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Well, I have it mostly working. For anyone thinking of doing this, here's what I needed for my 93... 94's should be the same, and I think earlier ones will be similar as well.
1. Cruise Control Amplifier (stole mine from a 94 Ranger)- green box with a 8 pin and 6 pin connector on it, seems pretty universal for vacuum controlled cruise controls. Located inside the dashboard by the glove box- actually mounted on the same piece as the latch for the glove box. Came with a used dash I bought for the instrument cluster for $50.
2. Cab wiring harness- the monster the goes into the engine bay. Need one from a Ranger that had cruise control; you can tell as there is a separate connection that goes through the firewall that plugs into the servo, tt will have the two connectors for the amplifier coming off the same line that connects to the glove box light, and the connector that goes into the steering controls is a 4 pin square instead of 3 pin rounded connector. Came with the aforementioned dash from a 94 ranger.
3. Steering column/wheel with 3 pin clock spring. If you have a fixed steering column you will most likely need a new one; if you have a tilt you will already have the 3 pinned version (even if you don't have cruise already). I picked up a used tilt steering column (and upgraded to a leather wrapped steering wheel too) and bought a Horn pad that had the cruise switches. $65 for the steering column from a 94, $5 for the horn pad from a 91-94 Explorer (I think it was 92).
4. Cruise Control Servo. You will need to find a bracket from a 93-94 Ranger for this as well; I was not able to so I snatched a bracket from a 94 Explorer which bolts on ok but doesn't sit in the slit in the engine bay so it'd only being held by that one bolt. The bracket from a 92 some rivet like snaps and don't work at all. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a proper bracket but it doesn't worry me too much.
You'll additionally need to find an actuator cable to match your engine. Mine is currently from a 2.9 and, while they're adjustable, the best I can do is get it to open up the throttle about a third to half way. They sell the cables on eBay for cheap enough as I couldn't find a 2.3 at the yard.
Last, for the servo, they all seemed to be the same, but ones from some Explorers use a different connector (rounded instead of square). Mine is from a 92 Ranger.
5. Vacuum dump switch- a plastic piece that goes next to the base of the brake pedal and is connected to the servo via vacuum tubing. When the switch is pressed in (IE brake pedal is not being pressed) it closes off the vacuum tube and acts as like a cap. Let the switch out and it opens up the vacuum tube and mechanically causes the servo to dump its vacuum. It's a safeguard as the amplifier will tell the servo to dump its vacuum if it sees the brake light (and clutch, which uses the brake light line), but if you have a bulb out in the back then the circuit won't close, which is where the mechanical piece comes in.
The other piece you may need with this is some metal extension to the brake pedal which keeps the switch depressed. I'm missing this right now so I simply have the line capped off at the servo (and, if my brake lights go out, I'll just tap Off on the cruise switches), so it is optional but recommended. I grabbed a couple of switches, one from the Explorer and one from the 92 Ranger, and they're the same.
So those are the parts you need. Installing it is as easy as hooking everything up, which involves:
1. Take off your steering wheel, steering column trim, and putting on the new clock spring with a 4 pin connector (3 pins for clock spring itself). Or, if it's easier for you (or you're upgrading like I did), the steering column is as easy as taking out the bolt that connects the intermediate shaft to the lower shaft that goes into the power steering area and disconnecting the column inside the cab and pulling out.
2. The entire dash has to come out. It's not that hard, just follow a Haynes manual or similar. Once out you'll need to replace the wiring harness with the new one, as well as mount the amplifier box by the glove box (you can do this later but it's easier to do now). Now would be also a good time to install the dump switch and any parts you need on the brake pedal (hopefully I don't have to disassemble my dash to get my brake pedal in...)
3. The servo should be installed on the right rear of the engine bay, by the fuse box. On the servo there will be two connections- the standalone connector goes into the engine's vacuum system, and the one attached to the T goes to the dump valve. The actuator cable goes in next to the throttle cable on the engine; there should be a pin that can be taken out to adjust how much slack goes from the cable brace to the end of the connector. You ideally want it to be snug but not pulling the throttle open while at rest. If you need to buy a new actuator cable (like me) they are held to the servo by two bolts- pretty easy.
And that's all there is to it. Coming from someone who knows very little about cars this was pretty easy. Depending on what you need to buy you might budget $150 for the parts, which is not much cheaper than an aftermarket system but I prefer the look of a factory system.
Note: After you get everything installed, this site has the testing info you need, as well as wiring diagrams and general cruise info: http://www.thorssell.net/hbook/ccmain.html
Well, I have it mostly working. For anyone thinking of doing this, here's what I needed for my 93... 94's should be the same, and I think earlier ones will be similar as well.
1. Cruise Control Amplifier (stole mine from a 94 Ranger)- green box with a 8 pin and 6 pin connector on it, seems pretty universal for vacuum controlled cruise controls. Located inside the dashboard by the glove box- actually mounted on the same piece as the latch for the glove box. Came with a used dash I bought for the instrument cluster for $50.
2. Cab wiring harness- the monster the goes into the engine bay. Need one from a Ranger that had cruise control; you can tell as there is a separate connection that goes through the firewall that plugs into the servo, tt will have the two connectors for the amplifier coming off the same line that connects to the glove box light, and the connector that goes into the steering controls is a 4 pin square instead of 3 pin rounded connector. Came with the aforementioned dash from a 94 ranger.
3. Steering column/wheel with 3 pin clock spring. If you have a fixed steering column you will most likely need a new one; if you have a tilt you will already have the 3 pinned version (even if you don't have cruise already). I picked up a used tilt steering column (and upgraded to a leather wrapped steering wheel too) and bought a Horn pad that had the cruise switches. $65 for the steering column from a 94, $5 for the horn pad from a 91-94 Explorer (I think it was 92).
4. Cruise Control Servo. You will need to find a bracket from a 93-94 Ranger for this as well; I was not able to so I snatched a bracket from a 94 Explorer which bolts on ok but doesn't sit in the slit in the engine bay so it'd only being held by that one bolt. The bracket from a 92 some rivet like snaps and don't work at all. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a proper bracket but it doesn't worry me too much.
You'll additionally need to find an actuator cable to match your engine. Mine is currently from a 2.9 and, while they're adjustable, the best I can do is get it to open up the throttle about a third to half way. They sell the cables on eBay for cheap enough as I couldn't find a 2.3 at the yard.
Last, for the servo, they all seemed to be the same, but ones from some Explorers use a different connector (rounded instead of square). Mine is from a 92 Ranger.
5. Vacuum dump switch- a plastic piece that goes next to the base of the brake pedal and is connected to the servo via vacuum tubing. When the switch is pressed in (IE brake pedal is not being pressed) it closes off the vacuum tube and acts as like a cap. Let the switch out and it opens up the vacuum tube and mechanically causes the servo to dump its vacuum. It's a safeguard as the amplifier will tell the servo to dump its vacuum if it sees the brake light (and clutch, which uses the brake light line), but if you have a bulb out in the back then the circuit won't close, which is where the mechanical piece comes in.
The other piece you may need with this is some metal extension to the brake pedal which keeps the switch depressed. I'm missing this right now so I simply have the line capped off at the servo (and, if my brake lights go out, I'll just tap Off on the cruise switches), so it is optional but recommended. I grabbed a couple of switches, one from the Explorer and one from the 92 Ranger, and they're the same.
So those are the parts you need. Installing it is as easy as hooking everything up, which involves:
1. Take off your steering wheel, steering column trim, and putting on the new clock spring with a 4 pin connector (3 pins for clock spring itself). Or, if it's easier for you (or you're upgrading like I did), the steering column is as easy as taking out the bolt that connects the intermediate shaft to the lower shaft that goes into the power steering area and disconnecting the column inside the cab and pulling out.
2. The entire dash has to come out. It's not that hard, just follow a Haynes manual or similar. Once out you'll need to replace the wiring harness with the new one, as well as mount the amplifier box by the glove box (you can do this later but it's easier to do now). Now would be also a good time to install the dump switch and any parts you need on the brake pedal (hopefully I don't have to disassemble my dash to get my brake pedal in...)
3. The servo should be installed on the right rear of the engine bay, by the fuse box. On the servo there will be two connections- the standalone connector goes into the engine's vacuum system, and the one attached to the T goes to the dump valve. The actuator cable goes in next to the throttle cable on the engine; there should be a pin that can be taken out to adjust how much slack goes from the cable brace to the end of the connector. You ideally want it to be snug but not pulling the throttle open while at rest. If you need to buy a new actuator cable (like me) they are held to the servo by two bolts- pretty easy.
And that's all there is to it. Coming from someone who knows very little about cars this was pretty easy. Depending on what you need to buy you might budget $150 for the parts, which is not much cheaper than an aftermarket system but I prefer the look of a factory system.
Note: After you get everything installed, this site has the testing info you need, as well as wiring diagrams and general cruise info: http://www.thorssell.net/hbook/ccmain.html
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