Speedo Cable Conversion and Cruise Control
 

Hey all,

A couple of questions for you. I've searched the forums and haven't really come up with the answer to what I am doing.

I'm working on converting my truck from a 2WD AOD to a 4WD M5R2 5 speed with the BW 1356 TC. I have factory cruise control and would like to keep it. I know that my speedometer cable will driven by the TC and that is fine and dandy. However, my cruise control currently plugs into the adapter that is screwed inline between my current transmission and the speedometer. I've noticed on most speedo cable connectors that attach to the BW 1356 have an electronic output which I have discovered is the output for cruise control.

So, my questions are these: 1) Do I need to somehow adapt the newer style speedo cable from the BW 1356 to screw into the factory cruise control module adapter, or 2) Do I just wire my current cruise control into the output of the newer style speedo cable at the tail shaft of the TC?

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Thank you!

Aaron

The first thing I would do is see if the old style speedo cable drive gear/housing will slip into your transfer case. The older transfer cases did have regular speedo cables, I just don't know if they will swap in to what you have. Remember the whole housing with the gear and threaded part comes out of the case.

That's a good idea, Dave. I honestly didn't think about doing that yet but will do so when I get the chance. Maybe somebody else has done this and will be able to say yea or nay before I have to. ;-)

Any other comments, tips, pointers, go play in the highway advice? (Just kidding about playing in the highway bit.)

What year is the X-fer case? As your cruse control has the speed sensor inline with speedo cable(two part speedo line), your speedo cable should screw into the x-fer case speedo output.

Now if the x-fer case is a 92 or newer, you might have a issue as those trucks used the VSS in the rear axle for speedometer/cruse (all electronic)functions. Some did not have a mounting machined in the x-fer case for a speedo cable and drive. If thats the case, you may want to find a 91 -older xfer case that has the speedo output.

I seem to remember someone swapping the output housing also to get the speedo receptacle in a transfer case that didn't have it. I can't remember for sure though, and you would have to make sure the output shaft would also accept the drive gear, I think it slips on with a snap ring.

I have two transfer cases. One has the mounting boss for a speedo and the other is blank. I'll be using the correct tail shaft housing to make sure I have the speedo output. If the output shafts are different between the two, then I'll have to swap that too when I rebuild the sucker.

It's good to know that my speedo cable will fit; that means less stuff I'll have to fabricate.

Thanks to the both of you,

Aaron