Wrenchin' on the Bagger - Cruise Control

 Come on out to the barn and fish a cold one outta the bottom.  Picked up
a Cruise Control Kit for 2004 FLHT/C/CI (p/n 77196-04) yesterday.  
Planned to install it tomorrow, but figured I'd saunter out to the barn
last night just to, you know, check out all that's involved.  A few hours
later she was buttoned back up with another black box in her belly.

I guess this is pretty specific as it's for the 2004 model year only, but
it might give you an idea of how relatively simple of an install it is.  
As always, IMNSHO, YMMV, and FYYFF.  

The install has three basic elements - installing the Cruise control
module, replacing the right handlebar control & harness, and installing
the switch/lamp, but they are mostly simple bolt on and plug in
procedures.

Installing the module involves pulling the battery, removing the air
breather, pulling the left side cover, and moving the fuse box and cable
bundles out of the way.  The module bolts to the outside of the battery
box after snaking the throttle cable to the throttle assy where it clips
right on.  An existing 10-place receptacle plugs into the module.  The
instructions are pretty specific about routing the cable up to the point
it says "betweent he cylenders"  Lots of stuff between those cylinders,
and I found myself poking around a bit till I figured out where it had to
end up.  

Replacing the handlebar control and harness was easier by skipping ahead
in the instructions and removing the fairing cap to make room to route
the 10-place connector. Again, it just plugs in.  The instructions say to
use the friction shoe from the old unit, and to slip it onto the point of
the adjuster screw ... There was no adjuster screw.  And, the one off the
old unit was too big.  I note the user manual suggests that models w
cruise control don't have em ...  Bears investigation.

The hardest part about installing the switch/lamp on the fairing cap was
getting the ignition switch off and slipping a few pin terminals into the
appropriate holes in the fairing switch connector.

Three hours later, I was buttoning her up and was ready to hit the rack.  
This morning, I took her out to perform the "Cable Lash Initialization."
Basically, an electronic cable adjustment, and one of those hold this
button whilst starting the bike, pat yer head, rub yer belly, and wait
for the computer to go through a few cycles kinda things.  A couple of
seconds later, revs increased a bit, backed down, the indicator light on
the speedo changed from green to red and I was done.

I hopped back on and headed north on US 31.  Played with setting speed,
increasing & decreasing speed, tested foot brakes & hand brakes, reduced
throttle manually, hit resume ... Everything worked as advertised. Oughta
facilitate putting some miles on her this summer.

Starting next week.


--
Chilly BS#226 W MI GLANS MANS SENS
82 FXR "Tennessee Stud"
04 FLHTCi (Conv) "Night" (Redux)
www.chilly-willy.net

 Chilly wrote:

<snip good wrench report>

One of the selling points of the Ultra I bought last summer
was the cruise control. After using it some I've come to the
conclusion that although it's great for cruising on a
freeway......I don't use it much (since I try to stay off
the slab as much as possible).

I still have my throttle rocker thing strapped to the
throttle grip though. The cruise is GREAT for being able to
switch hands on the bars every once in a while....kinda like
being able to move yer feet from the floorboards to the
freeway pegs on a long trip.

Use of cruise kinda freaked me out first time I had it
engaged (not thinking about it) as I entered some
semi-winding roads......felt like I was being dragged
through the curves faster than I wanted to go....took a
couple seconds to realize why and to turn the cruise off.

Also have run into a little novelty (which I don't know if
it's normal or not).....but I can be "cruising" around 80 on
the slab, overtake a semi.....goose the throttle a bit to
get around him kinda quicker.....and as I pull back into the
right lane I let up on the throttle to realize cruise had
turned itself off when I hit 85.......oops, kinda
disconcerting to change lanes in front of a semi at 80+mph
and to let go of the throttle to feel it go all the way to
idle. Haven't gotten my ass run over yet....<sfsf>.

It is one of those little amenities that make life a bit
more pleasant sometimes though........

My favorite add-on of all time though has been the XM
radio......oh yeah, pick my favorite station by music type
(or talk, or sports) and listen to it commercial free for
days/weeks no matter where I am. And never fails that when
out somewhere riding and admiring the scenery.....a string
of stuff by Jimi, Janice, and other classics come on to make
my smile even wider.

Last Saturday as we made the turn off a rural GON2L onto the
onramp of I-40.....as I climbed the ramp gathering speed
quickly, on comes a familiar tune....."Hear that motor
runnin.....head on down the highway....". Talk about a
moment......<BIG sfsf>.

--
Steve Irving (Irv) - BS#237/SLOB#12
http://www.nite.com/bike.html
Under a black flag we shall sail.......

 

I do too.  Been using one for years now.  I think yhey're pretty damned
nice, but never have liked they way they feel under the palm of my hand.



Yup, or zipping up your sleeves ...


Their operating range is 30-85 mph, and disengages above that.  Within
that range, you should be able to increase speed 10 or more mph depending
on how aggressive you are with the throttle.


XM's always on my radar ...  Just have a problem giving up yet another
$12/ mo for it.

I'm looking at an Autocom system to bring tunes and intercom into my
helmet.  They've changed their line recently, and it looks like features
are up and prices down ...


I've had that song come on several times at freaky moments.  Like when I
first crank her over.  Sorta like a bad movie, yet it always brings a
smile to my face.


--
Chilly

 

Really?!? I can only engage mine between 30 & 85 but it'll accelerate to the
bike's limit. On the blue barge I never experimented much past 81 cuz after
that it would surge in a minute but most annoying way. And the dealers
wouldn't look at it cuz they couldn't ask a tech to road test above legal
limits.

At least they didn't tell me "they all do that."

112

 

Just regurgitatin' what's in my manual, and that could explain Stevel's  
situation.  But, then, I don't know what he means by "goose the throttle a
bit"  If it means "grab a whole handful" then that might disengage it too.  

'Course mine is specific to the 2004 model year.  YMMV.  I'll have to give
it a try. <g>


Chilly BS#226 W MI GLANS MANS SENS SLOB#5 DOF#55 C.O.B.B.
82 FXR "Tennessee Stud"
04 FLHTCi (Conv) "Night" (Redux)
www.chilly-willy.net