Rostra Cruise Install Problem

Qbird66

Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
61
Location
Johnson City, TN
Hi all - sorry for cross-posting, but it doesn't appear that the Rostra article thread is seeing much action these days. I'm hoping for some advice from someone who has installed the Rostra.

Here's my problem: the cruise cable mounting arm is moving independently of the throttle drum. I clock it to 45% from vertical (toward the left side of the bike) and go for a test ride. The cruise constantly bounces my speed up and down 5 mph or so. When I get back, the arm is only at 30% from vertical.

I followed alexst1300's instructions for building and attaching the arm, but I cannot get the nut tight enough to hold the arm (in the attached picture from alexst1300's instructions, note the nut is only halfway on the bolt - the bolt is square with threads only on 2 sides; this bolt opens and closes the butterflies). I've tried locktight to no avail. I'm actually installing on 2 ST's at one time, and we stripped the bolt on one bike trying to get it tight enough. I'm thinking about using JB Weld to attach the arm to the throttle drum.

Can anyone offer some advice/alternatives?

Thanks,
ST1300Cruise-Futaba.jpg
 
Thanks to the messages from snowmoer and stfundred, my Futaba arm is now locked down (without using JB Weld). However, my original problem still exists - the cruise constantly bounces my speed up and down 5 mph or so. This isn't gradual - it shuts the throttle down enough that I quickly lose speed, then cranks it pretty hard - there is a harsh jerk when it picks up speed.

I've tried divide by 2, 4, & 8 settings (changing the jumper on the Centodyne pulse divider and the dipswitch settings on the cruise), and I've even tried a pre-built divide by 4 pulse divider from Rostra, and I get exactly the same results.

Any ideas?
 
Is the cable bound up any? Sharp bends? Arm hitting the bottom of the air box? Just throwing some things out there. Mine is very smooth when going up and down hills. The only time I will get something like this is when I let off the gas to quick before the CC takes up the slack in the cable.
 
Kevin,

Can you post your Rostra DIP switch settings? Here is how mine are set (sorry for the poor quality):

View attachment 59347

Divide-by-2 should work fine on the VSS divider.

Some causes of surging are briefly described in this document:
http://www.rostra.com/pdf/May 2007.pdf

Rostra Tech Support once told me these CC's do not like cable slack.

Are you in 5th gear, above 50 mph? You want the engine to be lugging at pretty low RPM, so the CC only needs to make small adjustments, and are done in a flat part of the torque curve (result is smooth/precise control @ +/-1 mph of Set speed).

Matt
 

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No sharp bends in the cruise cable, and the cable pulls freely. I have the air box off - just pulled the sensor from the airbox lid and reconnected to make sure the air box/hose isn't hitting anything.

I set the cable slack to 1/8", measured using calipers. Without that slack, after the first time I set the cruise, the engine won't return to idle when I release the throttle - I have to twist the throttle the last few millimeters.

I am testing in 5th, with pulse divider set to divide by 2 and the Rostra switches set per stfundred's post - 3-7 & 10 on, all others off. Now if I set the cruise at 65 mph or higher it works fine on flat ground. On hills (up or down) or below 65 it exhibits the previous behavior, although not as severe: I set the cruise and it drops 2-3 mph, then bounces up and down from that speed and the speed I set...
 
A few more checks..

Not really sure how/why it effects the tuning, but I assume you did you cut loose cap. C8 in the Centrodyne divider?

And you're using three beads from the bead chain? (I know, I know, this creates slack, but three beads seem to work good for most folks).

In another post, you said you disconnected the dark blue Tach wire (so did I); just make sure you ground it, as the Rostra installation manual says it can introduce "trashy" signals if left ungrounded.

If all else fails, call Rostra support and ask for suggestions. When I called them a couple years ago with questions, they told me that because it is a motorcycle application, which is a high horse-power-to-weight application, that I should be using the V8 engine switch settings. Sounds good on the surface, but at highway speeds, with the high gearing and low RPM of the bike, it actually feels/acts like an 4 cylinder, thus the 4 cyl/low Engine setting, but with the extra-low Gain setting (because it can still be still responsive if needed) to keep things smooth. Is that contradictive or what!?!? :eek:: I've tried lots of different settings, and it seems Altexst1300 got it right for our bikes. But it's always good to find out for yourself what works best your own bike, so feel free to experiment. Let us know what they say.:)

Matt
 
I had clipped C-8 capacitor in the Centrodyne pulse divider and grounded the blue tach wire. Both bikes are using 3 beads from the bead chain, connected to the Futaba arm using the eyelet connector. I even ordered 2 of Rostra's divide by 4 pulse dividers - these made no difference.

So I tested every single Rostra switch setting / Centrodyne pulse divider combination, and it turns out that setting the Rostra switches to 3-7 & 10 on, all others off (just like I had them to begin with, which sets the Rostra to divide by 2 mode) and setting the pulse divider to divide by 4 resolved my issue on both bikes. I can now set the cruise at any speed above 40 mph and it now works like a dream - up hill, down hill, level ground, etc. I had the same results using both the Centrodyne pulse divider at divide by 4 and the Rostra divide by 4 pulse divider.
 
Qbird66 said:
it turns out that setting the Rostra switches to 3-7 & 10 on, all others off (just like I had them to begin with, which sets the Rostra to divide by 2 mode) and setting the pulse divider to divide by 4 resolved my issue on both bikes.
Click to expand...

So with the Rostra set for 38,600 Pulses Per Mile (i.e. switches 3-6 "on"), and the pulse divider set at divide-by-four, you are supplying the CC a VSS signal of approx. 20,000 Pulses Per Mile (i.e. the ST's 80,000 PPM @ 60mph / 4), and it works. That's Great! Thanks for letting us know, Kevin. :)

Now I'm curious if/how it would effect my bike if I did the same (set the divider to divide-by-4)? It kind of makes sense that it would help, because with the divider at divide-by-2 (where the article says to set it), then 80,000 PPM / 2 (40,000 PPM) is still higher than the CC can read (38,600 max.). I just assumed divide-by-2 was "close enough"; apparently it is, since it works (but could it be better, as it is for your bike?).

Matt
 
Frankly, I was surprised that setting the cruise control for 38,600 pulses per mile and setting the pulse divider to divide-by-4 worked, since as you stated that only supplies approx 20,000 pulses per mile to the cruise control.

Both bikes are 2005's, only 1 of which has ABS.

The C-8 capacitor in my Centrodyne pulse divider was in a different location than shown in the original install guide and the pics from follow-up posts, so there may have been a second redesign of the pulse divider. This led me to try the divide-by-4 pulse divider from Rostra, and when that gave me the same result I decided to quit worrying about something that was working :D

Setting yours to divide-by-4 may allow you to set the cruise at lower speeds, since mine works fine at 40... I know I wouldn't take it all apart again just to find out!
 
Hey, I now belong in the electronic cruise control club. Many thanks to Marshal Mercer and Qbird for their help. Made all the difference for me guys!

Thanks to Altexst for the installation manual. Very well done.

I took my bike for a short test ride and it works awesome!
The only problem I encountered was when I was going 100 km/h (62 mph) down a steep river hill, the bike speed started surging. It would try to lock on to 100 km/h and over correct. It would then back off to approx. 95 km/h then repeat. Going uphill or on level highway it was perfect.

I checked it out mechanically when I got back home. The control arm never budged and all else looked good.

My dip switches are set the same as Stfundred's.

By the way, I threw out my cheap throttle lock.

Forgot to mention: Tach wire is hooked up.
 
edgyclam said:
I took my bike for a short test ride and it works awesome!
The only problem I encountered was when I was going 100 km/h (62 mph) down a steep river hill, the bike speed started surging. It would try to lock on to 100 km/h and over correct. It would then back off to approx. 95 km/h then repeat. Going uphill or on level highway it was perfect.
Click to expand...

I have had it do the same thing from time to time on steep hills, other not so steep hills, no surging. I try not to use it when the road is that way. More for the flats to give the right hand a rest.


Glad to hear it is working for you!
 
Hey, I now belong in the electronic cruise control club. Many thanks to Marshal Mercer and Qbird for their help. Made all the difference for me guys!

Thanks to Altexst for the installation manual. Very well done.

I took my bike for a short test ride and it works awesome!
The only problem I encountered was when I was going 100 km/h (62 mph) down a steep river hill, the bike speed started surging. It would try to lock on to 100 km/h and over correct. It would then back off to approx. 95 km/h then repeat. Going uphill or on level highway it was perfect.

I checked it out mechanically when I got back home. The control arm never budged and all else looked good.

My dip switches are set the same as Stfundred's.

By the way, I threw out my cheap throttle lock.

Forgot to mention: Tach wire is hooked up.
Click to expand...

Happy to help. Try disconnecting the tach wire - I had surge issues until I disconnected the tach wire, which was recommended by the folks at Rostra. This means that the cruise won't disconnect in an over-rev situation, which I'm not too worried about...
 
I was thinking that it may be a dipswitch setting on the Rostra controller or the tach wire. I almost left the tach wire unhooked and grounded but thought I'd give it a try as I thought that I would like to keep the over-rev protection.

One of my coworkers has a Goldwing. I believe it is a 2008. He told me that his bike has a microswitch on the clutch which when pulled in will cancel the cruise control. Has anybody tried to install the Goldwing clutch side switch on the ST?
Might look kinda cool having both switches backlit, and have over-rev protection too.
 
edgyclam said:
I was thinking that it may be a dipswitch setting on the Rostra controller or the tach wire. I almost left the tach wire unhooked and grounded but thought I'd give it a try as I thought that I would like to keep the over-rev protection.

One of my coworkers has a Goldwing. I believe it is a 2008. He told me that his bike has a microswitch on the clutch which when pulled in will cancel the cruise control. Has anybody tried to install the Goldwing clutch side switch on the ST?
Might look kinda cool having both switches backlit, and have over-rev protection too.
Click to expand...
Not a Gold Wing unit, but 'yes', I have installed a second, clutch-operated switch that cuts the CC. This is in addition to the brake-switch activated kill-the-CC function.

IMHO, the ST's clutch-switch activates too late in its throw to be suitable for this application.

See -- here's your chance to get into relays :D (inside joke).

Marshal
 
Marshal_Mercer said:
Not a Gold Wing unit, but 'yes', I have installed a second, clutch-operated switch that cuts the CC. This is in addition to the brake-switch activated kill-the-CC function.

IMHO, the ST's clutch-switch activates too late in its throw to be suitable for this application.

See -- here's your chance to get into relays :D (inside joke).

Marshal
Click to expand...

Marshal, sounds like you have yet another opportunity to mentor me. Care to share?
Another thought: Could I use the RVS button to "cancel" the cruise? (retains speed memory setting). I am not knowledgeable enough to figure that out but I believe that there are rocket scientists (or equivalent) on this forum who are.:D
 
edgyclam said:
Marshal, sounds like you have yet another opportunity to mentor me. Care to share?
Another thought: Could I use the RVS button to "cancel" the cruise? (retains speed memory setting). I am not knowledgeable enough to figure that out but I believe that there are rocket scientists (or equivalent) on this forum who are.:D
Click to expand...
Not necessary to use the RVS switch (that's a two position switch, BTW) as you have on the Gold Wing assembly a button labeled ON/OFF that does that. It's right next to the RESUME/ACCEL lever.

I use the RVS button to turn on or off my headlight, but it can be used for just about anything.

To use the RVS button as an Off/On switch for your headlights, cut the Blue/White wire, then splice one end of that wire to the Brown/Black wire, and the other end to the Yellow/Green Squares wire.

RVS Button "In" Brown/Black paired with Yellow/Green Squares
RVS Button "Out" Black/Red paired with Black/Brown

For the clutch-switch to control the CC, see the wiring diagram here.

Marshal
 
Marshal_Mercer said:
Not necessary to use the RVS switch (that's a two position switch, BTW) as you have on the Gold Wing assembly a button labeled ON/OFF that does that. It's right next to the RESUME/ACCEL lever.

I use the RVS button to turn on or off my headlight, but it can be used for just about anything.

To use the RVS button as an Off/On switch for your headlights, cut the Blue/White wire, then splice one end of that wire to the Brown/Black wire, and the other end to the Yellow/Green Squares wire.

RVS Button "In" Brown/Black paired with Yellow/Green Squares
RVS Button "Out" Black/Red paired with Black/Brown

For the clutch-switch to control the CC, see the wiring diagram here.

Marshal
Click to expand...

So the switch works like a "cruise cancel" and not an "off" switch then as it ties into the brake relay. Nice, that's what I want. Where did you pick up the microswitch?
 
edgyclam said:
So the switch works like a "cruise cancel" and not an "off" switch then as it ties into the brake relay. Nice, that's what I want. Where did you pick up the microswitch?
Click to expand...
Yes: pressing the ON/OFF button so that it is in the "out" position turns off the cruise control. As this does not affect the actual CC, the memory of the last throttle position is not changed.

Go here. There $2, each. I buy a five at a time as the rain and general wear take their toll after about a year and a half.

Is this stuff cool, or what?

Marshal
 
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