So I figured I would fix my cruise control. When I bought the Bronco, it didn't have the steering wheel and the cruise cable was disconnected. I replaced the steering wheel with a proper Ford with cruise. It was nice to honk the horn from the wheel, and not the cheapo button under the dash.
Here's what I did. I ran the cruise control cable to the carb mount where it has a sinle little colt holding it to the same mount as the throttle. I had to buy a new cable with the clip on the end of it where the big "dog tag" style chain goes in. It snaps on the end of the throttle where it clips onto the carb. I hope I'm being clear.
i went down the highway and it worked for about 5 seconds, and then nothing. I got under the hood and removed the air cleaner to look and sure enough, the cruise control cable had pulled the throttle linkage all the way back and popped it off the carburetor. I went back home and changed out cruise control cables thinking maybe that was the problem. Nope, it did the same thing except when I first "set" the cruise control, the truck would speed up, then slow down, surge, then slow down. It did this about four or five times before it popped the throttle linkage off the carburetor.
Does anyone have any ideas? Is this a weak snap on connection from the throttle linkage, or is the cruise control cable too tight or misadjusted. I set the chain on the end of the cruise cable where it is just tight when not running. Thanks for any help you have with this.

 

Okay, it's been a long time and I still have the problem with the cruise control. Any ideas what to try? I got a ouple of new cables, and servos, from Ebay and still had the same problem.

 

What's this with the chain? A cable AND a chain?

Ford cars 40 or so years ago had a rubber bellows as the cruise control "muscle", and a ball chain ran from the end plate of the bellows to the throttle linkage.
Then they went to a servo-style that was self-contained, and a cable (wire core inside a cable sheath) went over to and snapped onto a little ball mount on the throttle linkage.

Guess I missed the cable AND chain. Why a chain piece?

 

Your guess is as good as mine Torky2. It appears 1985 was the last year they put it together this way. There is actually a hard plastic sleeve at the end of the wire, then the ball chain comes out of that. Like I said, the cruise works, but when you have it on for a second or two, it accelerates really fast then pops off the carburetor. Probably a good thing too, since it accelerates like you had your foot to the floor on the gas pedal.

 

This is what the stock cable and chain looks like. I am having the same problem with my speed control "surging". Did you find a solution to your surge problem?

 

Mine was working as normal for a short time but has since gone back to surging.

 

I know it has been some time but did you ever get a fix for your problem?