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How To: Hand Throttle

Dozer11B

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Ft Polk, LA
Well I was looking into doing the high idle mod, but didn't feel like opening up my ECU connector to put the pin contacts in.

Also the company that sells the 200A alternator I plan on upgrading to states that you get max output at around 1300 rpm. High idle only bumps it up to around 1000 rpm.

So I decided to go with a hand throttle. I don't plan on using it for cruise control, or for actual driving offroad, but mainly to bump the rpm for future mods: winch, inverter for tools, oba, etc. I also have a total of 6 aux lights on my Heep.

After reading a bunch of write-ups and discussion, I went down to the bike store to get my parts.

This is what I got:

- 1 used friction shift lever
- 1 new shift/brake cable repair kit.
This had multiple cable sets in it which helped out because I botched
the first one. I came with a couple diff lengths too.
- 1 threaded cable stop

The bike mechanic told me to put the tiny cable stop in my pocket (freebie) and charged me $10 and some change for the parts.

My plan was to run the cable and use the cable stop in the space left for my non-existent cruise control. After looking at the smallish cable stop, I pulled into a motorcycle shop on the way home. They had the same type of thing, only larger. $12 for a cable perch for a suzuki motorcycle.

So on to the pics (sorry for the poor quality- super cheap deployment digital that survived Afghanistan):

This is the hand throttle in resting position. During install make sure you pull the transmission shift lever all the way back to 1-2. This ensures enough slack in the cable.
DSCF0072.jpg


There is enough slack in the cable (inside the black sheath) that the throttle isn't affected until this point:
DSCF0073.jpg

Between resting the lever against the shifter handle, and the amount of slack I left in the cable, I think this is enough to safeguard against accidental activation.

The bike shifter had a bigger ID than the OD of my transmission shift lever. I used a piece of rubber hose to make it fit.

This is where I ran the cable through the firewall. Notice the stock throttle cable in the lower left hand corner above my fingers.
DSCF0074.jpg


This is where it exits in the engine bay. Basically I took a small diameter phillips head and poked through that big grommet under the wiring harness.
DSCF0075.jpg


Basically since the hand throttle and stock throttle cables come out of the firewalll pretty close and then go to the throttle body in the same spot, they run pretty close to parallel in the engin bay. I slid a thin piece of rubber hose over my new cable to protect it from the heat of the valve cover- just as the factory did on the stock cable. In between the stock throttle cable and the trans kickdown cable you can see the brass of the suzuki cable stop. It is threaded to a nut from Autozone and some large diamter 5/16 washers. I used metal snips to cut some off of one of the washers to get it to fit on the inside of the cable bracket. There's a lock washer on it too.
DSCF0076.jpg


Another pic:
DSCF0077.jpg


As far as connecting the cable to the throttle lever, I took a 14-16 ga electrical ring terminal and crimped it on. Well on testing it pulled the cable end out of it. I didn't have an 18-20 ga ring terminal so that wasn't going to work. What I ended up doing is taking another 14-16 ga ring terminal and snipping the rin off. Then I stripped all the plastic material off until I was left with a small metal ring. I ran one end threough and looped it back onto itself, creating a loop. I test fit, then had the wife manipulate the hand throttle while I pinched the loop with pliers. I didn't want to crimp my ring and have to disassemble it. Once I got it where I wanted it I crimped the ever-loving dog p-ss out of it with wire crimpers. I made sure I used the pointy part of the crimpers in between the gauges to really grip the cable. Looks solid. Pic sucks:
DSCF0078.jpg


I pulled the factory throttle cable off- pushed mine on then installed the factory one- and there you have it.

Tested it with the vehicle running and I think it shall serve it's purpose.
 
Looks good but....
Why do you need a hand throttle with an automatic trans?
I used to have one for my manual and used it often when trying to use the clutch and brake and gas. The lack of a third foot you know.
Stukboy
 
Looks good but....
Why do you need a hand throttle with an automatic trans?
I used to have one for my manual and used it often when trying to use the clutch and brake and gas. The lack of a third foot you know.
Stukboy
he lost a leg in the war, you insensitive bastard. :twak:

i gotta do that mod soon, i ended up relying on my ebrake when i was on a steep section and couldnt afford to roll back any when i got off the brake. manual trans, and heel-toe kinda sucks.
 
Looks good but....
Why do you need a hand throttle with an automatic trans?
i wondered this too... and then i read the first 3 lines.

Well I was looking into doing the high idle mod, but didn't feel like opening up my ECU connector to put the pin contacts in.

Also the company that sells the 200A alternator I plan on upgrading to states that you get max output at around 1300 rpm. High idle only bumps it up to around 1000 rpm.

So I decided to go with a hand throttle. I don't plan on using it for cruise control, or for actual driving offroad, but mainly to bump the rpm for future mods: winch, inverter for tools, oba, etc. I also have a total of 6 aux lights on my Heep.
 
Well I was looking into doing the high idle mod, but didn't feel like opening up my ECU connector to put the pin contacts in.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the high idle may not even work in drive.
Also the company that sells the 200A alternator I plan on upgrading to states that you get max output at around 1300 rpm. High idle only bumps it up to around 1000 rpm.
That can be changed by PCM reprogramming, but that isn't cheap.

Your hand throttle looks good.
 
Looks good but....
Why do you need a hand throttle with an automatic trans?
I used to have one for my manual and used it often when trying to use the clutch and brake and gas. The lack of a third foot you know.
Stukboy

i wondered this too... and then i read the first 3 lines.

Yes.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the high idle may not even work in drive.
That can be changed by PCM reprogramming, but that isn't cheap.

Your hand throttle looks good.

Thanks Talyn- the high idle option for police XJ only works in park or neutral IIRC. It's there, just no connections inside the #10 pin, and I didn't want to try to "build it". I'm still learning all the new-fangled electric techno-magic. Last thing I need is to booger up my PCM connector.

Just trying to squeeze max output of the alternator IF needed.
 
Looks like it will work well. I did the same type of set up on my Rubicon,(6 spd), for better control on hill-climbs. I have a 5 spd in my XJ and I'm thinking of doing the same. Like you, I don't want to mess with the ECU.
 
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