Cruise Control clutch switch

Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:49 am

I am retro fitting cruise to my manual and have read that clutch the switch isn't really necessary - I assume it works off the brake as well?
What happens if it is bridged like an auto?
Is it as hard to fit as I have read?

Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:50 am

....oh, and I have the dash out if that makes a difference

Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:56 am

one side needs earth.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:26 am

Not fitting a clutch switch means that the engine will hit the rev limiter if the clutch pedal is pressed without the brakes.
Nothing particularly difficult about fitting cruise control, if you have all the bits.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:50 am

Just because something's easy for Brian, doesn't mean it's easy for normal people... but in this case it is

I've still not got round to fitting a clutch switch, but I really feel I should, just to be proper about these things!

Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:55 pm

i never fitted my clutch switch either. you get used to it pretty quickly.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:11 pm

I have all the required bits and pieces (albeit for LHD) but can't see exactly where to attach the bracket for the clutch switch. I have a tech article but it isn't specific - just says "..attach to bracket between clutch and break". Can't see the holes for bolt and alignment tab?
Any detailed description of this or pics would be great

Sun Feb 01, 2009 12:40 am

I seem to recall that the bracket needs welding on, was never fitted to cars without cruise specced.

Could be wrong though.

Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:15 am

Chris wrote:I seem to recall that the bracket needs welding on, was never fitted to cars without cruise specced.

Could be wrong though.

is this true? I have the same problem myself. I can't see where to fit the clutch switch... Is it carpet out job to go welding?

Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:39 pm

I seem to recall that the bracket needs welding on, was never fitted to cars without cruise specced

Haven't heard that one? Can anyone confirm?
I have a small bracket which holds the switch with a nut welded to one end and an M6 bolt. Also has a locating tab

Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:57 pm

Has anyone got a picture of the clutch switch installed in their car???

There is a bracket similar to the one described by poolnoodle in my car but the switch is too big to fit in there... I got it from a LHD American car. Are RHD ones different?

Quote:

Haven't heard that one? Can anyone confirm?
I have a small bracket which holds the switch with a nut welded to one end and an M6

Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:27 pm

ETK shows that clutch switch is the same for LH and RH drive cars, but the bracket is different.
ETK also shows that it is held in place by a single M6 bolt.

Mon Feb 02, 2009 12:19 am

I looked at ETK but maybe I have wrong version or looking in the wrong spot as the bracket that I have (from a US LHD) looks the same as the one the ETK throws up when I select RHD??

Mon Feb 02, 2009 12:33 am

ot..but i sooo want cruise..anyone know if i can rob the system from my E34 and fit it to the E30?

Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:33 am

Anyone else fitted LHD cruise to RHD car? I don't fancy the idea of my 26 year old M20 hitting it's rev limit too often!!!!!

Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:14 am

You just have to remember to knock the cruise off if your going for a gearchange which is unlikely unless your lazy like me and use cruise instead of an accelerator pedal

Tue Feb 03, 2009 1:29 pm

Bob_S wrote: and use cruise instead of an accelerator pedal

Isn't that the whole point of cruise control??

Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:05 pm

Bob_S wrote:You just have to remember to knock the cruise off if your going for a gearchange which is unlikely unless your lazy like me and use cruise instead of an accelerator pedal

...and touching the brake pedal will do this, right?
Still think I want the clutch switch as I have the dash out at the moment. Will have to try to adapt the LHD bracket somehow

Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:19 pm

Clutch pedal switch and brake pedal switch are connected in series, so do exactly the same thing.

Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:41 am

OK guys, bringing this one back to life. Still can't work out how to fit the clutch switch bracket. I have the dash out so have a pretty good view of everything.
It seems simple but, as usual, it is proving not to be!!!!
I have sussed out the rest of the cruise but this last piece of the puzzle is a pain. I know it isn't absolutely necessary but it seems logical to install with the dash out.
Has anyone out there fitted a LHD clutch switch to RHD and can supply pics or steer me in the right direction...

Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:04 am

bump bump. Surely someone has fitted a clutch switch

Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:34 am

poolnoodle wrote:bump bump. Surely someone has fitted a clutch switch

Hi Poolnoodle,

This is the second time I've replied, but it didn't post last time, so here I go again.

I've fitted two cruise control systems to e30's, both with clutch switches. Neither car had cruise as standard. The easiest way to do this is with a magnetic switch, one side attached to your clutch pedal with a cable-tie, the other side on a bracket screwed to the firewall. In the normal position, that is clutch pedal not operated the switch plates will be facing each other and the circuit will be closed. When you push the pedal in the magnet will move away from the switch plate making the circuit open, thus disengaging the cruise control. That it....takes about 40 minutes to install the switch.

Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:05 pm

OK, sounds like a good solution. So ditch the original clutch switch altogether? Did you fabricate a bracket to screw to fire wall? Thanks

Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:45 pm

Any links to show what magnetic switches are?

I've got the same problem!!

Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:54 am

Hi Poolnoodle,

Yes, fabricated the switch bracket. It is just a "Z" bracket in shape with one end of the Z turned at a right angle to screw one side of the magnetic switch to.

Hi Brenner5, I'm in Aussie so a magnetic switch can be bought from any electronics parts store for $1. I'm sure you guys have chain stores that sell electronic "geek" stuff in the UK. When you ask for it get a switch that is "closed" in the normal state. What happens is that when the magnet moves away from the switch plate (clutch pedal pushed in) the contacts become open and disengage the cruise control.

I've also used the same switches for the brake control.

Let me know if you need more info and I will assist.

Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:28 pm

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

My solution for anyone interested

Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:56 pm

Can I just confirm a few things about cruise control clutch switches. There are many threads and opinions, but here are the facts!

1. The mounting bracket IS still available (despite popular belief), but has to come from Germany. It costs about 4 pounds.
2. It is bolted to the clutch pedal itself with a single M6 bolt (10mm head). It can only fit one way. It has a little notch to locate it in place. The push part of the switch faces the car floor. The plug faces upwards. You do not need to remove the carpet (or dash as somebody advised!)
3. Fitting it is NOT hard. It took me under 10 minutes all in. Remove under dash panel. Zip - tie your clutch pedal down out of the way. Stick your head in the foot well and BOLT it on. (yes, no welding).
4. The switch is 18 pounds. It plugs into the loom with the same fitting as the shorting piece of wire an auto car uses.
5. Enjoy.

Paul

Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:46 pm

I have the BMW parts for the clutch switch bracket but can't figure out how they go so am living without it. A magnetic switch sounds a good practical solution but I do like to have original kit. Will ANYone rise to the challenge of posting a decent photo so we can all see where the factory parts went. If anyone has done it no one is owning up to it.

Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:18 am

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

Here is my solution and it seems to work and be reliable. This is using the bracket from a LHD car with some (obviously) mods.
I doubt you could install this without taking out the dash. I have dimensions for the fabrication if you are interested

Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:28 am

bmwe30mtech wrote:Can I just confirm a few things about cruise control clutch switches. There are many threads and opinions, but here are the facts!

1. The mounting bracket IS still available (despite popular belief), but has to come from Germany. It costs about 4 pounds.
2. It is bolted to the clutch pedal itself with a single M6 bolt (10mm head). It can only fit one way. It has a little notch to locate it in place. The push part of the switch faces the car floor. The plug faces upwards. You do not need to remove the carpet (or dash as somebody advised!)
3. Fitting it is NOT hard. It took me under 10 minutes all in. Remove under dash panel. Zip - tie your clutch pedal down out of the way. Stick your head in the foot well and BOLT it on. (yes, no welding).
4. The switch is 18 pounds. It plugs into the loom with the same fitting as the shorting piece of wire an auto car uses.
5. Enjoy.

Paul

Maybe there is some variation between models because I would disagree with points 2 & 3. There is definitely nowhere on the clutch pedal of my car to fix the bracket (holes for bolt and locating tab are on the bracket that the clutch pedal mounts to). I have mounted mine in almost identical manner to the brake switch. See some photo in this thread.
Very interested in your comments Paul, some photos maybe? Do we have the same bracket? Mine is from LHD but are they the same? If the switch faces downwards, what does it act against?
My solutions is simple and works but, as stated, needs the dash out (which I was replacing anyway)