Throttle Lock

[DracoFelis]

There was some talk about a "throttle lock" being better than a "cruse control" for FE, as it will keep a constant throttle position, instead of a constant speed. My car has neither, and I was looking to add one or the other at some point (if only because my foot gets tired during long drives).

It looks like cruse control kits are around $200 (+ labor to install). I may still go that way, as cruse controls do have the "safety factor" (i.e. properly installed, they shut off when you tap on the brakes, etc). And cruse controls also are nice for "ticket avoidance" (they keep your speed fairly constant, avoiding speeding up too much).

However, I did see this link to this "hand throttle" (it looks like basically a "throttle lock"), on a different forum. And it does look like it has the advantage of being cheap, small, easy to install, easy to use, and fully mechanical (i.e. no electrical usage, with the resulting electrical load, to run it).

http://www.redrock4x4.com/shop/products/263.html

So what do people think? Is this a "dangerous" way to go, or is this reasonably safe if you are thinking about what you are doing? I imagine I would have little trouble disengaging the "lock" if I had a little time to think about an upcoming road hazard. But what about a true "emergency" (when your natural reaction would be to slam on the brakes)? I imagine it might not be that cool to have the brakes slammed on, while the throttle lock was still engaged...

[Raccoonjoe]

http://7slotgrille.com/tech/handthrottle/index.html

That's another link to a hand throttle, similar to a throttle lock. I know guys who put them in the Jeeps, apparently it's smoother when bouncing down a trail. The ones that I've seen are made out of a bicycle shifter and cable....usually can be bought at the local bike shop for ~$10-20. The cool thing about these is that you don't have to worry about dis-engaging a "lock" on the hand throttle....the shifter has enough resistance to hold the the throttle open. When you slam on the brakes, just flip the shifter closed to release the throttle.


I've been thinking about/designing one for my Jeep, to use in place of my normal cruise. Just haven't had the scratch to do it yet.....

[v0id]

IDEA
in my country a cruise control system must deativate when pressing the brake
so a hand throttle isnt legal

ive been thinking of attaching a magnetic clutch to the side of the throttle arm which locks when powered
they are like $20 on ebay

add an on/off switch to activate it and a cut switch on a relay under the brake
seems simple enough

ill give it a shot and take photos if it works

[GasSavers_Pete]

Throttle locks (hand throttles in some countries) were a common addition to some 4WD vehicle like Land Rovers.
Apart from holding the throttle steady on bumpy roads they also could be used to hold the throttle open when the Landie was powering a water pump or similar device from the Power Take Off (PTO) leaving the operator to do something else.

On vehicle with carburettors and cable activation an additional cable and friction lock was normally fitted with the throttle lock being added to the instrument panel , normally outside of the steering wheel to allow adjustments from outside the vehicle.

Peter.

[michiganjim]

I never use cruise control.

Your foot and your brain are your throttle lock. It takes practice but you can hold the pedal fairly constant. Doing this achieve a far greater MPG on the highway than cruise control. You will slow down a bit going up a grade and speed up a bit on the down sides. The only negative is the idiots with the cruise on will come up to your bumper, then give you a look as they pass.

Obviously, this will not work in a mountanous area such as the Poconos or Rockies.