Cruise Control for Throttle by Wire??

Thread Starter

Jack_K

Joined May 13, 2009
143
The new Harley Davidson motorcycles have Throttle By Wire (TBW). I'd like to add a cruise control.

Does anyone know how the TBW works? I assume there's a pot in the throttle grip and wires running to something that controls the throttle bodies.

I wonder if a cruise control could still physically open and close the TBs or would it confuse the ECU? Maybe there are some circuits for cruise on TBW?

Any one?

Jack
 

MikeML

Joined Oct 2, 2009
5,444
Modern ECU-defined Cruise Controls do not interact at all with the Throttle. You are stuck in thinking about the cruise controls that had an actuator that pulls on the mechanical throttle linkage. I haven't see one of those in twenty years.
 

Thread Starter

Jack_K

Joined May 13, 2009
143
You are stuck in thinking about the cruise controls that had an actuator that pulls on the mechanical throttle linkage. I haven't see one of those in twenty years.

Well, they still sell them and I have one I put on my other motorcycle. No matter, I asked for info on TBW cruise controls. I'm not stuck on anything (except my wife).

Jack
 

MikeML

Joined Oct 2, 2009
5,444
Ok, the TBW is nothing but a Pot which puts out a voltage proportional to position. Seems as though this system is causing a lot of problems for Toyata, as we speak.

I suppose you could fool the ECU into controlling the speed of the motorcycle by building a circuit that substitutes for the pot voltage and automatically varies as the speed deviates from a preset speed. A PIC or other micro-controller would be the way to go.

The cruise control in my car has no connection at all with the gas pedal. It takes over the control of the ECU, which regulates speed by controlling spark, throttle body, fuel, etc.
 
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