E90Post
 


 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > AUDIO/VIDEO + BLUETOOTH + Electronics/Alarm/Software > clock spring question e93 m3 valentine 1 remote mute button?



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      12-26-2012, 08:20 AM   #1
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

clock spring question e93 m3 valentine 1 remote mute button?

Merry Christmas and Happy 2013!

I'm looking into doing a complete stealth v1 install on my e93 m3. I'd like to put the mute button in or on the steering wheel.

AFAIK, the best way to do this, that is, the 'most stealthy' way, would be to somehow use a free connection through the clock spring. That way, the mute wires wouldn't get tangled as the steering wheel is turned, as with all the other buttons on the wheel.

Of course, the signals from the buttons are encoded (right?) so I'd need wires that don't run through whatever device codes up the electrical signals.

My wheel: e93 M3, not heated.

Q1: Does anyone know the wiring of this wheel/clock spring and if there would be an available connector for me to use for wiring up the v1 remote mute?

Q2: If there aren't any available connections on this clock spring, is there one I could replace the OEM one with that would have the wiring available?

For example, I read that the e46 SMG clock spring has two uncoded wires on it that the e46 MT doesn't have (people use this info to retrofit a steptronic with paddle shifters?). This is, apparently, despite the fact that the two models use the same part number for both clock springs.

I read that here, at post #16 (has pics, too): http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=571539

Current plan is to put the v1 in the rear passenger headrest (found a DIY), and i'm planning on integrating the remote display LEDs into the instrument cluster (another DIY I found) - arrows under the tach in the unused plastic 'corner' under the dial to the left; bogie counter and band in the same section but under the speedo (under the dial and to the right), and strength lights along the narrow plastic strip under the cluster display screen....

Of course, I could merely be dreaming here....
Appreciate 0
      12-26-2012, 09:14 PM   #2
stratplaya06
Captain
stratplaya06's Avatar
United_States
46
Rep
967
Posts

Drives: 2008 E92 335xi-SOLD 5.0 Miata
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maryland

iTrader: (10)

e70 x5/e90 clock spring w/ heated steering wheel was what I needed to install the BMW performance wheel and it would offer you extra 3 wires for your purposes. I never thought of doing that and simply ran the mute wire button onto my cruise control lever. Good luck with your project and let us know how it works out.
__________________

| PROcede Rev3 | Vishnu Meth | DCI | BMW Perf. Exhaust | AR Coated/Catless | CP-E FMIC | Quaife |
Appreciate 0
      12-26-2012, 10:21 PM   #3
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by stratplaya06 View Post
e70 x5/e90 clock spring w/ heated steering wheel was what I needed to install the BMW performance wheel and it would offer you extra 3 wires for your purposes. I never thought of doing that and simply ran the mute wire button onto my cruise control lever. Good luck with your project and let us know how it works out.
Thanks! I've been brainstorming for quite some time and I haven't been able to find anyone who put the mute button on the steering wheel, mostly because the wires carry some kind of coded signals and not a straight electrical current. But I saw that other clock spring in the forum I mentioned and said, hmmm, that looks like a possibility.

I'm just missing a lot of information. I bought a clock spring and I'm going to open it up and see what we're dealing with.
Appreciate 0
      12-27-2012, 08:31 AM   #4
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by stratplaya06 View Post
e70 x5/e90 clock spring w/ heated steering wheel was what I needed to install the BMW performance wheel and it would offer you extra 3 wires for your purposes. I never thought of doing that and simply ran the mute wire button onto my cruise control lever. Good luck with your project and let us know how it works out.
Just to be clear though, you were able to put an e70 x5 clock spring in your e90? I wonder how I'd go about knowing which clock springs fit where. The innards are all just ribbon cables with connectors after all...

I think this is an x5 clock spring - simple, right?

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...lots-pics.html
Appreciate 0
      12-27-2012, 11:39 AM   #5
stratplaya06
Captain
stratplaya06's Avatar
United_States
46
Rep
967
Posts

Drives: 2008 E92 335xi-SOLD 5.0 Miata
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maryland

iTrader: (10)

Yup the part drops right in place of the old clock spring and I think you will find the project to be easy given that the clock spring seems to just carry current over those wires and doesn't seem to have any other manipulation. I'm excited to see where this goes. I was thinking if my bmw performance wheel ever dies that I will work on putting the V1 concealed display in the place of the original display and use the clock spring to extend the connections to onto the wheel.
__________________

| PROcede Rev3 | Vishnu Meth | DCI | BMW Perf. Exhaust | AR Coated/Catless | CP-E FMIC | Quaife |
Appreciate 0
      01-03-2013, 09:28 PM   #6
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by stratplaya06 View Post
Yup the part drops right in place of the old clock spring and I think you will find the project to be easy given that the clock spring seems to just carry current over those wires and doesn't seem to have any other manipulation. I'm excited to see where this goes. I was thinking if my bmw performance wheel ever dies that I will work on putting the V1 concealed display in the place of the original display and use the clock spring to extend the connections to onto the wheel.
Currently my plan is to try to add wires to an existing coil spring because I'm not sure what springs work in what cars. While the function of the clock/coil spring is the same in each case, the plastic molding may be different which would cause a fit issue.

I bought a used like honda or something clockspring for a few bucks and I'll try to add it's wires and connectors to my clockspring.... I'll let you know how it goes.
Appreciate 0
      01-03-2013, 09:31 PM   #7
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by stratplaya06 View Post
Yup the part drops right in place of the old clock spring and I think you will find the project to be easy given that the clock spring seems to just carry current over those wires and doesn't seem to have any other manipulation. I'm excited to see where this goes. I was thinking if my bmw performance wheel ever dies that I will work on putting the V1 concealed display in the place of the original display and use the clock spring to extend the connections to onto the wheel.
By the way the only problem I could see with this is that wires that go through I think it's the obdii thingy get encoded by the car, and we need a direct wire to the valentine 1 hardware. I think!

I'd certainly rather use a different clock spring instead of hacking one like I'm going to try to do within the next few days...
Appreciate 0
      01-18-2013, 07:21 AM   #8
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

Just an update, I've pretty much completed the clock spring/slip ring hack. I took a ribbon cable from a $20 Acura slip ring and added it to an E93 slip ring that I bought on-line - since I didn't know anything about slip rings, I didn't want to start hacking away on the one in my car.... I placed connectors for the new ribbon cable in places that allow for proper fitting of the steering wheel - in the last pic you can see the slip ring fits tightly against the performance wheel im going to install (non-electric-screen version). The new connector will let me easily install a v1 mute button in the wheel. Said button will go very near where my right hand pinky sits when I grip the steering wheel. :-)))

Right now I'm waiting for some silicone dielectric lubricating grease, which was on the FFCs (flat flexible cables) and which in the course of my dremeling got covered in plastic shavings. I wiped the ribbons off but I want to regrease them before I try this thing in my car. You can see some shavings in pic 1, like where my thumb is on the left.

I've also made some progress on my valentine 1 stealth install. I bought a similar instrument cluster on ebay and took it apart. After figuring out where I could fit the v1's lights (there's actually only a few spots that I could figure out because it's very efficient and tight in there), I hit upon using the unused (I don't have it in my car) Active Cruise Control lights on the dash. See, I figure it doesn't matter how we communicate the v1's information to the driver as long as the driver understands the info. For example, the ACC indicator on the dash is made up of a trapazoidal shape with car at the top, and some lines under it (and one diagonal line to each side of the lines under the car): I'm in the process of placing 2 LEDs in the car place - when the v1 detects Ka, the car indicator will light up red. I'm using amber (I'm trying to match the BMW's 605nm amber color) for K band, and as I'm planning ont he headrest install, I won't need laser (X isnt used around here).

The 3 slots under the car will be direction, and the 4th and widest slot will house the v1 strength indicators. I will however be likely only to fit 7 lights inside that slot, so I'm thinking of ditching like, say, 2!, or 4!, or ....

My current plan is to put the 7-segment alphanumeric indicator over the passenger seatbelt indicator.

Here's some pics...
Attached Images
       

Last edited by beermeister kink; 01-18-2013 at 08:10 AM..
Appreciate 0
      01-18-2013, 07:56 AM   #9
beermeister kink
Enlisted Member
25
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2013 e93 m3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington DC

iTrader: (0)

ideas and feedback welcome please thanks! BTW the other big reason I went for placing the leds in the ACC is, I don't trust my ability to cut straight lines in the dash parts that will be visible to the driver. By using the ACC I avoid a bunch of cuts that I would have to make by placing the leds in some 'cooler' places like around the bottom of the cluster. I also thought about placing some leds along the very top of the cluster but when I drive, the steering wheel blocks that area from my view. Oh, Ive already shaved down the foam prototype led lens holder - the white thing with the 7 holes in it - so that it doesn't cause the top of it's slot fo bulge....

I'm planning on writing up a diy on this entire multistage process.

Ok I just realized that as I've ALREADY soldered wires to lights 1-5, I'm going to have to not use light 1 or 8 (8 lights just won't fit in the available slot, and I think 1 will have to go as it's closer to the side of that slot. I'm not going to undo the work i've already done because the wires are also glued (glue gun) and I'm not undoing all of that...

Last edited by beermeister kink; 01-18-2013 at 08:54 AM..
Appreciate 0
      04-26-2013, 11:46 PM   #10
Deep_Blue
First Lieutenant
68
Rep
374
Posts

Drives: Montego 335i e90
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: internet

iTrader: (1)

subscribed! This is a great writeup. I've been thinking about doing this to the V1 on my e90 for a while now. Do you have any more pictures of how you ran the cables and connected them to the button and the V1? I'm not an electrician by any stretch, so this would be a starting from ground zero project for me as well.

I'm also curious as to how the wheel function buttons are backlit. Is the clear part that lets light through the shape of the icon displayed or is the entire button clear and then overlayed with black to produce the shape shown (up/down arrows, telephone, etc).

It would be a nice touch to change the logo on the button you reprogram to have the V1 logo on it.
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:57 PM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST