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Rostra Cruise Control


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For anyone who has had the original Dana Cruise Control fail, consider the Rostra Electronic Cruise Control as a superior alternative to the more commonly seen Vacuum Operated units. The Rostra Control is electronic Servo Motor actuated, so unlike vacuum powered units it is able apply Full Throttle. When the original (20Yr old!) Dana Cruise Control went up in smoke (literally), I tried a vacuum cruise control on Ms Dolphin. That was a Dismal Failure as it would only pull about half throttle (because engine vacuum drops as the throttle opens) so I bought and installed a Rostra Control ($165).

Installation of the Rostra unit was straightforward. I used the original Dana steering column mounted control switch. The included hardware provided the necessary bits to connect the Rostra actuator cable to the Toyota EFI throttle linkage. Routing the Electrical Harness was simple (was able to use an existing Firewall Hole). Speed sensing was accomplished through the Toyota speed sensor output available at the 22RE ECM (computer) unit, found behind the passenger side kick panel. Installation in a 22RC (carburetor) vehicle requires the purchase and installation of a driveshaft speed sensing kit (a magnet and a coil) available from Rostra. DIP switches in the Unit are set for the various parameters outlined in the Installation Manual and you are ready to go. The only oddball thing I ran into was the necessity of a Grounding Relay in the Brakelight Sensing line because we have LED brake lights. The new Rostra Cruise Control works as well as the original Dana Unit.

I posted a PIC of the Rostra Control in the Gallery.

Lew

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  • 4 years later...
  • 3 years later...

I added one of the Rostra units to my 02 Taco and am very happy with it after living with it for about 100K. my aging right leg is even happier. not too tough to install, good instructions. hardest part is contorting yourself to get up under the dash for electrical connections.

the angle at which the cruise control pull cable attaches to the throttle quadrant is critical, as is the clamping of the pull cable....I have to retighten the clampage every so often. and while in theory, the electric servo can pull full throttle, this hasn't been my experience in practice.....I sometimes have to give it some throttle going up some of the big upgrades in NM. I bought another to install in my MR2 and am going to install one I had on the shelf into the Bandito.

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  • 2 months later...

my rv had an aftermarket vacuum one installed on the 22RE and it apparently performed so poorly they took it back off and sold it.

Interesting.. I too would like to see where one can be had... ebay maybe? anyone got a part number?

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  • 2 weeks later...

A followup on this:  I mentioned keeping an eye on the clampage of the cruise control cable where it attaches to the throttle cable bracket, because it loosens up over time. 

I learned another reason this is important:  I hadn't kept up with this lately, and the cable moved enough in the clamp that it allowed sufficient slack for the cruise control cable to loop around the throttle quadrant when you floored the throttle, causing the throttle to stick open.  my wife was driving at the time and was NOT amused.  problem was easily rectified after we killed the ignition and pulled over, but this could be disastrous.  it hasn't deterred me from planning to put one on my other 2 vehicles, but it is something to keep in mind.  if you install one of these, be sure to check it on your usual underhood forays and at gas stops.  i'm going to revise my clamping arrangement to try to fix this.

also, an FYI:  when I installed the current one, it was listed as being for auto trans vehicles only.  this is because they didn't make (or i wasn't aware of) a clutch interlock switch, to disconnect the cruise when you pushed in the clutch so the engine RPMs didn't go stratospheric.  I've always just used the routine of tapping the brake before downshifts to disconnect the cruise.  well, now they do make such a switch.  so don't be deterred if you have a manual trans. 

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  • 1 month later...

I'm in the process of installing a Rostra unit in my 1991 Toyota V6. Can anyone confirm the vacuum servo is from an old aftermarket unit (see pic). It looks like the perfect attach point and I would like to get rid of the old vacuum servo if indeed it is what this is.

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IMG_4700.JPG

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that is very much an old cruise control servo.  whether factory or aftermarket, I dunno.  does your vehicle otherwise appear to have come with factory cruise (switch, light on dash, etc)??  (I just looked at pics again.,....pretty sure this is aftermarket based on the bracket used to mount the business end of cruise cable.

as far as removing it, try this:  disconnect and plug the vacuum line to it, and disconnect and tape off the wires.  see if this affects anything about the way your vehicle runs or acts (doubtful).  if this doesn't change anything, I think you have your answer.......

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Thanks, Payaso!! I had a mechanic eyeball the picture and his conclusion was much the same. I removed the unit, plugging the vacuum tube with a high tech device known as a golf tee. Everything seems good. I am about to mount the Rostra cable to the same point used by the old vacuum driven cable. I'll update with results. Thanks again!

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Here's the "Blind" side of the vacuum servo I removed. No information on the web about Specific Cruise Systems other than company  mentions. And here's the Rostra unit attached in it's place. Just took 'er out for a shakedown and I might have a little  too much slack. But it works well enough to use instead of switching feet or other non-cruise solutions. While there is significant research and set up needed, I think the Rostra unit  is well worth the time, cash and effort. Got mine through Amazon

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nice.  I would honestly have far preferred a factory cruise setup for my Taco (plug n play, sano install, works perfectly), but the supply of them apparently ran out about a month before I started looking, so this has been an adequate alternative.  I was doing some test fitting on the Bandit and it looks like the 22RE will be a much easier installation than your V6. 

yes, minimize the slack for safety!  and marital relations....

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Started work on installing the Rostra unit on the ole Bandit, and learned that one of the first things I'll need to do is relocate my coil....there's only one good location under my hood for the unit, right next to the coil's current location, and it can't be any closer than 10" to the coil.  This in turn will require moving that piggybacked electronic unit (ignitor?) onto the fender by itself....I can move the coil by just lengthening the low tension leads to it, but there are too many wires to move that box.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I initially faced the problem of a location near the coil until  I removed the old vacuum cruise control servo. Note: after about 3000mi of driving the only complaint I have is the steering column-mounted control shuts off when there's a jolt hard enough to the camper. It happened maybe 6-7 x's in that amount of mileage. Not sure if the reverse kind of unit might be better (normally open vs. normally closed). I have to go back to see what my unit is.

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