(Home) Cruise control

There are a couple of references in the archives (under Fuel system) to a www.waeco.com kit but I can't find a retail outlet. I've found two other sources of similar £150-ish kits: one is www.howard-may.co.uk and the other is www.conrad-anderson.co.uk who also offer the simpler "Eagle Economic" for £50 which controls the "throttle" position rather than the road speed - disabled by the brake light switch. This seems ideal to me for a diesel auto, less to pay, less to fit (no magnets on the prop shaft), less to go wrong and with the injector pump governor adding a degree of speed stabilisation - though most "cruising" is on fairly level motorways anyway.

Has anyone any experience or other comments on these units?

- (#13453) Dave Mason (Sussex), 24 Sep 04 06:00

If you go to the waeco website you can order a host of catalogues...their stuff tends to be pricey...but of useable, sound quality...their catalogues are very impressive and they should be able to point you to a dealer.......Discount?....would guess you would get anything for their pre-vat price...
Personally I wouldn't use a waeco cruise system (due to price)...but go for the cheapest simplest system that does the job reliably.....

- (#13453) chris turner, 24 Sep 04 12:52

I installed the basic Waeco in the Suzuki. Easy install, works well. Cost me about £95 trade. Clive, your cheapie won't be a success- it's nothing more than a hand throttle with a brake- operated override... Your speed will vary as you go up and down over hills. Yes, you can use it, but all you're doing is switching from the very fine control you have with the pedal, to a servo- controlled pushbutton.

- (#13453) David Miller, 24 Sep 04 15:41

Over the weekend I tried deliberately holding my right foot steady on the oldest parts of the M1, which must be some of the flattest motorway ever built. Yes, David, the speed build-up on passing even a mild "crest" is noticeable, if not alarming.

So forget my (not Clive's) optimism about the cheapie solution. Did you, David, fit the entry-level Waeco MS50? I've got nowhere with leads on the Waeco website to dealers. Where can I get one mail order?
- (#13453) Dave Mason (Sussex), 29 Sep 04 05:06

OK have managed to order a basic Waeco MS50 kit. Will report on progress.

- (#13453) Dave Mason (Sussex), 1 Oct 04 08:46

I'll just add here that my info is that and motor factors who stock Durite (Gordon Products) stuff should be able to access Waeco...

Good luck with the install, Dave. I'll guess the speed sender will be the only thing that causes any hassles (but at least one is supplied, only needing to be fitted somewhere). Shout if you have any problems.

- (#13453) David Miller, 1 Oct 04 14:42

Got the Waeco kit and working through the various bits. After fixing the magnet and sensor at the rear propshaft and extending the cable I started tying the cable in place. I realised that I was strapping it to the speedo drive shaft (1991 4WD auto) and that there is already an electrical cable there which comes from a sort of T-junction in the speedo drive but goes nowhere - it ends in a connector after about 250mm. I wonder is that a built-in but unused speed sensor?

- (#13453) Dave Mason (Sussex), 14 Oct 04 23:47

Sounds like it. I wonder what it was for?

- (#13453) David Miller, 15 Oct 04 01:14

The U.S. market 'Vans' were fitted with cruise control and I think that some other countries had cruise control fitted as standard so the speed signal sensor might be something to do with the cruise control thats fitted as standard in these countries. Toyota probably use common wiring looms in order to keep costs down.

- (#13453) Bill, 15 Oct 04 06:15

My Waeco MS50 cruise control is now working. I've never used one before and the initial sensation is amazing. I said I'd report on progress in case you go the same route.

Following Andy Lees comment elsewhere I fitted the servo on the bulkhead between the rear heater and engine compartments. It's hot there but it's about the only place for it and has the bonus that you can do the work via the hatch behind the driving seat. The old EGR vacuum feed pipe fits the bill, though Waeco supply plenty of hose and fittings.

The bit I'm least happy with, yet, is piggy-backing the bowden cable on to the accelerator lever. The Toyota cable outer is quite soft and the recommended way of clamping the new cable outer against it is slightly wobbly. As for the inner cable, I thought that clamping it, as recommended, on to the Toyota inner risked either slipping on, or damaging, the plastic sheath and also obstructing the full travel of the Toyota mechanism. So I connected to the hole halfway along the accelerator lever on the injector pump, using Waeco's alternative set of bits provided for that, which seem very good for making sure the mechanism won't jam "on". This means less travel and more tension than ideal for the servo so it's the point where I'll watch for trouble.

To get the speed sensor "gearing" right you have two adjustments to get the indicator to flash about once per sec at 25-30mph. To get it right I had to cut the little wire loop which slows it by a factor of eight, and then fit a second magnet (they supplied 3) on the propshaft to speed it up by a factor of 2.

I tried the speed sensor that I found fitted in the gearbox end of the speedo cable. It was only supported by the cable fixing so I could take it out but the speedo cable didn't seem long enough to connect without this gadget, making me still wonder if it was fitted originally. It had two connections joined internally but not to earth, presumably a pick-up coil. I tried it but it wouldn't drive the Waeco unit.

- (#13453) Dave Mason (Sussex), 20 Oct 04 03:04