Front Curb Alarm

[texag70]

Thinking about adding a front curb alarm system. Reason is obvious. Anyone have one or any experience with these?

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[davekro]

Electronic curb sensors

I had not heard of this. But my wife and I are both afraid she will find the curb with the rims. She asked about some kind of warning and all that came to mind was the old days of a 6" chrome springy 'feeler' mounted behind the right front wheel. Boy, there is a mod that would just make this car. ;)

I just Googled 'electronic curb sensor'. Here is just one Amazon link, but seems to be a front air dam alarm more than curb. But now I realize I'd actually want allerts for both. And probably a sensor on the passenger side too. No time right now to research this, but when my DIB convertible arrives in about 8-9 weeks ( I hope), I will be more motivated. I WILL stay posted.
The first time a curb, front or side is hit, boy would I be kicking myself. Not to mention the value as insurance to keep a happy marriage. ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Positioning-LLC-manufacturer-CAM1/dp/B00939KWO8

 

[badass03ragtop]

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13350&highlight=curb+alarm

Have you read this?

 

[davekro]

From another thread on this topic
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10790

Coastaletech.com has cool looking 2 camera system to add to FOrds, but they do not list Mustangs. :(

I sent them an email query for 2015 Mustangs. I would GLADY pay $350 to get a plug and play two camera add on system that even let you view the rear camera when not in reverse.
https://www.coastaletech.com/mytouch.htm

I would love to hear of any 2015 Mustang owners with details of there front (and hopefully Rt, Front wheel camera add on hardware.

 

[texag70]

I had not heard of this. But my wife and I are both afraid she will find the curb with the rims. She asked about some kind of warning and all that came to mind was the old days of a 6" chrome springy 'feeler' mounted behind the right front wheel. Boy, there is a mod that would just make this car. ;)

I just Googled 'electronic curb sensor'. Here is just one Amazon link, but seems to be a front air dam alarm more than curb. But now I realize I'd actually want allerts for both. And probably a sensor on the passenger side too. No time right now to research this, but when my DIB convertible arrives in about 8-9 weeks ( I hope), I will be more motivated. I WILL stay posted.
The first time a curb, front or side is hit, boy would I be kicking myself. Not to mention the value as insurance to keep a happy marriage. ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Positioning-LLC-manufacturer-CAM1/dp/B00939KWO8

My curb alert mini just arrived. Looked at a few YouTube videos and, as always, they say how simple it is. Has anyone installed this on their Pony yet? Will probably do this weekend. I'll post comments and results.

 

[davekro]

My curb alert mini just arrived. Looked at a few YouTube videos and, as always, they say how simple it is. Has anyone installed this on their Pony yet? Will probably do this weekend. I'll post comments and results.

Very cool. Which one did you buy? Link? Does it have a video camera and it's own screen, or integrated into in dash screen by chance? Or is it a beep or chirp system? Like you, I always like to find another who's gone there first, but if you are the 6G pioneer, I salute you!

From your research on this technology, is it useable for a 'side' camera so as not to scrape the rims (I'm afraid of my wife 'feeling' the curb with my rim :eyebulge: ).
Thanks

 

[texag70]

Very cool. Which one did you buy? Link? Does it have a video camera and it's own screen, or integrated into in dash screen by chance? Or is it a beep or chirp system? Like you, I always like to find another who's gone there first, but if you are the 6G pioneer, I salute you!

From your research on this technology, is it useable for a 'side' camera so as not to scrape the rims (I'm afraid of my wife 'feeling' the curb with my rim :eyebulge: ).
Thanks

I got the curb alert mini. No camera. It beeps when the car gets within a certain distance of an obstacle with a height equal to or higher of what it's calibrated for. I measured the height of the front facia and it's 8 inches (my car is stock, not lowered). Below the front facia there's a flexible rubber curtain that goes all the way across the front and it's 6" above the ground. The two YouTube install videos I've watched calibrate the height at 5" and the distance at 20". Both of these are adjustable and are part of the calibration. The biggest issue I see right now is getting the wiring inside the car to hook up to the "beep" speaker. I'm sure there will be others when I start on the install this weekend. I'll post what I do and what I learn in getting it installed and working OK.

 

[davekro]

I got the curb alert mini. No camera. It beeps when the car gets within a certain distance of an obstacle with a height equal to or higher of what it's calibrated for. I measured the height of the front facia and it's 8 inches (my car is stock, not lowered). Below the front facia there's a flexible rubber curtain that goes all the way across the front and it's 6" above the ground. The two YouTube install videos I've watched calibrate the height at 5" and the distance at 20". Both of these are adjustable and are part of the calibration. The biggest issue I see right now is getting the wiring inside the car to hook up to the "beep" speaker. I'm sure there will be others when I start on the install this weekend. I'll post what I do and what I learn in getting it installed and working OK.

Texag,
Looking forward to your report on your install. I read a bit on the curb alert site. It seems this is a pencil infra red sensor (straight at where it is pointed). If an object or parking lot curb is off to one side and not directly in front of the centered sensor, the cement block will not register. I'd be curious how far off center an object can be and still be seen.
Thanks for sharing your project with us. :cheers:

 

[davekro]

Has anyone installed a front curb alarm with one or more wide angle sensors. I wonder if a four sensor system could be used with the sensors mounted into the 1.5" rubber edge that protrudes down from the front air dam?

 

[aggieStang]

They would read the front air splitter just like the f150 when the tailgate is down.

 

[texag70]

Texag,
Looking forward to your report on your install. I read a bit on the curb alert site. It seems this is a pencil infra red sensor (straight at where it is pointed). If an object or parking lot curb is off to one side and not directly in front of the centered sensor, the cement block will not register. I'd be curious how far off center an object can be and still be seen.
Thanks for sharing your project with us. :cheers:

Good point about seeing objects in front but off centerline. Once I have it installed I'll check by placing objects off to the side and drawing them in and seeing if the system beeps. Curious to see how wide the field of view is on the sensor.

They would read the front air splitter just like the f150 when the tailgate is down.

Right on about the F150 and the alarm with the tailgate down. I have a F150 and get the alarm with it down and reversing until I turn it off on the dash. I also have a 65 V8 coupe that's been stored for the past 8 years.

 

[aggieStang]

Right on about the F150 and the alarm with the tailgate down. I have a F150 and get the alarm with it down and reversing until I turn it off on the dash. I also have a 65 V8 coupe that's been stored for the past 8 years.[/QUOTE]

If you say your coupe is black and f150 is blue im gonna flip out!

 

[texag70]

Right on about the F150 and the alarm with the tailgate down. I have a F150 and get the alarm with it down and reversing until I turn it off on the dash. I also have a 65 V8 coupe that's been stored for the past 8 years.

If you say your coupe is black and f150 is blue im gonna flip out![/QUOTE]

2015 GT Prem Ruby Red
2005 F150 Toreador Red
1965 Mustang Coupe Jalapeno Red
2013 Ford Explorer White (wife's car, she picked the color)

 

[aggieStang]

Ok good it was getting too freaky. My wife picked her stang color cuz it looked like bullit!

 

[texag70]

Texag,
Looking forward to your report on your install. I read a bit on the curb alert site. It seems this is a pencil infra red sensor (straight at where it is pointed). If an object or parking lot curb is off to one side and not directly in front of the centered sensor, the cement block will not register. I'd be curious how far off center an object can be and still be seen.
Thanks for sharing your project with us. :cheers:

Got the curb alert mini installed and working. Numerous lessons learned with recommendations and photos.

1. With the hood up I took a straightened coat hanger and pushed it through an opening on the upper upper right side of the radiator. Then I went to the front of the car I pulled coat hanger carefully through the top center opening in the lower grill. I then taped the connection end of the sensor wire to the coat hanger and then went back under the hood and pulled the coat hanger back out to get the sensor wire in the engine compartment. I left the sensor hanging off the front lower grill with about 6 inches of slack.

2. I routed the sensor wire through the loop holding to the windshield wiper fluid bottle then under the fuse box and then under the outer part of the battery cover and then through the small hood/cowling opening into the upper part of the passenger door.

3. At this point I recommend securing the sensor with the 3M glue pad to the lower grill, getting it as centered and looking straight ahead as possible. Like I said once it's on it sets in just a very few minutes.

**One more thing and this is important. Make sure the tightening screw on the sensor mount is fairly tight but just loose enough to move the sensor up and down before you secure the sensor to the lower grill. As I found out if it's too loose then when you try to tighten the nut with the hex wrench then the opposite nut will move loosely and it won't grab and tighten. I had just enough room to wedge a small screwdriver on top of the loose nut and hold it while I was tightening the other end with the hex wrench. It was a royal pain.

3. Next I spliced the supplied fuse link to the positive (red) wire on the control box. Then I routed the control box wires from inside the passenger door back into the engine compartment through the same opening I used for the sensor wire. Next I removed the battery cover and attached the control box positive and negative wires to the positive and negative small screw posts on the battery.

4. I then connected both the sensor and buzzer wires into the control box. I laid the connected and powered up control box on the battery cover for easier access during the initial power up and calibration. I then powered up and calibrated the sensor following the supplied directions. It was fairly simple to do.

5. After the calibration I disconnected the buzzer wire from the control box. I then pulled back the bottom of the A pillar weatherstrip and pulled both the sensor and control box wires through it and then worked the wires inside and down the passenger door weatherstrip.

6. Next I had to decide where to put the control box and sensor inside the car. I decided that it would be best to place both in the glove compartment. I couldn't find a good area underneath the passenger side to fix the control box and buzzer to with the 3M glue pads. With the glove compartment door open I could feed the control box and sensor wires up through the back of the open door and through a slot on the back right side of the glove compartment. This ended up working out great as it gives me easy access to both the control box and buzzer and I have no problem hearing the buzzer go off when approaching a curb.

The pictures should help out with my description of the install.

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