OK, I feel STUPID!!!

[I'mTheGuy]

Well, after 2 1/2 days of installing and consistently not having cruise control, breaking down eight and buttoning up about nine times, I'm finally riding with cruise control. Whew! I'm wore out, but I didn't give up. I know this Audiovox Cruise Control on an FJR 1300AE like a pro now. Oh, by the way, guess what had me tearing down and buttoning up so much? Well, I had read on a post on this forum where one member ended up breaking the little white vacuum tube on the AVCC. I'm very heavy-handed so, I said to myself, "I know how to prevent that from happening to me, use one of those right-angle, 90 degree, RUBBER vacuum elbows." Well I did just that. Problem is, Oh, I feel so STUPID having to say this, but here it goes, YOU CAN'T PUSH THAT THING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THAT LITTLE WHITE TUBE AND "ZIP_TIE", THAT'S RIGHT, "ZIP-TIE" IT OFF. You know where this is going, right? THE VACUUM CAN'T BREATHE IF IT'S BLOCKED OFF WITH RUBBER ELBOW. AAGH, how stupid could I be?

Anyway, after tearing down eight times, checking every electrical connection again and again and basically doing every troubleshooting method I could find on this forum and the cruise control still didn't work, I decided to tear everything down and start all over before wrongfully deeming I had a bad servo. Well, in the start of taking every thing down, I used an exacto knife to cut the zip-tie off of the rubber elbow I installed over the vacuum tube on the AVCC and then I pulled the elbow from that tube and heard this sucking sound and it felt like the elbow was stuck at first. I thought, "Hmm, something's definitely got some vacuum action!" That's when it hit me like a boulder. "I bet your dumb, heavy-handed a$$ pushed that elbow so far down on that tube, it couldn't breathe." I reinstalled the elbow ensuring it could breathe and buttoned everything up for a ninth time, took a test drive and EUREKA!!!, I've got cruise control and it feels so good too.

So, too add to the list of troubleshooting tips for the AVCC install and save about seven tear-downs and button-ups, if you use rubber elbows in your install, don't push them so far they end up blocking the breathing action of the servo! Thanks to Smitty, BrunDog, Ionbeam and all the others who contributed to my install by sharing their knowledge professionally and by trial and error. I'm going to rest now! :blink:

 

[r1byker]

Glad you got it figured out. Too bad you live so far away. I've been considering buying one but the install looks too complicated for my simple brain so I've been thinking about asking someone to help. Don't feel stupid at all; you took on the challenge and got it done right.

 

[dcarver]

LOL - good for you, perseverance and dedication and jeesh, the simplest of things will derail a project, eh?

Congrats on getting it fixed!

 

[Patriot]

you and me ain't the only victims of temporary insa dunderhead-anity; well, excluding Tyler

<emphasis on temporary >

ya gonna love that cruise 'cept ya gotta find ya clutch lever first

lost it in all that install, destall, install, destall :blink:

at least your an expert on the innards of your bike now and how to get the panels off :clapping:

you earn being the local Smitty for the AE now; folks are gonna be relentless coming to your door

good on ya :yahoo:

Cheers,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[I'mTheGuy]

Glad you got it figured out. Too bad you live so far away. I've been considering buying one but the install looks too complicated for my simple brain so I've been thinking about asking someone to help. Don't feel stupid at all; you took on the challenge and got it done right.

Honestly r1byker, the install is pretty straight forward as far as the instructions from the many members on this forum. It really wasn't hard at all. I'm pretty good at following instructions. It's those little things like being heavy-handed and pushing things to far or as I read on another member's install experience where he and his friend were installing on both their bikes exactly the same and his friend's FJR was successful, but his didn't work. Frustration set in on the guy until another member suggested he check the resistor on the blue wire. He found that he had unintentionally cut the resistor off the blue wire and threw it away. After replacing the 20K ohm resistor on the blue wire, his cruise worked perfectly. It's just those little things that get ya! Just keep your patience about yourself and USE THIS FORUM. It'll work out.

 

[Toecutter]

Not to minimize, but there was a guy who successfully installed his CC on his AE in the foyer parking area of the Marriott in Park City at WFO. You shoulda seen the look on the hotel manager's face when he walked out and saw all those bike parts laying on the ground out there.

 

[I'mTheGuy]

you and me ain't the only victims of temporary insa dunderhead-anity; well, excluding Tyler
<emphasis on temporary >

ya gonna love that cruise 'cept ya gotta find ya clutch lever first

lost it in all that install, destall, install, destall :blink:

at least your an expert on the innards of your bike now and how to get the panels off :clapping:

you earn being the local Smitty for the AE now; folks are gonna be relentless coming to your door

good on ya :yahoo:

Cheers,

Mike in Nawlins'

Funny you should mention that "Cluch thing" Mike. On one of my button-ups, I went to start the FJR up, pushed the starter button and nothing. I was like "Oh my God, what else have I screwed up, because it was starting?" Figuring I must have forgot to plug something back up, I started tearing down again. I got to the part where you unplug the two electrical connections under the tank when I noticed they were plugged in. Instintively, I looked at my handle bars to make sure I had the engine kill switch in the "ON" position and it was. Then I glanced at the clutch-side of the handlebars and smiled and shook my head. This is an AE. I have to depress one of the brake controls to start the bike. I can't describe the feeling you get at that moment, but it's a mixture of happiness because you realize nothing's wrong and embarassment from saying to yourself "What a DUMMY?" :clapping:

I tell ya Mike, I would feel real comfortable helping anybody do the install. I now know the exact tools, sizes and all, the exact torques of every bolt that requires it. I can remove everything from the seat to the heat shield in under four minutes. I got real good practice

 

[I'mTheGuy]

Not to minimize, but there was a guy who successfully installed his CC on his AE in the foyer parking area of the Marriott in Park City at WFO. You shoulda seen the look on the hotel manager's face when he walked out and saw all those bike parts laying on the ground out there.

Now that guy had balls! I WOULD NOT try an install outside of my shop, let alone a hotel foyer. That's way outside my comfort range.

 

[Shane]

Just think how nice it is to be able to feel stupid as you engage a now-working CC!

I'll take that feeling any day.

Shane

 

[I'mTheGuy]

Just think how nice it is to be able to feel stupid as you engage a now-working CC!
I'll take that feeling any day.

Shane

AMEN Shane. AMEN!!!!

 

[Patriot]

you and me ain't the only victims of temporary insa dunderhead-anity; well, excluding Tyler
<emphasis on temporary >

ya gonna love that cruise 'cept ya gotta find ya clutch lever first

lost it in all that install, destall, install, destall :blink:

at least your an expert on the innards of your bike now and how to get the panels off :clapping:

you earn being the local Smitty for the AE now; folks are gonna be relentless coming to your door

good on ya :yahoo:

Cheers,

Mike in Nawlins'

Funny you should mention that "Cluch thing" Mike. On one of my button-ups, I went to start the FJR up, pushed the starter button and nothing. I was like "Oh my God, what else have I screwed up, because it was starting?" Figuring I must have forgot to plug something back up, I started tearing down again. I got to the part where you unplug the two electrical connections under the tank when I noticed they were plugged in. Instintively, I looked at my handle bars to make sure I had the engine kill switch in the "ON" position and it was. Then I glanced at the clutch-side of the handlebars and smiled and shook my head. This is an AE. I have to depress one of the brake controls to start the bike. I can't describe the feeling you get at that moment, but it's a mixture of happiness because you realize nothing's wrong and embarassment from saying to yourself "What a DUMMY?" :clapping:

I tell ya Mike, I would feel real comfortable helping anybody do the install. I now know the exact tools, sizes and all, the exact torques of every bolt that requires it. I can remove everything from the seat to the heat shield in under four minutes. I got real good practice

Check This Thread About Moi ...

<head hanging low in shame>

Mike "not close to perfect" in Nawlins'