back together. It still seemed to bind a little so I pulled the drum again and re-adjusted.

I wasn’t too sure everything was resolved so I put the drum back on and put it in 4WD to see if it bound up before I installed the driveshaft again.

Adjusted again and seemed fixed in 4WD so added gear oil again, driveshaft installed and buttoned everything up.

Driveway test and road test a success. I’m not sure exactly what was going on but I think the shoe was hanging up in these grooves and not traveling back to neutral?

Either way I’m happy it’s resolved.

 

[Michael B]

That’s a nice catch, noticing the groove would have escaped the attention of most. I’m glad you can check that one off your list!

 

[middlecalf]

But there still is the question of where did the grove come from? Would a dragging shoe get hot enough to melt its way into a grove on the backing plate? Would a vibrating loose shoe grind a grove like that? Would a neighbor kid seeking revenge know how to use a Dremel to make a groove to cause a problem (couldnt find a potato to put in the exhaust pipe)? Would a distraught factory worker in Japan knew a groove would give him satisfaction of co-frustration several continents away? Or not worry about it. Latter probably ok, .

 

[Garrissey]

What a build.

 

[DomSmith]

I really can’t explain the grooves and honestly can’t imagine how that happened except driving thousands of miles on washboard roads?! Crazy.

Ordered the Rostra cruise control on Amazon.

Prime.



2 day shipping.



Unfortunately not now a days. May 11th? Not sure why I want it so fast... it will probably sit on the shelf for 6 months anyway.

 

[DomSmith]

Have not had a lot of free time due to my job (happy to be in a business that’s pretty stable considering).

So the simple stuff seems to bring joy...


Parts books and Modelo...

I had been harassing a few members here for 10+ years for some parts books (you know who you are) but finally luck was on my side and got these from JP for a fair price.

 

[middlecalf]

Good info, now I know who to go to for parts questions!

 

[DomSmith]

Cruise control arrived a few days ago less the control switch. Decided I would start messing with it today to see how far I could get. Nice to have one installed on the 40 so I can walk over and look at what I did the first time.

Extra parts...

The first step was determining the control box mounting location.

I decided on the passenger side inner fender well because of the direction of the throttle. It’s the exact opposite spot as the 40 (driver side inner fender). I wasn’t excited about drilling a hole but it’s a pretty inconspicuous spot and I searched high and low for an existing OEM hole to no avail.

 

[DomSmith]

The next step was getting the cruise throttle cable measured and the attachment sorted out. The instructions are pretty good but it takes a few reads to grasp it all. They provide several options depending on your vehicle and what the throttle attachment is. On the 40 I was able to use one of the 3 existing throttle attachments. The 3FE uses a single pulley style attachment but I had seen a custom dual pulley setup that I think @lelandEOD had. So I contacted him and got the details. He also had a second throttle pulley that I purchased a few years ago in anticipation of this project...

I initially thought this would work well but it’s going to take a little TIG weld to the existing pulley. In the meantime I decided to move forward with the loop style attachment into the existing Toyota T-Bar throttle connection.

First you measure the throttle throw from idle to WOT...

Once I had that I determined these were the parts I would need:

I used the loop cable and one chain link extension....

How it connects...

 

[DomSmith]

Next you need to secure the cruise throttle cable housing. This is a work in progress. I chose to use the supplied bracket with some adjustments but it looks nothing like a factory bracket so it will eventually need to be replaced. I chose the square push-in attachment style...

I determined how far back from the original 3FE attachment point it needed to reach and went to work on the bracket...

Final product (for now)...

 

[DomSmith]

Now you have to thread the outer sheath of the cruise control cable. This is done with a supplied nut (5mm x .8 I think?). You screw it onto the plastic sheath far enough that it can accept the push-in mount.

Then you thread the push-in collar on and then push it into the square hole on the bracket.

I had to make several adjustments here because there was too much tension on the cruise control throttle cable. This meant threading more of the collar with the nut so as to allow some slack in the cable.

This is how it sits now. Chain links will get crimped and covered with the black link covers once it’s tested and finalized...

Throttle cable secured. This bracket will most likely be replaced.

Next up will be the wiring...

 

[DomSmith]

So the wiring schematic is pretty straightforward.

There's plenty of wire to run wherever it's needed. I pulled the loom into the cab on the passenger side near where the control box is mounted.

Here are the connections:


Brown-ACC (Not yet determined where to tie in).
Violet- brake neg (@cruiserbrett is sending me some OEM style bullet connectors. The plan is to make a short pigtail that can be inserted into the circuit with the added wire to the cruise but easily removed).
Red- brake + (same as above).
Gray- VSS (Brett is also sending me the connectors we used for the VSS with the 3FE to make a removable pigtail with the extra wire for the cruise).
Dark blue- tach (Haven't even given this any thought yet).
ORANGE- to control switch (This is a short wire terminated in the cruise loom that I will have to uncover and lengthen to tie into a pink wire on the dash switch).
RRGY- 4 pin to switch (This is a plastic connector that also ties into the dash switch).

Dash switch:

I am trying to decide whether I mount a small flip-up (out of site) hinged mount below the dash or just add this to a small plate next to the check engine light below the steering column.

Either way I do have to add a relay to support the "engaged" light...

 

[DomSmith]

Switch arrived...

Decided it would go below the steering column and next to the OEM looking check engine light.

Built a bracket made of stiff stainless to the specs for the switch. Decided I would drill a large hole to use the check engine light as the mount...

Finished product...

 

[DomSmith]

Wires are pulled through the middle hole of the bracket...

Mounted and ready to be wired up. I may decide to hide this a little more once I get it working and tested.

 

[DomSmith]

Have a few days off so I’m going to try to sort out this ridiculous cruiser lean...

The spare tire has done quite a job on the OME springs on the drivers side. I’ve compensated with large blocks on the right side but it’s time to address it for real. These started out as heavies and if I remember correctly I took 2 or 3 leafs out of each rear pack.

I’m thinking I have 3 options:

1- Remove one rear leaf from the passenger side.

2- Add one rear leaf to the drivers side.

3-Remove one rear leaf from the passenger side AND add one to the drivers side.

I’m thinking I might go with no 3 so I can remove the blocks from the back as well.

Anyone have any input?

 

[wngrog]

I just removed 3 leafs out of both sides. I’d say add a leaf back to the low side.

need any?

 

[DomSmith]

Thanks Nolen. I have them stashed. I’ll dig them out in the next few days.

 

[DomSmith]

Pulled out 2 different sizes of leafs I had previously removed. I may put in the larger one on the drivers side but if I only took 2 out in the first place I might consider removing one from the passenger side.