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Cruise Control Basics (lesson request)


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Thanks Bill.

About the "dealer installed" kit, is it possible that it wasn't on the steering wheel?

If so, this is not the project I am figuring out. I am willing to find an old OEM installation and take it out from a donner truck.

As for example, my local yard has a 1988 Econoline speed control equipped. Maybe I could take on it most of the needed parts?

Just posting to say that those horn bars are super rare... surprised it hasn't been nabbed!

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Just posting to say that those horn bars are super rare... surprised it hasn't been nabbed!

It's in an Econoline. Most people don't look, or know that a lot of parts (but not all) are interchangeable between the F-series. :nabble_smiley_good:

I got a nice door arm rest for my 1972 F-250 out of a 1991 Econoline once. :nabble_smiley_good:

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  • 3 weeks later...

And yes, "later" means electronic.

Willing to go on, but can't decide... What makes me hesitate is the difficulty to find a complete electronic system. Is there a good source? And how to be sure that I find all the required parts?

I am also contemplating the "aftermarket" solution (Rostra), although not sure it is less complicated to install.

Does somebody have experience with that approach?

:nabble_thinking-26_orig:

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And yes, "later" means electronic.

Willing to go on, but can't decide... What makes me hesitate is the difficulty to find a complete electronic system. Is there a good source? And how to be sure that I find all the required parts?

I am also contemplating the "aftermarket" solution (Rostra), although not sure it is less complicated to install.

Does somebody have experience with that approach?

:nabble_thinking-26_orig:

I have an NOS dealer add-on cruise control package that I'm hoping to start installing this weekend for my '86. I will be sure to get photos of all the parts and plan to scan in the instructions so Gary can post them on here. That being said, I have no experience with these early style units so it should be a bit of an adventure.

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I have an NOS dealer add-on cruise control package that I'm hoping to start installing this weekend for my '86. I will be sure to get photos of all the parts and plan to scan in the instructions so Gary can post them on here. That being said, I have no experience with these early style units so it should be a bit of an adventure.

Wow! I suppose we can call it «a lucky find»!

Curious about seeing how it installs. Waiting to read you!

:nabble_smiley_good:

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Bill - I have a minor disagreement with what you said. I think the electronic speed/cruise control came out at least by 1990. That's because the one in Big Blue came out of Huck, the 1990 half-truck I bought to get the E4OD for Dad's truck.

Jeff - Do yourself a favor and get the later cruise control like I have. It is WAY better than the vacuum-driven unit from a Bullnose. Let me count the ways:

  • Smoothness: The Bullnose unit is way too aggressive. It gives too much throttle to speed up and chops the throttle too much on a hill - only to have to open it again too much. But the later unit is far, FAR smoother. I just ran almost 2000 miles with it and it was wonderful.

  • Resume: With the Bullnose unit when you hit Resume it basically floors the throttle until it gets up to speed. With the later unit it says "Hmmm, let me think about that. Ok, lets go there, but gracefully."

  • Change Speeds: With the Bullnose unit if you want to speed up or slow down you hold the Set/Accel or Coast button until the speed you want is obtained and then let up - and hope you caught it where you wanted it. But bear in mind that in speeding up it basically floored the throttle, and in slowing down it basically cut the throttle. So you are changing speeds abruptly, making it hard to catch the right speed and obvious to your passengers that you are doing something.

    But with the later unit if you push Set/Accel or Coast once you go up/down by 1.00000 MPH, and you do it gracefully. Go from a 70 MPH speed limit to a 65 MPH limit and you push the Coast button 5 times and you are there. Can't tell you how many times I did that in our 525 mile drive today, almost all of which was on cruise.

The later unit uses the same spot under the hood and the same horn pad switches as the Bullnose one. And it is easy to make a couple of wiring changes to accommodate it instead of the Bullnose unit. I LOVE IT!

Gary, I need some precision about the different generations of Ford pickups Speed Control.

If found this very interesting and instructive

.

This gentleman is installing an OEM Ford Speed Control in his Bricknose. He explains that ‘92 to ‘96 system is different… I suppose this is the later unit Gary was talking about and installed in Big Blue. If so, this video explains how to install a vacuum driven unit, which was factory installed in Bullnoses and, correct me if I am wrong, in Bricknoses too, up to 1991 (so in pre-Aeronoses trucks).

Went to my local salvage yard today, to stroll among the potential donors. I found 4 potential pickups, ‘90, ‘93, ‘96 and ‘97 (plus the ‘88 Econoline with the Speed Control steering, but looking to not have everything else in place, not sure).

SO:

- If I go “Gary’s later unit" way, I’ll have to take available parts in the 93 and 96 trucks?

- What about the 97?

- If I opt for the "older vacuum way", I’ll have to grab everything in the ‘90 (and possibly in the ‘88 Econoline)?

- In all cases, I need the Econoline steering. Do I need its column too? Or its turn signal switch?

Thanks in advance!

 

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Gary, I need some precision about the different generations of Ford pickups Speed Control.

If found this very interesting and instructive

.

This gentleman is installing an OEM Ford Speed Control in his Bricknose. He explains that ‘92 to ‘96 system is different… I suppose this is the later unit Gary was talking about and installed in Big Blue. If so, this video explains how to install a vacuum driven unit, which was factory installed in Bullnoses and, correct me if I am wrong, in Bricknoses too, up to 1991 (so in pre-Aeronoses trucks).

Went to my local salvage yard today, to stroll among the potential donors. I found 4 potential pickups, ‘90, ‘93, ‘96 and ‘97 (plus the ‘88 Econoline with the Speed Control steering, but looking to not have everything else in place, not sure).

SO:

- If I go “Gary’s later unit" way, I’ll have to take available parts in the 93 and 96 trucks?

- What about the 97?

- If I opt for the "older vacuum way", I’ll have to grab everything in the ‘90 (and possibly in the ‘88 Econoline)?

- In all cases, I need the Econoline steering. Do I need its column too? Or its turn signal switch?

Thanks in advance!

The unit I’m using is from a 1990 truck, and I really like it. It is all electronic and has only the unit under the hood as well as the wiring and cable to the carb/throttle body. And steering wheel of course.

But I don’t know when they started using that unit, nor when it was last used. I’m with grandkids at the moment but when they are off to school I’ll see if I can figure out when that unit came out.

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The unit I’m using is from a 1990 truck, and I really like it. It is all electronic and has only the unit under the hood as well as the wiring and cable to the carb/throttle body. And steering wheel of course.

But I don’t know when they started using that unit, nor when it was last used. I’m with grandkids at the moment but when they are off to school I’ll see if I can figure out when that unit came out.

Got to it earlier. The MPC shows that a new speed control came out in 1988, so I'm betting that's the one I have. And my notes say another one came out in '92 and was used through '96.

You can use the same steering column with any of them. The Bullnose units will be plug and play but they need a cable that plugs the steering column wiring to the instrument panel wiring.

What did I miss?

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Got to it earlier. The MPC shows that a new speed control came out in 1988, so I'm betting that's the one I have. And my notes say another one came out in '92 and was used through '96.

You can use the same steering column with any of them. The Bullnose units will be plug and play but they need a cable that plugs the steering column wiring to the instrument panel wiring.

What did I miss?

Thanks Gary.

I really would prefer to go with your "later electronic" way. But to be Frank, I am a little scary about all the fitting & tweaking it will require...

Buying a NOS Dealer Installed Kit appears to be so simple.

:nabble_smiley_blush:

For example, I am just trying to figure out which puzzle pieces I'll have to find. And it's really not clear to me (sorry!):

- "Later" Speed Control module, including its mechanical activator with cable. Q: Will this cable fit, its length, its anchor type to the carb?

- Speed sensor: What type, can I use an earlier "two cables" model, or a "speedo cable end" type, or have no choice but find a "later" 90-91 up? Will this latter fit my Bullnose cluster/speedometer?

- What other harnesses, relays, terminals or other such puzzle pieces will I need to complete a "later" electronic installation?

Like you see, I want to make a complete plan before stalling Big Bro for the less days as possible, having all the required parts on hands with no bad surprise.

A kind of home made "Owner Installed Kit", everything in the box with detailed diagram and instructions.

:nabble_smiley_wink:

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Thanks Gary.

I really would prefer to go with your "later electronic" way. But to be Frank, I am a little scary about all the fitting & tweaking it will require...

Buying a NOS Dealer Installed Kit appears to be so simple.

:nabble_smiley_blush:

For example, I am just trying to figure out which puzzle pieces I'll have to find. And it's really not clear to me (sorry!):

- "Later" Speed Control module, including its mechanical activator with cable. Q: Will this cable fit, its length, its anchor type to the carb?

- Speed sensor: What type, can I use an earlier "two cables" model, or a "speedo cable end" type, or have no choice but find a "later" 90-91 up? Will this latter fit my Bullnose cluster/speedometer?

- What other harnesses, relays, terminals or other such puzzle pieces will I need to complete a "later" electronic installation?

Like you see, I want to make a complete plan before stalling Big Bro for the less days as possible, having all the required parts on hands with no bad surprise.

A kind of home made "Owner Installed Kit", everything in the box with detailed diagram and instructions.

:nabble_smiley_wink:

A NOS dealer-installed kit would be the best way to go for a number of reasons. First, because you'll have everything you need. Second, because there should be no wiring to do save for power and ground. Third, because if it is the Dana-sourced unit it is more flexible/adjustable than the one Ford used from the factory.

If you go with the bits/pieces for a Bullnose system you'll need the steering wheel pad, the wire harness that connects the steering column to the main harness and to the amplifier, the wiring harness from the amplifier to the servo, the vacuum hose and dump valve for the brake, the servo & associated horn relay, the vacuum hose from the vacuum source to the servo, the transducer that gets the speed from the speedo cable, and the cable that goes to the carb - and it just needs to be long enough but there's lots of flexibility.

The later unit will need basically the same thing except that there is no amplifier as all of the electronics is in the unit under the hood and replaces the Bullnose vacuum servo. And, there probably isn't a harness/cable that will plug into the Bullnose steering column & main harness and plug into the unit under the hood. So you would have to make that using a Bullnose speed control harness - although that's not difficult and we can walk you through it.

And on the speed sensor/transducer question, either the one that goes in the middle of the cable and below the brake booster or the one that goes in the tranny/t-case and uses the cable you already have will work. But the best for you would be the one that goes in the tranny/t-case. You just unplug your speedo cable, plug this unit in, and connect your speedo cable to it. But you do need the 1986 - 87 wiring harness to the amplifier as the earlier harness expects the transducer to be under the brake booster. Or you can extend the harness, like I did, and it is only two wires so it is easy. And that transducer works with the factory Bullnose system or the later system.

Here's the listing from the MPC for what a kit involves:

1984_-_87_Speed_Control_Kit.thumb.jpg.bad6121e1718e22f32bf76caeec4cb7a.jpg

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