Hi All,
A few months ago, I installed an AudioVox CCS-100 cruise control kit into my '81 Bronco. However, I can't seem to find anywhere on the dash that I want to mount their control pad. Anywhere on the dash where it'll mount is both awkwardly out of reach (require leaning forward), and requires me to drill a hole in my 30 year old dash. Not a fan of either.

So, last time I was at the junk yard, I was looking for a stock hornpad with cruise controls in it but stumbled upon something I'd never seen before, which was a blinker mounted cruise control in an early 80s truck. Pretty cool.



I removed the steering column cover and was able to run the wiring through the steering column (there was even a hole in my column that I never knew what it was for.) The wires fit perfectly through it.

However, now I need to figure out how to wire it in place of the Audiovox controls. I've diagnosed the wiring for each, but they're both slightly different. The Ford control uses 5 wires, and the Audiovox uses 6. Plus, they operate slightly differently (such as, Resume on the Ford setup uses the ON button, whereas Resume on the Audiovox uses the Accel button.)

Here's the wiring:

Ford Cruise Control:

White - Set / Accel
Yellow - Set / Coast
Brown - On / Resume
Orange - Off
Red - Ground/Power? (Not sure)

AudioVox Cruise Control:
(From users manual, and double checked by removing plastic cover.)

Red - Constant Power
Black - Ground
Brown - On
Yellow - Accel / Resume
Green - Set / Coast
Gray - (Signals speed is above 30mph)


How would you all recommend wiring the two together?

 

I would recommend wiring the two together correctly.

Hilarious.

 

Exactly what is the purpose of your reply?

 

Regardless of how the Ford blinker controller is labeled, it is only going to operate as the AudioVox servo is programmed. (I am not totally familiar with the AudioVox, but I've seen it does have some dip switches...do you know what they are for?)

I think the simplest solution would be to be happy with the Ford controller mislabeled (or rub off the lettering and substitute your own to match the original function of the AudioVox).

I would run as follows:

Ford AudioVox Labeled Function
White Yellow Set/Accel Accel/Resume
Yellow Green Set/Coast Set/Coast
Brown Brown On/Resume On

I don't see an "off" on you AudioVox labels, I'm assuming the servo has a provision for that when you hit the brakes and its not integrated into the controller?

If it does, and the orange wire from the Ford controller matches the same activation state as the brake wire going to the servo, you could tie in that orange wire from the Ford controller to the brake sensor and have "off" from both the brakes and the controller.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. You're right in that it'll have to be "mislabeled" on the Ford controller.

Here's a picture of the Audiovox controller:



I forgot to mention that it does have an OFF button, but it doesn't have a dedicated wire running to it. I wasn't entirely sure how that particular button worked, since the circuit board in the controller didn't have a circuit running to it like the other buttons did.


You're correct though in that the servo has an automatic off with the brakes. It has two automatic offs. One turns off if the brakes are pressed, and the other turns the unit off if the RPMs radically raise (such as in the case of pressing in the clutch to shift, or if the wheels lose traction).

((And yes, the Audiovox does have the dip switches. They're primarily for telling it how it's installed. Auto/manual transmission, VSS speed sensor or magnetic pickup, RWD/FWD, etc. etc.))

 

This could be tricky then. The "off" portion of the switch sounds like its dead, which probably means that unless the audiovox brown wire (on) is active, then the servo won't be active.

Does the off/on-resume switch on the Ford controller return to neutral position after you press it, or is it toggle style?

 

Okay, just gave it a shot wiring them together, and it was a no go.

Here's what I did (and found out).

First off, the gray wire on the Audiovox controller didn't go anywhere. Forgot it was for an option I didn't use, and the wire was just dangling.

So, this is what I tried:

Ford -> AudioVox

Set/Accel -> Accel/Resume
Set/Coast -> Set/Coast
On/Resume -> On

Then for the difficult ones.

Off -> ----
Ground/Power -> Ground
--- -> Ignition

I figured the Off button didn't connect to the ignition, so I left those disconnected.
I also tried it with the Ground/Power (I describe it as such since I don't know which it is) connected to the Ignition. Neither did anything.

Lastly, to answer your question, both controls are the neutral return spring press style buttons. There's no toggle switches.


Thoughts?

 

Found something else out. Here's the user's manual for the Audiovox unit.

http://www.gadgetjq.com/av_manual.pdf

On page 5 is the dip switch settings. There is a setting for a Closed or Open loop controller.
Think I could utilize this somehow?

 

As the manual says, the audiovox supplied controller is open loop. I believe this to mean that the servo is supplying 12V to the controller through the red wire (in order for anything to work, you have to have the red wire hooked up between the controller and the servo...did you do this?). As a button on the audiovox controller is pressed, voltage is sent through the switch to the corresponding brown, yellow, or green wire and thus the servo receives the active high command (+12V).

Comment: This should not be referred to as "open/closed loop" but rather "normally open or normally closed circuit" and the provided controller is normally open!

Lets go ahead and assume that your salvaged Ford controller is also normally open (red wire brings 12V into each switch, and if the switch is activated, voltage then passes through the switch). I'm going to assume this because if the switch fails, the switch becomes inoperable rather than lets say....the switch fails closed on the accel button...(not entirely related to Toyota's recent problem, but you get the idea there).

But because assumptions are like corn holes let's do the following:

To test the normally open/closed circuit on the ford controller: Switch your multimeter to continuity test, or as I like to call it "beepy mode." Then put one probe on the red wire, and the other on white. When you press down on the button corresponding to the white wire, you should have continuity...and so on for both yellow and brown while the other probe is still connected to red. If your Ford controller is in fact "normally open" as the provided controller, then leave dip #6 as OFF.

Oh, one last important question: On the provided audiovox controller, is the on/off switch toggle or neutral return?

EDIT: I think I just found the answer to last question from the manual:

ON / OFF : Move the ON / OFF switch to the ON position. Nothing will happen, as this simply prepares the
system for operation.
Each time the ignition switch or the cruise control switch is turned OFF, the system is de - energized. To reenergize
the system, the ignition switch must be turned on, and the cruise control switch must be moved to
the ON position. The cruise control switch can be left On at all times without causing any damage to the system

Looks like you will have to always have the system "on," by hardwiring the brown wire to the red wire on the servo side. Which according to the above is not a problem...as long as you're ok with ending your cruise speed by pressing the brakes. That's all I do anyway, otherwise you're pushing an extra button again anyway to set your speed the next time.

 

Hey ctch88,
Thanks for all of the ideas and help. I really appreciate it.

All the buttons on both switches are completely neutral return. Neither has any toggle switches.

I'll have to get my multimeter out and do some testing. In the mean time, if I understand you right, are you saying to connect the BROWN (on) wire from the Ford unit to the RED (power) wire on the Audiovox unit? Or are you saying connect the BROWN and RED wire (on and power) from the Ford unit to the RED (power) on the Audiovox? I can see what you're recommending to accomplish, by always keeping the system energized. Just making sure how to wire it.

Personally, I'd rather have it on all the time. I have never used an OFF button on a cruise before. I figure SET is turning it on, and pressing the brake is turning it off. =P

Thanks again for your help.

 

Ok, well if the "on" switch on the provided audiovox is neutral return then there shouldn't be a problem with using the "on/resume" button on the Ford controller either.

If you wanted to always have the system on, I was recommending the following: Connect the red wire to the brown wire on the servo side of the audiovox connector that goes to the controller. (this could be done at the connector or at the servo). However, since the provided switch is neutral return, NOT toggle, then I would recommend bringing the brown wire from the servo and connecting it to the brown wire on the Ford controller. This means you will have to turn the system on each time you want to use the cruise control...but this way it is emulating the provided controller in the same way...which is probably the best way to go.

 

Do a search for a company named Rostra. They are the company that makes Cruise Controls for most of the automobiles and the Audiovox unit you have. There is actually a wireless unit that I think can be used with that unit. When I was researching adding CC to my 92 Bronco, I found them and contacted them. They were very helpful and researched my questions and returned my calls with information. I have a thread over on FSB I haven't found yet but when I do, I'll link it here.

Question; is your CCS-100 the electronic unit or is it the one that's tied in with vacuum control? The wireless unit is for the Electronic and not the vacuum controlled unit. With the Wireless, you can mount the control right at the thumb/finger position you use most often on your steering column.

Here we go. Hope this helps. I haven't done it myself yet but plan to in the future after I get the more important parts fixed on my Bronco.
FullSizeBronco.com - 78 - 96 Ford Bronco offroad club, forums, tech, installs

 

Ok, sorry I didn't get back on this sooner. I burned out the in-line fuse on the wiring and couldn't continue until I got a new fuse, which, since I didn't have on-hand, provided to be really time consuming to get around to getting.

Either way, I'm still not sure what to do.
Your suggestion of connecting the red and brown wire on the servo side made sense. But, since it's not a toggle, and a neutral return, not sure this would work. (Or would it?)
Then, you recommended connecting the brown wire on the audiovox to the brown wire on the ford (which are both ON). But this brings me back to how I had originally hooked it up at the very beginning, which didn't work.

I'm still not sure what to connect the Red wire on the Ford side to, or the Red on the Audiovox. I also still have a ground wire on the audiovox side that originally ran to the audiovox controller. Thoughts?

 

Check with the Rosta company and see if they can help you out. The Audiovox unit is just a repackaged unit built by them. They may be able to direct you accordingly.