Custom Cruise Buttons for Momo Tuner

[UnhuZ]

Fellow Primers,

This project happened because i want to keep everything functioning with the Momo Tuner Steering Wheel but with a OEMish look, and as i just don't like very much those red pimple like buttons like Sparco or NRG Buttons, some ideas came up in my head.

As i'm using the factory cable reel, with little modifications, i can use 6 different functions.
As Horn use 1 amd the Cruise Buttons use 2, i have 3 other buttons to use for whatever aplication. I can only have the 3, if all the functions use a common ground, if they need 2 wires to the button, i then can only use 1 or 2... it's a flexible solution.

The 3 first option have the same base and the forth one came today as i was finishing them.

I already have the back plate cut out from an old aluminium mouse pad, and it can be used for any of the first 3 types. It's a rough prototype and have some cut imperfections, that i'll post photos of later today.

The button's faces wil be made out of an acrylic board with 5mm of thickness.

For the buttons machinery i will use an old notebook keyboard as its the thinest pressing mechanism i thought of. This was another high priority i had: Since the steering whell braces are thin, the buttons had to be thin also.

The differences between the first 3 are the way the buttons are cut and the letters alignment.

Here are the Options:

Feel free to comment and give me new ideas...the more the better so i can have a lot where to choose from.

Thanks,
Nuno

 

[Jeff@Carbon6]

Option 2 or 3 would be the easiest to use I would think. The other option is to place the switches behind. This is one of the early designs I was using.

 

[99 rs]

#2 looks the most professional.

 

[Honcho]

Definitely #2

 

[pingu81]

Option 2 or 3 would be the easiest to use I would think. The other option is to place the switches behind. This is one of the early designs I was using.

Sorry to thread jack but this is very interesting. Got pics of the front? Is this a readily-available product? How are you transmitting the signals for all of the buttons when I'm assuming that there are only 2 contacts through the quick release?

 

[PhiAlpha44]

I like number 2 as well, but to me 1 and 2 look exactly the same. Can you tell me the difference?

 

[Jeff@Carbon6]

Sorry to thread jack but this is very interesting. Got pics of the front? Is this a readily-available product? How are you transmitting the signals for all of the buttons when I'm assuming that there are only 2 contacts through the quick release?

PM sent

 

[KooLaid]

I like number 2 as well, but to me 1 and 2 look exactly the same. Can you tell me the difference?

Look at the shape of the individual buttons. They're cut differently.

I like 2, but shrink the size down ~1/2.

Preferably, I'd rather have two small buttons on the right hand side placed on the BACK of the wheel. You'd push the buttons in towards you.

 

[tnguyen]

I agree totally with koolaid. Just make it a hair smaller and I'm down for sure.

 

[Big_D]

#2 is going to win. :biggrin: I am interested in these as well. I hardly ever use cruise, but like having an option.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Since it is a personal project, my prime consideration would be ease of use.

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi guys,

i agree that #2 is the best looking option.. but as some of you said, i also agree that if the buttons would be a tad smaller, they'd look better...so...i will shrink them a bit... i'll make a post later today with 2 downsizing options i'm thinking of.
Next week i'll be working on this, so i expect a almost finish project by the weekend (i want to move to my next one - Gauge Cluster:wink

I also like the #4, and as the design is completly different from the other 3, who share the same base plate, i'll also do it.

One thing i also thought out was inserting the buttons on the Momo left and rigth braces, but i wasn't feeling very good chopping the Tuner apart, as it's not reversible. I intend to keep "Non reversible" mods on my car to a minimum, preferable ZERO :biggrin:

Thanks for all comments... keep them up and running :wink:

all the best,
Nuno

 

[UnhuZ]

Ok... of the 2 ideas i had to change the "Option 2", one of them became to "roundy", with lots of curves...not good looking, so here it is the other one:

about the one that involved chopping up the Steering Wheel, non reversibly, the main concearn i have is the possible structure weekness it brings to the braces. In either case, here it is:

Nuno

 

[irving washington]

Have you considered just using the OEM button cluster and modding it to mount to side of hub adapter? I did this on my other Acura when the MONO wheel went in and it looks great and has good button feel. I will post a pic later today to show you outcome. I am about to do same mod to 95 NSX with Sparco wheel.

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi,

i think that would look a little weird... the OEM buttons are too deep and installing them sideways behind one of the arms of the Momo steering wheel would look a lot weird:wink:

Thanks very much for the suggestion.

Nuno

Have you considered just using the OEM button cluster and modding it to mount to side of hub adapter? I did this on my other Acura when the MONO wheel went in and it looks great and has good button feel. I will post a pic later today to show you outcome. I am about to do same mod to 95 NSX with Sparco wheel.

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi,

last week turned out to be impossible to do some work on this project... but today i could spend some time thinking about it and i found company that:
- can laser cut aluminium sheets with the thickness i want up to 9mm (base plates)
- can cut acrilic (buttons)

So, i spend a good ammount of time with CorelDraw giving the last reviews of the stuff i need (black for aluminium and blue for acrilic):

Old Option 2 base plate (with larger buttons):


New Option 2 base plate and buttons:


Option 4 base plate and buttons:


Spacer:


The reason there is a spacer is that i'm affraid that the buttons once installed on the base plate would be to high relative to the Momo braces, this in the front. I'll be doing 3 thickness of spacers, 1mm, 2mm and 3mm.


Now the keyboard i'll use to do this, an ancient notebook keyboard:


as you can see above... i have plenty of keys to do diferent experiments.
I'll have to cut the keys limits a little and sand their faces so i can have a perfect straight square on the upper face to which i can attach the laser cutted acrilic button.

next, i'll show the mechanism of the keys so you can all see why i choose this solution:


in the first photo of the sequence, you can see the base of the keyboard. It's a double aluminium sheet glued together to get extra strengh... just as i want. What i'll do is cut each key base so i can have those little brackets that secure the lever mechanism. Then i'll stick those bases to the laser cutted plate.

So you can see the prototype i made for the Old Option 2 (larger buttons), here is the aluminium hand cutted plate, by itself and installed between the hub and the steering wheel (don't mind the bad finish):


Those holes are for the very first buttons i intended to use, but because they had a great depth, i then thought out this notebook keyboard solution... so don't mind those holes :wink:


Now... for all this to work...i had to modify the OEM Momo Hub on it's back... here it is:


The work done to it was:
- removal of the copper ring that conducted the Horn signal.
- i had to get the inner edge of the wall milled so the OEM cable reel would fit under it, or else, when the 19mm nut is tightened, it would smash the cable reel plastic cover into pieces.
- i had to opened a bit the channel where the band wires passes from the back to the front of the Hub. I also had to modify a little of the surrounding area so the cable reel ribbon wire guide would fit in there and firmly turn when the steering wheel turns.

well... that's all for now... although the final version will be laser cut, until then, i'll hand make one set so i can see if further changes have to be made to the design.

Thanks guys,
Nuno

 

[NSX GT]

Dont put it back on.

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi,

i don't quite understand what you refer to.

if you mean that prototype plate... it will be highly modded before it will be near a final version.... in the current state, it even have a black paint finish or anything.... not even belongs in a Yugo :tongue:

i just used it in these photos to see the height clearence from it to the Momo braces :wink:

Thanks,
Nuno

Dont put it back on.

 

[UnhuZ]

Update on the custom work

Hi,

it's hard to find time to work on this, so it is a running project...but very slowly :frown:

Here is a update picture with all the parts needed (all but the rubber "springs"):



- The buttons still are in one piece for each side, altough i currently have them cutted mid thickness.
- The buttons metal base are more trimmed than on this picture, as well as the plastic keys, to reduce overall size.

I hope to have more updates during this week...

PS - keep in mind that this is my prototype fully hand made, so i learn from the obstacles found on construction... the final version will be built with lasercut pieces :wink:

Nuno

 

[WingZ]

Re: Update on the custom work

Hi,

it's hard to find time to work on this, so it is a running project...but very slowly :frown:

Here is a update picture with all the parts needed (all but the rubber "springs"):



- The buttons still are in one piece for each side, altough i currently have them cutted mid thickness.
- The buttons metal base are more trimmed than on this picture, as well as the plastic keys, to reduce overall size.

I hope to have more updates during this week...

PS - keep in mind that this is my prototype fully hand made, so i learn from the obstacles found on construction... the final version will be built with lasercut pieces :wink:

Nuno

I'm interested please pm me when you're ready to start selling

 

[UnhuZ]

Re: Update on the custom work

I'm interested please pm me when you're ready to start selling

It will take a while... i will have to finish this prototype, only then i can have the laser cut pieces made so they reflect any needed changes found during construction, mainly sizes of the holes and buttons, and outline of the buttons, etc.

inicially i really had no intention to make this in quatity to sell, just because when i make something for my own, i can compromise quality in this or that aspect and accept it... and to sell it to someone, the part have to be as close to perfect as i can, because i don't want anyone unsatisfied with something i sell.

Because this is not a $1000 part, i will only sell something after it's done...

one thing you guys have to know as buyers, is that i'm doing this based on my needs, which can differ from yours:
- i use NSX-R/MOMO hub and for it to work i had to trim its back (i'm yet to see if it needs a little more work)
- the OEM cable reel needs to be modified (little), but nothing that prevents its use back in a OEM configuration
- i assume that 6 conections are coming through the cable reel, the 7th is the actual hub, which works as "ground".
- the conections needed for a specific function depends on the way that function works, for example the Horn only needs the positive signal to come through the cable reel, the "ground" is the hub, and with this type of function i can have 6 functions working in the steering wheel (the cable reel have 6 wires), and as the Horn already uses 1, we have 5 wires left to use. Cruise control can use the common ground, and it requires 2 of the 5 wires left. Then we have 3 wires left. If a function uses 2 wires, we then can only use 2 buttons, 1 with the 2 wires and the other with the last wire and common ground.

I hope i was clear with my explanation, so you guys can understand how all this works... it would be awesome if i could find a ribbon with more than 6 wires, but then, the cable reel would need to be modified for all this to work

it will be something like this:

1 - prototype finished
2 - laser cut pieces (i'm yet to decide how much of each design)
3 - Do my math to find a fair price for it.
3 - gather interest in Prime to see the quantitys for each design.
4 - make like 10 units batchs
5 - sell

and numbers 4 and 5 will be "looped":wink:


Nuno

 

[Honcho]

I'm interested too. I've always wanted to get my CC to work with my Tuner 350 and Momo hub with something a little more OEM looking than NOS buttons...

 

[pegi]

I'm intresting as well
Keep in touch dude!

 

[UnhuZ]

Ok.... had to find another solution for the buttons mechanism because the notebook keyboard was very hard to make 2 contacts within the rubber...

so... i went to a electronic components shop looking for switches...and found :biggrin:

redid the whole plates and the prototype is almost done.... here goes the photos of the way things are as of right now:

new plates... notice that there are 2 of them and when together, they have "channels" within for the wires to be hidden... i took photos in the many angles so you guys can see what i'm talking about:





next come the photos showing the components of kit...again, as of right now... i can change them so it will look/funtion better... i'll make a description for each photo:


here is the whole stuff.... wires, buttons, buttons covers, shrinking thingie, plates, connectors, etc



here are both buttons sets.... notice how slim they are... above all, i wanted this kit to be as slim as i could



this are the connectors... the gold female ones are for the wires that come from the buttons and the males are for the wires that goes to the cable reel and to the common ground, which will be made by the big blue female connector



this are the wires, red for positive/signal and grey for ground, i wanted blue for ground but they didn't have in this size... if i find it, it will be blue to match the shrinking thingie that will cover the females and male terminals to isolate them, but still allowing them to be connected/disconnected.




next are some shots of it all mounted in one way or another to show you all the angles and details



the next step is to weld one plate to another all arround the outter edge and inside the horn hole... this will give strengh to it all...

next i'll solder the wires to the button pins, insert the wires into the channels and glue down the buttons to their sockets.

next is paint...all black...

next is improve the buttons covers, that will also be black with white letters


some notes:

- the gap you see between both plates is just because they were just sitting on on top of the other...that gap will disappear
- the overall thickness of this system will be 1cm, but between the steering wheel and hub only 6mm, the other 4mm are for the button cover (white acrylic on the photos) and its gap down to the front plate.
- the plates are made out of aluminium with 3mm thickness.

stay tuned...the news will begin to come frequently :biggrin:

all the best,
Nuno

 

[UnhuZ]

ohhhh.... and yes.... i'll also make a prototype of the Option 4 above :wink: but only when this is complete