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Old 1st June 2019, 13:41   #1
neilbaker86
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Default Illuminated Steering Wheel Switches - Group Buy

I have taken on board the feedback from my previous post, and I appreciate that the gesture-sensor is not something that everyone desires. Although I hope to still run off one small batch of the full-monty for those that are interested in the near future if we can get the numbers (*see bottom of this post for more info).

So there will now be two basic illuminated steering wheel switch kits, one for cars without Cruise Control, and one for those with.

The audio-only option is a direct replacement illuminated switch PCB in a choice of illumination colours (orange, blue, or white) and associated wiring (5 wires with pre-crimped terminals), including a single wire with a pre-crimped terminal to fit into a spare pin of the clock-spring, the other end of which will need to be spliced into the illumination circuit in the vehicle (tap-splice included). I have also added an inline fuse for added protection. This is largely the same as I had always originally planned for cars without cruise control.


The cruise-control kit will be TWO replacement illuminated switch PCBs in a choice of illumination colours (orange, blue, or white) and associated wiring (11 wires with terminals pre-crimped), a small 'interconnect' PCB to be housed inside the steering wheel (which basically is there to act as a junction box to ease & neaten installation, and split the illumination supply and ground connections in to two for both sets of switches), this kit also has an inline fuse and fuse-holder for added protection.


Fitting instructions for both kits are provided below, along with several videos and photographs showing the trickier sections. It has been designed so it can be fitted with only basic tools and no soldering is required. I can fit the kit within 30 minutes, but a 2-3 hours should easily have it done for most people. Please read through these before committing.

My alternative arrangement to overcome the lack of pins in the clockspring problem on models with cruise control is to disconnect the headunit return wire (usually coloured Blue/Purple, connect that internally to ground through the redesigned audio switch PCB, and then connect the headunit steering wheel output through the standard resistance network back through the original ground wire of the steering wheel/rotary coupler. Sounds complicated, it's fairly simple really. It will work without complication on most if not all headunits, those that don't work may need the original headunit return wire connecting to ground on the steering column, but that isn't a major problem. I have tried it on my original MG-Rover headunit, a Pioneer headunit (using a conventional steering wheel control adaptor), and a Chinese 'Xtrons' headunit, all without a problem.

I have ordered a quantity of PCBs based upon the level of interest of my first post (with a few left over for later comers), and I will make them up on a first come first served basis, but I have a full time job and I'm not looking to turn this in to a business as there probably isn't much call for redesigned steering wheel switches for a 20 year old Rover 75 going forwards! So once they are gone, they are gone. It wouldn't be viable to do ones and twos going forward as they need to be made in large enough batches. You will be amazed how long it actually takes to assemble the PCBs, and cut and crimp all the wiring and terminals for each kit, writing the instructions alone has taken me well over 13 hours. If there are any left over kits then they will end up on ebay (at a higher price than this group buy for early adopters).

Pricing will be:
Audio-only: £45 + postage & packaging to a UK address of £2.50 (price and item remains largely unchaged)

Cruise + audio: £79 + postage & packaging to a UK address of £2.50 (£20-50 cheaper than previous design)
(I am happy to post internationally for the cost of Royal Mail signed/tracked postage of £10)

Delivery times:
I will make up the kits to order on a first come first served basis and get them out. So I expect the first kits would be going out around the middle of June. Please note that I do have a full time job, and this is being done in my spare time, so depending on the level of interest it may take a little while to get them all made up and posted, but I will get them done ASAP.

Payment is via BACs payment.

If you want to go ahead:
Please PM me with the following, and I will reply to you with the payment details:

The kit you require:
Audio only (state illumination colour in brackets, if no colour is given standard ORANGE will be supplied)
or
Cruise and audio (state illumination colour in brackets, again, if no colour is given standard ORANGE will be supplied)

Your name and full delivery address.

I will then reply to you with the total amount and payment details.

So for instance a PM I am expecting to receive would look like:

"Cruise and audio (Blue)

Joe Bloggs
1 Acacia Avenue
Somewhere
S1A 1AA"

The fitting instructions for both kits are available in the PDFs below:
Audio-only
Audio & Cruise

---

Further notes:
The switches used are exactly the same as the original so it works and feels as you would expect, they are obviously new as well so should give a very good response (the MODE switch on the audio PCB is different for design reasons - but it is from the same manufacturer and has the same operating force (feel) as the others).

The kit comes with all the terminals required to fit the existing connector housings in your vehicle, the instructions explain how to remove the old ones and refit the new, but if this proves too fiddly for you then technically you could just cut the wires and splice in to the existing ones. Though I would refrain from doing this as it could make for an unreliable and/or messy installation.

In terms of illumination colour, orange is the brightest, even though it uses fewer LEDs (and therefore draws slightly less current) than the others, next would be white (although it does turn slightly more yellow as it permeates the buttons), followed by blue being the dimmest, blue LEDs are just not commercially available in the same brightness and packaging size as the more traditional orange ones, so I have doubled up the number of them on some of the buttons to try and increase the brightness, it is perfectly acceptable to my eyes, but it is not as bright as orange.

*For those of you who still want the full digital switches + gesture kit, please PM me to register your interest. This will obviously be more expensive than this group buy, but if we can get enough interest I will run off one small batch of the full digital kit. If you PM me registering your interest I will also guarantee you the option to purchase the kit above instead should the group buy for the full digital + gesture kit fail to make the required numbers, so you wont lose out on this option instead if it doesn't. As I don't want you to think you'd end up without either.

Last edited by neilbaker86; 1st June 2019 at 13:44..
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Old 1st June 2019, 13:42   #2
neilbaker86
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Photos of each colour below:

Orange:


Blue:








White:





Last edited by neilbaker86; 23rd October 2019 at 19:19..
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Old 4th June 2019, 05:13   #3
Falcon Flyer
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Default Excellent!!!

Wow, so glad to see this project has come to fruition.....I've spend a considerable amount of time trying to effect this on my car, and it could never look as professional as you've managed to achieve!

PM sent, looking forward to paying my money and fitting this kit.
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Old 5th June 2019, 17:50   #4
neilbaker86
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First few kits have gone out today

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Old 6th June 2019, 08:40   #5
Falcon Flyer
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Looking forward to receiving mine! Thanks Neil
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Old 21st October 2019, 04:34   #6
MWMan
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Well after a few scares with the 75 and wondering if I would keep her, I'm pleased to say that she will be staying with me for a while yet. So..... to celebrate, I thought I would add to the cabin lighting enhancements, by purchasing Neil Bakers LED conversion kit for the audio and cruise steering wheel buttons.

The level of professionalism and quality in this upgrade is astonishing. His instructions are extensive and clear and he supports it with some YouTube video clips, which I found to be particularly useful. Neil was also very helpful with some diagrams when I had a problem with the Navall Star wiring. Its a little more work than I thought it would be, but I have to say I am pretty pleased with the results. The photos do not really do it justice.

If you haven't taken the plunge yet on this, go for it. You wont be disappointed!!
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File Type: jpg Interior 2.jpg (124.4 KB, 107 views)
File Type: jpg Interior 3.JPG (135.0 KB, 108 views)
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Old 21st October 2019, 10:34   #7
JanCo
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Hi Neil. Although I don't think I will fit one of these kits into my ZT, I was wondering if it would be adaptable to a TF, fitted with a ZR/25 audio control on the steering wheel?

Big ask I know, I haven't even fitted the controls to the wheel yet but it is a doable mod on the TF.

Thanks.
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Old 21st October 2019, 13:24   #8
pletevl
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Don't do it, I have a TF steering wheel on my ZR with audio controls, they take up too much room and you can't really hold the wheel properly in that area.

Pete.
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Old 23rd October 2019, 12:21   #9
JanCo
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Interesting comment pletevl. Maybe the thing to do would be mock it up first to see how it feels.

Of course, it's not as if the stereo is a big stretch across the dash in the TF anyway
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Old 23rd October 2019, 19:20   #10
neilbaker86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MWMan View Post
Well after a few scares with the 75 and wondering if I would keep her, I'm pleased to say that she will be staying with me for a while yet. So..... to celebrate, I thought I would add to the cabin lighting enhancements, by purchasing Neil Bakers LED conversion kit for the audio and cruise steering wheel buttons.

The level of professionalism and quality in this upgrade is astonishing. His instructions are extensive and clear and he supports it with some YouTube video clips, which I found to be particularly useful. Neil was also very helpful with some diagrams when I had a problem with the Navall Star wiring. Its a little more work than I thought it would be, but I have to say I am pretty pleased with the results. The photos do not really do it justice.

If you haven't taken the plunge yet on this, go for it. You wont be disappointed!!

Thanks for posting up the photos and your kind comments, it looks great!
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