SOLD! 89-94 add-on cruise control

[Shran]

Saved this out of a truck I crushed - it was in a 1994 Mazda B4000. I believe it should be adaptable to any 89-94 or probably earlier trucks or later trucks too that don't have cruise... it appears that it just needs power and vacuum and you just hook it up to the throttle body. The module has a Ford stamp on it so I'm assuming it was an add-on option from Ford at some point. I have no idea if this works or not, I had the truck half disassembled before I saw that it was there... so needless to say this is AS-IS.

$50 plus shipping will get it to your door!

 

[franklin2]

It may require a truck with a speed sensor. I think some of the earlier trucks did not have a speed sensor from the factory.

 

[Shran]

It may require a truck with a speed sensor. I think some of the earlier trucks did not have a speed sensor from the factory.

86 up would be pretty safe, I don't recall if my '85 had one. I think it did not.

I'm not sure that it would require one though. This whole thing seemed to be totally standalone, it was not wired into the factory harness(es) anywhere.

 

[RobbieD]

The kit came out of a manual transmission truck? I think I remember on some of those old kits for manuals that they just used an RPM tach signal.

 

[Shran]

The kit came out of a manual transmission truck? I think I remember on some of those old kits for manuals that they just used an RPM tach signal.

Yep - manual trans.

 

[franklin2]

The cruise controls need something to tell it road speed. You can't use engine rpm, what happens when you pull a steep hill and the transmission downshifts? I know you said it was for a manual transmission, but it would be bad design practice to try and use engine rpm for speed control.

P.S. I know a 86 ranger doesn't have a speed sensor, I have that setup in my 84 BII. That is why they use all that crazy clutch and shifter interloxk switches. When they finally came out with the speed sensor and input that into the computer, they did not need those switches anymore going to the computer.

 

[RobbieD]

The cruise controls need something to tell it road speed. You can't use engine rpm, what happens when you pull a steep hill and the transmission downshifts? I know you said it was for a manual transmission, but it would be bad design practice to try and use engine rpm for speed control.

On the old kits (1970s & '80s) for manual transmissions only, that I remember, they'd work only OK on relatively flat roads. They sucked with hills. The safety shutoff switch connected to the clutch and the brake pedals (most used a bead chain), so they would have to be reset if you shifted to another gear.

On a lot of those kits, we'd have to add a speed sensor, in the form of magnets on the driveshaft and a pickup coil, to get them to work right.

So, yes, it was a bad practice.

But this was back in the stone age, when cars had cob-uh-waiters and 8-tracks.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I'm not sure that it would require one though. This whole thing seemed to be totally standalone, it was not wired into the factory harness(es) anywhere.

A third gen is a lot more digical than a first gen, it could be getting groundspeed from somewhere else. I could see the PCM wanting that data especially trucks with a automatic, they could just piggyback off of that.

Pretty sure non cruise carbed first gens just had a speedo drive without a speed sensor.

 

[Brain75]

I've considered adding cruise, but not willing to spend the $400 they want for aftermarket kits.... ran across this while searching to help out others...
A) do you still have it? if not no need reading B/C/etc
B) do you happen to know where all it tapped into the electrical - like specifically did it tap into the VSS feed I assume (which would make it nice like modern kits instead of the old speedo cable units RobbieD was just harshing on above)
C) how much of the electrical could you reconstruct to make a quick "how to" - I don't have any examples in the 'yard here to work off and best I can tell I am not prewired (2nd Gen - 1990)... any quick list/sketch you could make up just by looking at the wire colors and memory from July would save me a whole whole lot of headache. If it really is just power/vaccuum/VSS that would make it quite easy..... I see at least 5 wire colors, but some maybe just internal I know. The SAE connector I assume is power and ground.
D) is there any configuration - both pics you only show the back of the "brain box" on the other side is there dip switches for config.... if was a dealer add on, I would assume it would be for a dozen models and you set the dip switches this way for these models, and that way for a other models..
E) any part number/model number anywhere... I might have decent luck googling up the original install sheet.

I have both a Haynes and a Chiltons (courtesy a local library)... some degree of electrical ability and would be willing to risk brain hemorrhage on a project like this if it was in the price range you have listed...

 

[bobbywalter]

you just plug the speed sensor onto the speedo drive.


all rangers could have a vss.

 

[franklin2]

On the older Ford systems, and I believe the 86-dwn ranger's and BII, if you look up a speedometer cable they list ones for speed control vehicles, and ones without speed control.

They used a short cable off the transmission that ran up to the area below the brake booster. That is where the Ford speed sensor plugged in. And then another speedometer cable plugged into that and ran through the firewall to the speedometer.

The old Ford speed sensor sent a A/C sine wave, frequency of course varied with the speed of the cable.

It looked like the unit below, but the one below is a aftermarket unit from Dakota Digital. But you can see where the cables plugged in.

 

[bobbywalter]

On the older Ford systems, and I believe the 86-dwn ranger's and BII, if you look up a speedometer cable they list ones for speed control vehicles, and ones without speed control.

They used a short cable off the transmission that ran up to the area below the brake booster. That is where the Ford speed sensor plugged in. And then another speedometer cable plugged into that and ran through the firewall to the speedometer.

The old Ford speed sensor sent a A/C sine wave, frequency of course varied with the speed of the cable.

It looked like the unit below, but the one below is a aftermarket unit from Dakota Digital. But you can see where the cables plugged in.

yup. thats typical of all systems for early cruise.

but you dont need to do that...just pull the crap off of an 88 and adapt it to the older trucks..


as to shrans setup.....it has a mag sensor. it will work on anything.

 

[Brain75]

all the explanation and input is appreciated... still doesn't answer... @Shran is it still available? Mind looking at the other side of the brain box for part number/dip switches/etc?

 

[Shran]

all the explanation and input is appreciated... still doesn't answer... @Shran is it still available? Mind looking at the other side of the brain box for part number/dip switches/etc?

definitely still available.

There isn’t much on it for part numbers but the circuit board has a Ford stamp on it. My buddy that has been a Ford tech for a long time said he recognized it and said they used to install a lot of them as add on dealer installed kits on new trucks.

It was pretty easy to remove, mainly just a few wires through the firewall, a cable that attached to the throttle body, and vacuum. I didn’t really take any notes on how it was installed, the control module was partially unplugged under the dash and I already had the truck somewhat disassembled to crush so I couldn’t test it.

there aren’t any DIP switches on the outside of the module.

 

[Shran]