Audio Hand controls project.
 

I am working on a project to mount steering wheel audio controls on my BRZ. Since I am not okay with cutting my wheel up if the plan is deemed to be impractical/impossible I need another.

Since this is going to be experimental I am looking for an inexpensive steering wheel, if you have one please PM me.

I have access to a 3D printer at my college (taking a 3D printing class and I am going to make this my final project :thumbup:).

:The plan:
-(Thank Speedrye for this thread)See the connection points that are available on the wiring harness that passes signals through the steering column. (or if someone already knows this number...input appreciated)
-Measure dimensions of the wheel and create a 3D CAD blueprint of the wheel that I can then manipulate (I really wish I had access to a 3D scanner).
-(Credit to Nalc)Determine the best switches that are compatible with the stock head-unit (Nalc has already done a lot of research on this, will likely be reading from his book/thread)
-(Here)Figure out the best layout depending on the number of points available on the wiring harness in the wheel itself. I am thinking phone controls back of left spoke, audio controls front of left spoke, and radar detector controls back of right spoke. (open to suggestions, will be limited by the number of available points on the wiring harness)
-Get the wheel re-wrapped/padded, installed, loved dearly.

If I am successful. I promise the following:
1) Upload the CAD files to a filesharing website
a) if there are multiple switch layouts I will each of them
2) Document my progress for a DIY (hopefully with lots pictures)
3) Tally up the costs of the 3D printed materials, switches, wiring.

Disclaimer:
1) I currently work full time and go to school part time, this will not be a top priority project for me.
2) My car is my DD, during the summer if there is a week of good weather I can ride my motorcycle in that case having my car in pieces would be acceptable (would be the time I would be testing fitment and wiring harnesses).
3) If you attempt to follow my footsteps I am not responsible for anything that happens to you, your loved ones, and/or vehicle etc etc etc.

Reserved

Reserved #2

Scroll down in this thread and you'll see the spiral cable plug (white plug). It shows seven available spots for your wires:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12257

There should be seven blank spots on the corresponding plug in the steering column that you can attach to.

http://i.imgur.com/YPqTI.jpg

This saved me so much time +1 man.
Hopefully many of the actions are dual signal +vcc and -vcc, or triple +vcc -vcc and ground.

Here's another helpful thread:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51941

The stock setup only uses three wires. One common wire, one mode wire and the last one operates on varying resistance levels sent by the other four buttons. If you're not good with electrical stuff, you might be better off finding stock buttons to reuse, or follow the thread above in hopes of a DIY.

Here's another useful thread:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39244

You are working on a BRZ. NALC's thread is a must read for you.

I referenced Nalc in the first post, his was the most detailed I could find. This other one you found looks promising.

The thread indicates that pins 21, 22, 23 on the main 28pin connector are for the hand controls and 1 wire for 12v for led lighting on the switches...which gives me 3 pins on the wiring to work with for the Radar detector buttons which only require 2. :thumbup:

which means I have 1 left over for Nitrus lollz! jkjk

Now for the "hard part" and creating a mount for the switches.

Yup. Three conductors for the switches themselves, plus two (+12v and ground for the lighting).

I can't really tell from the picture because the text is in the way, but is that existing blue wire grounding to the metal structure inside the wheel? If so, you might not need to add a separate ground for the lighting.

The thread that @speedrye took it from does not have any other pictures. I would need to take mine apart to verify, if it is a ground that would remove an additional connection. Either way, it appears to be completely do-able with the stock harness as long as I can get the switch holders modeled and printed.

I am still waiting on replies about spare steering wheels so i have something to make mistakes with, but I should be able to create a pattern once I have it all measured out so it can be duplicated.

How are you going to do it? Additional module between the spokes? That might work. There's no bezel on the spokes that you could replace, the leather goes all the way to the airbag. Maybe you could put something in the lower middle silver spoke piece, though. It'd be a little awkward but I suppose it'd fit.

Have you sourced the pins to add to the harness? I had a bear of a time finding pins that fit the audio harness. Ended up going with the pins out of a computer case front panel header.

I'm going for an OEM look.

I am planning on removing the wheel, removing the padding from between the metal and the leather (in the spokes), and trim+sew+tuck the leather up against the switch mount that I am going to 3D print. If that ends poorly, I will have JPMcoachworks re-wrap/pad it since I want their Alcantara steering wheel anyway.

I used to repair computers, so I have 6-8 spare computers and a closet of spare components...I am sure I can generate the needed connectors. ( I was going to try molex connectors first and work my way down the USB motherboard connectors) which I figure is what you used.

I used the connectors from a computer audio cable. Had to pry the lock bar on the harness connector up to be able to slide them in all the way.

have you already completed this kind of project? or were you wiring something else in?

Edit: Disregard, I stalked your profile. Similar project. When completed you want a copy of the 3D printable file don't you? loll