Hand throttle is it needed?

[hombres ruin]

Hi guys installing a new carb and was wondering what people think about the hand throttle linkage. Would it be ok to do away with it or is it a handy item to have. What have you guys done in the past ? Thanks

[Graeme / New Zealand]

I don't have mine hooked up. The knob is there for "display" only and the cable end pokes through the firewall, but that's where it ends.

GB

[JM 35 Sedan]

I use mine occasionally, and wouldn't want to delete the convenience of having it there if/when needed.

[Lawrie]

I have just done about 7000 klms in our 33,most on back roads,it is so nice to be able to give the gas foot a rest every now and then with the hand throttle.
lawrie

[MGG]

I use the hand throttle in starting out on from uphill stop.

[51 MERC-CT]

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Suspect that one of the main reasons for having one (other than providing higher RPM for un-attended warm up) was to be used in conjunction with the different power belt attachments that were driven off one rear wheel back in the day. (saws,water pumps etc.)

[Bored&Stroked]

I use mine all the time - especially to warm the engine up when it has sat for awhile.

[Ford Freak]

Does the hand throttle stay open when you let go , or does it have a spring to return to idle when not holding the knob ?

[19Fordy]

Stays open. If not, use a clothes pin.
Sure is handy in cold weather warm up.

[Brian]

On my 35 it'll return to idle once you release the knob.

[5851a]

Surely Henry would not have included it if it wasn't necessary. I can see more use for it back in the day.

[glennpm]

Mine slips back in. I don't know how to apply more friction to it. It is convenient for fast idle during startup.

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Stays open.

[blucar]

By the mid to late '30's the hand throttle was pretty well a thing of the past, especially since the Ford type would not hold its position when hand was released.
I utilized the hole in the dash for a headlight switch when I eliminated the original steering wheel mounted rotary switch.
On a truck/utility vehicle the hand throttle could be handy if the vehicle had a PTO for a dump body, etc..
Fords design of the hand throttle left a lot to be desired, there was no provision in the EFV8 for a way to set and/or hold the hand throttle into a given position.

[Capt Kirk]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Mine slips back in. I don't know how to apply more friction to it. It is convenient for fast idle during startup.

I'm having the same problem and was wondering if I did something wrong when restoring it. The only thing I can think to do is get another dash grommet with a tighter fitting hole.

[Scotty's 52 F3]

My hand throttle would hold up to a point. Then I made the mistake of cleaning and lubing it.

I have used hand throttle cables on different types of equipment that once pulled to desired RPM's, you twist to lock.

[Vintage Copper 47]

The linkage at the carb was real loose & would slip past making the cable useless.. so I removed it.. used the hole there for an aftermarket/momentary ignition keyed switch...

[ford38v8]

I never saw one that would hold position once released. Now you got me thinking, I wonder if a sawtooth bottom edge could be made to hold it steady in the slot.

[drolston]

You will be glad to have it if you ever have someone pull up close behind you when stopped on a hill. Especially if your flathead hesitates a little when you punch it off idle. I went to a lot of trouble rigging the progressive linkage on my 3 x 2 manifold to retain the hand throttle. Like putting the carbs on 2" risers so I could invert the linkage. Bonus: That also allows me to use banjo fittings at the fuel inputs instead of a fuel log and fuel lines all over the place.

[RalphG]

Its been a good many years since I've used the hand throttle on the 39 Ford, mainly because it has not been running. As I recall it was a handy thing to have and it worked well. Just pull it to set the high idle speed I wanted and it stayed there. Maybe an old rusty cable is a good thing for that purpose. I have a hand throttle on an IH truck that works well and holds position. The manual choke is supposed to have enough of a cam to keep the idle up for warm up but sometimes I wanted a little more rpm.

[40 Deluxe]

We used to call them Oklahoma cruise controls.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Capt Kirk

I'm having the same problem and was wondering if I did something wrong when restoring it. The only thing I can think to do is get another dash grommet with a tighter fitting hole.

I fixed mine by putting a hose clamp round the rubber grommet behind the dash and tightening in up - Now holds any position I want for as long as I want -Karl

[slowforty]

Works real good if you have to hold the car on a hill. A lot better than trying to grow a third leg.

[Old Henry]

I use mine regularly as a cruise control, (mine holds fine when set) and to increase idle in the winter when stopped at a light with the heater, headlights and radio on to keep the battery charging.

I haven't had to try this because my stock cable holds fine, but I'm thinking a little squeeze with vice grips at a point on the cable housing may just add enough resistance to hold it.

[Ford Freak]

When did Ford start using a cable for this ? ( My '37 does not have a cable , it has a metal rod )

[Talkwrench]

I attached mine last winter just to help with a bit more idle.. I would never use it for a cruise control though.

[CarlG]

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I use the one on my Model A all the time. Most of the ways/reasons have been discussed above, but primarily for fast idle warm-ups and to rest my right foot on long drives.

[cas3]

40 deluxe, exactly, i use them all the time for cruise control. when out of traffic on semi flat ground its a wonderful thing to have

[Bob-93021]

My car is running but not on the road at this time. The hand throttle did not work when I bought the car because someone installed the end cap that connects to the hand throttle rod 180' out. I fixed that. For some reason mine will hold a fast idle and I assumed that was the way it was supposed to work. I will be careful to not oil or clean any of the hand throttle parts because I like being able to run a fast idle without having the choke on

[Drbrown]

Use throttle cable on my '47 for engine warm-up, charging Batt at stand-still, and to check/test electrical system and carb functions.

Also, Ford book(s) say if engine is flooded and not starting, pull throttle full-out to help clear engine.

[Ian NZ]

The original hand throtle on the 47 works as good as gold on the 32 I made up a mechanism to hold it in any position and it works great and when the engine is cold I can push the choke in and I can keep the revs up to my satisfaction.

[Lawrie]

As Karl said, put a small hose clamp on the inside of the grommet and it will work fine.
Lawrie

[Bored&Stroked]

Ahhhhh - you guys would love the way Henry did it on the original 32 - was a mechanism that worked INSIDE the car - never went through the dash . . . basically just holds the gas pedal in any position you want.

There really isn't anything to hookup (on the outside) - just all the stock parts. My only modification on the outside was to put a bend in the stock throttle rod to change the length/location of the end of it to fit the Eddie Meyer two deuce manifold.

[jagnweiner]

Like many others have said, mine holds fine. I use it when the engine is cold to set the idle a little higher. I will also use it as "cruise control" to give my leg a break on long, wide-open stretches of highway. I would not use it that way if there was any significant traffic on the road.

[callbald]

I use the hand throttle in the morning to warm up the truck before taking it out. No problem with the rod sticking or not holding. And yep, when I was a young driver used it for speed control with a cloths pin.

[glennpm]

I'll have to give that a try.

Thanks,
Glenn

Originally Posted by Karl

I fixed mine by putting a hose clamp round the rubber grommet behind the dash and tightening in up - Now holds any position I want for as long as I want -Karl

[Shu47]

It is great for keeping the idle up as the truck warms up. Also, years ago we used it on the farm to set a desired speed as the truck motored along thru the field. As kids we could keep the truck going straight and Dad didn't have to worry about us loosing control of the throttle as he walk along side throwing hay bales on the trailer.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Shu47

It is great for keeping the idle up as the truck warms up. Also, years ago we used it on the farm to set a desired speed as the truck motored along thru the field. As kids we could keep the truck going straight and Dad didn't have to worry about us loosing control of the throttle as he walk along side throwing hay bales on the trailer.

Your dad was a strong man with a strong heart....

[supereal]

I use the hand throttle to get a fast idle during warmup. I wouldn't use it as a cruise control for safety reasons. Not all carbs have a manual throttle arm. When I see a carb at a swap meet with one, I usually buy it. I have occasionally bought the whole intake manifold to get one. If the knob will not stay out, crimp the shank of the cable sheath just a bit so as not to ruin the assembly.

[MGG]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

I never saw one that would hold position once released. Now you got me thinking, I wonder if a sawtooth bottom edge could be made to hold it steady in the slot.

My 34 BB truck has a notched 3/8 rod with three notches. The notches fit in the bottom of the grommetless dash hole and this works very well. I do not plan on changing it back to original. My grandfather or father rigged it up this way to run an air compressor at a steady speed off of the power take-off. The truck was a service truck in my grandfather's construction fleet.

[Tinker]

I'm in the stock-sticks yes poll.

[GEOFFNZ]

Dropping the right sized ball point pen cross wise between the knob and the dash gives a nice warm up speed. Cheers.