Cruise control in the ashtray mod

[PNY PWR]

I replaced my airbagged and cruise control equipped stock steering wheel a while back. I started thinking that i wanted to keep the cruise control. I've hooked it up and tested the switches via the wires in the column , bypassing the old setup in the stock wheel. I was able to use the horn button in the new wheel by keeping the 2 wires needed coming up from the spinning contact type deal.

I came up with super gluing the 2 cruise control switches together. They fit perfectly in the ash tray after removing the butt putter outer. I drilled a hole toward the front to run the wires. I'll then run the 3 wires up inside the column and connect to the 3 wires that go up to the spinning contact gizmo.

I'll take some pics tommorow during the final install. Hopefully this might help someone who has or is going to install an aftermarket wheel and wants the cruise.

 

[HISSIN50]

great idea!
let us know how it goes.

can you get to the CC wiring in the column (for splicing) fairly easily?

 

[PNY PWR]

Thanks...Yeah, the wires are right there on bottom after you remove the covers. It's kinda strange, there's only 3 wires, the horn and all CC functions operate through them.

Those CC buttons are funky shaped, took me a bit to come up with a decent place to put them. It's a good spot, they're right there easy to reach, just flip up the ash tray cover.

 

[HISSIN50]

interesting - i have a wheel i want to put on but never got around to messing with the CC stuff (i hate non-functional devices). IIRC, there are 3 conductive rings on the stock wheel, so it makes sense about the 3 wires (as few as possible for simplicity on a moving wheel). thanks for the info!

i was gonna try and mount the buttons on the lower column cover or something like that, but i like the ashtray idea. good thinking.

 

[Michael Yount]

I've made a bit of a career at hooking up aftermarket cruise control units (powered by electronic solenoid instead of by vacuum) to the factory CC switches. I realize you can't put the factory switches back in the wheel, but in my experience I've found that if the switches aren't located either on the wheel or on a stalk where you can control them without taking your hands off the wheel, operation gets very cumbersome, and in some cases just plain dangerous if your switch location has you looking away to try and operate the cruise. Just something to think about.

 

[04sleeper]

Momo now offers a leather center section that your factory cruise control buttons go into. I saw it while reading Mustang 5.0 Projects by Mark Houlahan. They did a Momo steering wheel install and it retains the factory cruise control buttons that you install into a leather horn adapter. I have been trying to locate one online but I have not found a source yet and the book does not give you the information on where to get it. It just shows you how to install it.

 

[HISSIN50]

89 have you seen the kit that Grant sells? i guess it is a little pod that houses the CC buttons; it allows for remote mounting. it is $$.

Michael brings up quite a good point about the distraction aspect. when im talkin on the phone, eating, trying to tame the dog in the back seat, tossing drinks out the window, getting a fax and using my PDA while driving, one more distraction could toss me over the edge. (J/K! - Michael really has a good point - the number of distractions modern drivers choose to entertain is a pet pieve of mine).

i know for me, i dont use CC. were it not for the fact that it is there and i hate having dead stuff, i could not hook anything up and be no worse for wear.

 

[PNY PWR]

I got it installed today, it works great. On the safety issue....The buttons are all shaped different so you don't have to look at them to operate the cruise. I test drove it and it's easier to operate than the stereo.

I'm pretty happy with it, I'm like Hissin, I can't stand dead parts sitting on the car. I really didn't want to remove the cruise either, so this works out pretty good. Plus it's free Here's a pic of the final product. i might make a cover at work to fit around the buttons to cover up those edges.

 

[HISSIN50]

looks great PP! nice job and thanks for the info, pics and ideas.

 

[PNY PWR]

Thanks Hissin and no problem, that's what we're all here for

 

[90mustangGT]

That is great, I like it.

 

[Nottoofast50]

nifty