Junkyard Cruise from Scratch - Amplifier Mounting?

[Brain75]

I 2nd what lowspeed just said about 1st and 2nd gen (83-88,89-92) being vac valve only, and 3rd + being electric switch. I did a dealer add on style and it came with an electric clutch switch. The junkyard ones I looked at for reference had electric clutch switch as well. You COULD put an electric clutch switch and electric brake switch in series to do the same thing, both just kick it into standby leaving it still on and remembering last known speed. You don't need a master cylinder with electric switch in the 1st/2nd gen.

 

[RobbieD]

Actually, 1st and 2nd generation Ranger cruise controls DO use the brake on/off (BOO) circuit, AND the vacuum dump valve as a backup "failsafe" cruise disengagement.

1987 EVTM (images were handy), but '83 through '94 are pretty much the same (1995 and up are not in my wheelhouse, so I don't know much about them).

On a manual truck, the brake light circuit also goes through the triple function switch operated by the clutch.

Another interesting thing to keep in mind, that in addition to the cruise system disengaging when the brake light circuit has +12V (brake pedal pressed), it also monitors the wire to be grounded, brake pedal not pressed, in order to allow the cruise to be engaged in the first place. This is how the clutch switch can disengage cruise- ground goes away, and that's why a lot of times when LED tail lights are added, the cruise control stops working; because it can't "see" the ground anymore.

Can't have too much useless Ranger trivia, right?

 

[Brain75]

+1^^

I'd listen to Robbie more than me, he helped me get mine squared away, I would swear there was no master cylinder switch difference on the junkyard examples I looked at (mostly all broncos for 1st/2nd gen, but a whole lot of 3rdgens (most all of em in the yard at the time)...but I bugged him and others for diagrams and details, all I had was junkyard examples... so my brain is not as reliable as his pix.

 

[RobbieD]

+1^^

I'd listen to Robbie more than me, he helped me get mine squared away, I would swear there was no master cylinder switch difference on the junkyard examples I looked at (mostly all broncos for 1st/2nd gen, but a whole lot of 3rdgens (most all of em in the yard at the time)...but I bugged him and others for diagrams and details, all I had was junkyard examples... so my brain is not as reliable as his pix.

Thank you; . . . but . . . I'm sure glad I have my boots on! That's undue credit, and it's a little too deep, ha ha. I can't hold a candle to many others on here, knowledge-wise. I'm more like the proverbial "broken clock".

I only know a few things relatively well, and then there's a hell of lot more than that, that I only know enough about to be considered as unarmed and dangerous. A lot I picked up from working in aftermarket automotive accessories (AKA "12 volt") from 1977 to the early '90s, and then for a 12 volt manufacturer until 2008.

And a big part of what I've learned has come from driving, doctoring, and cursing, nothing but the Ranger and its mutant spawn since 1985.


I just happen to have installed a LOT of cruise controls, aftermarket and OEM, back in the day (WAY back). Being in 12 volt was fun as hell, while it lasted. It was one of those "I can't believe they're paying me to do this!" kind of jobs.


And for the record, I'm not aware of, nor have ever heard of, the master cylinder being different for cruise control.

 

[Brain75]

well now you just saying "And for the record, I'm not aware of, nor have ever heard of, the master cylinder being different for cruise control. " directly contradicts the tech article and what I was saying in bold flat out terms....
this tech article (which is for 3rd gen +):

Adding Cruise Control To Your Ford Ranger - The Ranger Station

Disclaimer: The Ranger Station.com, The Ranger Station.com Staff, nor the original poster are responsible for you doing this modification to your vehicle. By doing this modification and following this how-to you, the installer, take full responsibility if anything is damaged … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

says you have to swap your plain ole master cylinder for a master cylinder with an electronic switch:

"New Brake Master Cylinder with C/C deactivation switch (part #F67Z-2140-JA) "
last pic at the very bottom of article:

and that matches what I (remember 3 months ago) having seen in the junkyard, in the 3rd gen + they had 2 different master cylinders, those with factory cruise had the switch, those without looked the same even the emboss, just no drilled,tapped port for a switch.


I'll agree 1st/2nd gen used the BOO as well, just didn't take it directly from a dedicated port on the (different) master cylinder. I can't speak to authority on that one as to how/where, cause the "dealer add" I did works differently and has a switch you add yourself leaving factory wiring untouched.

 

[RobbieD]

That's interesting. I've never had a truck with one of these switches on the master cylinder, but then again all of mine (past and present) have been 1994 year model and prior.

So, this switch would have to be something that started with the '95 models, or later.

I had to put a master on my white Explorer ('94) four years ago:

No switch.

I bought my last new Ranger in January, 1995 (no cruise on it). I walked the dealer lot specifically looking for '94 models. as I didn't want the air bag, and I didn't want OBD2 (both new that year); I reasoned that more sensors would cause more problems, in the long run, especially on an "intro" year. And yes, I know the both bags and OBD2 have their advantages; some of us just prefer "old school".

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

The master cylinder/brake pressure switch is the failsafe for '95+. Terrys87 doesn't need to worry about it if he's installing a stock donor system.

A new cruise master and switch pigtail can be had for $30 from rockauto's "economy" section, so I do think there's little excuse not to include it if you're adding cruise to a '95+.

 

[Brain75]

Not to derail, but interesting side note, back in '48, the brake system worked off a high pressure switch like that. And it was high pressure too, the idea being people behind you would pay enough attention they didn't need warning except in emergency "heavy braking". Repro mfg still sell both the high and newer style low pressure switch... Even the low pressure one the lights wont come on if you moderately baby the brake pedal.

Switch looks almost identical though goes into the system elsewhere.

If ya think that is crazy, the flatbed (Ford called it "stakebed" back then) has only ONE single tail light and zero rear bumper.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

I have a condition where the parts of a procedure that feel the most obvious to me are apparently exactly the opposite from everybody else. This means I find a lot of tutorials very frustrating, because it feels like they spend 20 minutes on something I took apart immediately, then they say something like "then just go ahead and remove such-and-such" and literally skip the part I'm stuck on.

In that vein, I'm sure this information is already a dozen different places on this site, but since google sucks now, you remove a Ranger clockspring by pulling the cover off the steering column and prying open these 3 plastic tabs on the back, one of which immediately snapped off and flew away:

The NOS clockspring I bought was listed "either w/ or w/o cruise", which I guess is technically one way to describe "w/ cruise". There's an extra pin in the long narrow connector on the front, and 3 in the square brown harness plug:


Fortunately, all of the pins are populated on the truck side of the harness:


Haven't checked for the plug where the cruise module lives in the engine bay yet. Now that I'm under the dash, a PO hacked the ignition wiring all to hell, so I'll probably spend the rest of the day sorting that out.


EDIT: Okay, cruise is good to go. Based on this bright orange sticker I found tangled in the wires, ignition hacking was because a PO had a DUI interlock at some point. Cleaned up without too much trouble.

Overall, adding cruise to a '95 is considerably easier than a '94. There are fewer pieces, more of them are actually available to buy, and most importantly, the truck was completely prewired.

This is the minimum amount of material you need to remove from the rear steering wheel cover to accomodate the cruise controls. I guess you could also just make straight cuts across.
You don't need a donor wheel, and you can get replacement controls basically anywhere. I used interior door strike screws with the points ground off.
It's possible to reinstall the air bag module too deep so it's shorting the horn contacts, and the horn goes off when you hook the battery back up.

The combined servo/amp was prewired, and bolts right on to the closest fender bolt.
The master cylinder pressure switch (also prewired) is NC and opens when you brake, so even if you're bypassing the failsafe system, you need to plug in a switch or otherwise jump those wires.

Cruise light on the dash isn't working. I swear there was a socket for it in the cluster, but I guess there's not a bulb in there.

Ultimately, the only junkyard donor part you need is the servo/amp, but if the NOS clocksprings dry up, someone will have to figure out if the '98+ clocksprings will work or not.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Okay, not the end of the world, but can anyone else with a '95-'97 confirm if they have a working "Speed Control" light, or does anyone have the Instrument Cluster EVTM diagrams for '96 or '97?

My bulb was good, and cleaning the contacts and replacing it anyway didn't change anything. The '95 EVTM does not show a "Speed Control" light in the IC, which makes me think this light just isn't used on '95 Rangers, if not '95-'97 entirely.

I see a "speed control diagnostics" procedure floating around about holding Cruise OFF while you turn the key, and that doesn't light it up either. Not sure what year that's supposed to start.