One item that was not on my Ranger when I bought it was cruise control. I've looked everywhere for an OEM setup but I can't find a whole/NOS one, and doing it part by part is so cost-prohibitive compared with an aftermarket unit it just doesn't make sense. While I have the tools and time to do a DIY install, I'll probably have a local shop do it. I plan to do some long distance driving with this truck and really miss the right foot helper

Does anyone have any recommendations for a cruise control unit for my Ranger?

1999 Ranger XLT 4x4, Auto, 4.0L.

Thank You, this website is great!

 

I think, trying to get everything you need from a donor vehicle will be a very difficult task. You will have to pull wiring from several different wiring harnesses and get a ECU that will be compatible with your truck and have what ever is needed to make the system work on your truck.

At a minimum, talk with the mechanic you are considering to put the system on your truck. See what he has to say about what is involved with installing a Ford unit in your truck and how much he would charge you.

In my opinion, the simplest and least expensive way to do it is to get an aftermarket unit and put it on yourself. I did that to a car I had some years ago and it seemed like a fairly simple task and worked satisfactorily for me.

Some things to think about.

 

Is your Ranger auto, or manual tranny????

IMO using an OEM cruise control system would likely expose yourself to fewer potential problems. I have OEM Factory cruise control on both of my Ford rides.
EDIT: Here is a link to the FTE forums sponsor list, bet you could get a quote on an OEM cruise control system from one or more of them. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/vendor_directory.php

Mailman on the MotorWeek forum installed an OEM cruise control that he got off EBay, on his manual tranny Toyota Tacoma & it installed & worked ok.

If you don't want to go OEM & are determined to go aftermarket, here is one option, but I have no idea how good it is. http://thecruisecontrolstore.com/ez-catalog/X380183//ranger9609?layout=system:layout_0100.xsl

 

@pawpaw - Thanks for the links. I agree and would prefer to install an OEM system. Thanks to you, I found one and more info than my current Ford dealer was able to give me regarding the parts availability and other info (like the fact this system was the same on 98-03 Rangers). The link was available in the vendors section. This will help track a used one down on Ebay but now I know I can get a new one, albeit at about 2.5X the price of an aftermarket item.

Thanks to all that replied. This is a very helpful place, and I hope i can contribute at some point in the future!
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99 Ranger XLT 4x4 4.0L Auto

 

I put an Audiovox kit in my Plymouth about 7 years ago, and even though IMO Audiovox makes junk audio stuff this kit works good, no problems so far and was easy to install, tap into the VSS, brake switch, the tach wire, a vacuum source, a cable to the throttle body, power and ground, and find a place for the switch panel, thats about it.

 

OK, good to hear you were able to find the info you needed, keep us posted on how the install goes.

 

I was able to find a full OEM package on Ebay recently, for less than an aftermarket one. It's for a '01 - '03 Ranger but from what I can tell from the shop manual, it's going to work. We'll see. I'll keep this thread updated with my progress.

For what it's worth, everything under the hood is the same, it's the wiring harness under the dash I am concerned with at the moment. You never know until you get into it...

Cheers!

 

Well I finally got around to installing the cruise control in my pickup. With the help of the shop manuals, everything went pretty smoothly. Some items were pretty vague but I was able to figure them all out with one caveat:

The final part - the actuator cable to the throttle linkage. There does not appear to be anywhere on the throttle linkage on my truck to connect the cable. Pretty weird - would seem to be an issue for aftermarket kits also unless they change the throttle linkage.

Anyone have a 1999 or older Ranger with an OEM cruise control? Would really like to get a pic of the throttle linkage so I can show it to my Ford dealer to see if we might find a part to make the cruise control work. Or perhaps a part number for the correct one with the point to connect the cable onto?



I'm posting photos of the linkage to my account here.

Thanks for the help!

 

On my 99 4.0L, the cruise control cable exits from the top of the cruise control motor control, which is located just aft of the top of passenger side strut tower. The cruise control cable runs over to the throttle plate arm, where it attaches over the throttle cable attachment point, via a tubular plastic bridge arrangement. So it rides atop the throttle cable via the plastic bridge, which attaches to the throttle cable end point. About a foot before it attaches to the throttle plate, is an attachment support point for the cruise & throttle cables, to keep them parallel, steady & from flopping about where they attach to the throttle plate arm.

I took some pictures of my 99 4.0L attachment hdw with my cell phone that I'll try & post up, to show what the cruise cable tubular plastic bridge arrangement looks like & what the throttle & cruise cable support attachment point looks like.

SO, if your cruise control cable came with a black plastic, tubular molding on the end, that has three molded on bridge supports, those supports rest on the throttle cable hardware to hold the cruise cable parallel with the throttle cable. The end of the plastic bridge fits over the end of the throttle cable throttle plate arm attachment point. So with this arrangement the throttle & cruise cables run parallel, with the cruise cable atop the throttle cable & both come to be attached at the same place on the throttle plate arm.

EDIT: Add Photo

 

I'm doing a little work under the hood this morning so I figured I'd take a few pics of the cruise control cable setup on my '98. You can see how the CC cable sort of "piggy backs" onto the throttle cable:

Pic1

Pic2

Pic3

Pic4

Pic5

Pic6 (CC cable disconnected)

 

Thanks for posting the pictures Rockledge, by the time I found out how to post my phone pictures, the danged router stopped working, so I turned it off & finished my mowing, then turned it back on & it was working again, but before I figured out how to have FTE host the danged pictures, the danged router stopped working again!!!!Seems to be a time/temp problem, maybe dusty inside, so I'll have to open it up & have a look.

Anyway, your cruise control cable hookup looks the same as my 99 4.0L. & those pictures are worth a thousand words!!!! Maybe now the op can figure out how it connects.

 

I wonder if the OP might need that small support bracket which can accommodate both cables..

 

My danged router went out right at noon & just came back up. took it 3 hours to wake up this time, likely gonna have to get another one, can't stand this random dropping out!!!!

Can't tell if he has the support bracket, as his photo is zoomed in on the throttle attachment, but he likely has one for the throttle cable & maybe it also has the spot for the cruise control cable???? EDIT: Your pic-5 is a good shot of it.

 

Sorry for the delay in response to all the fine help here in this forum!

I was able to acquire the correct actuator cable using the part number in the shop manual. My Ford dealer had it in stock and it fits like a glove. I was able to get this system up and working in a few days (you could probably do it faster than me!).

I did have all the correct brackets for holding the cable in place.

The only thing that does not work at the moment is the Cruise Control light in the dashboard. Without taking the dash panel out, I am assuming that the lightbulb is simply missing due to not being part of the original build. It would be a nice convenience, but I have not taken the dash apart to make the light work.

Thanks again to everyone for the assistance.

 

Good to hear the cruise control installation went well & is working ok. If you decide to pull the instrument cluster to check the cruise control lamp, consider taking the time to install All New lamps for other things in the cluster too.