Hello, does anyone know if the plastic gear on the speedometer cable (at the transfer case) is different based on having or not having cruise control. I am rebuilding a 1990 full size Bronco that did not come from the factory with cruise control. Someone apparently put a speedo cable on it that has a VSS and was apparently from a car that did come with cruise control. I tried to take the gear (yellow 18 teeth) off of the old cable and use it on my new cable but it won't fit. Wondering if a gear from a cable with cruise control is different than a gear for a cable without cruise. Or maybe the new cable was not manufactured properly. The gears on the internet look identical and universal (except that different colors have a different number of teeth) but I wasn't sure. Any input would be appreciated.

 

Cruise most definitely makes a difference. Of course the type of transmission you have makes a difference in the length of the cable too. I got mine off RockAuto recently and had to specify "With or Without Cruise".

 

I've replaced a lot of speedometer gears, but I've never seen anything that had to do with cruise control. In fact, I just popped the speedometer gear off of my Bronco without cruise and put it on my Bronco that does have cruise.
However, if one of them had VSS, it does not use a speedometer gear, so that would make a difference. You need a speedometer cable from a Bronco that uses speedometer gears, not VSS.

There are only two styles of speedometer gears:

Type A (short peg on end)
Manual transmission 2x4
All 4x4

Type B (long peg on end)
Automatic transmission 2x4


You can see the long and short pegs here:



All Broncos use the short peg version due to all being 4x4.

 

I have a '90 with the inline 6 and a 5 spd, I will include the RockAuto link below for the cables they have in stock for them. The clearly show a difference the cable ends that is directly consistent with the "with or without cruise" stipulations in the part descriptions. Click on the pictures of the parts on the RH side of the 4 listings and see the differences. I have purchased accordingly and was not disappointed.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ter+cable,1440

 

That's a difference in the cables, not the speedometer gear. The gears don't change, which was the OP's question. (But, still, it's good to know there's a difference in cables.)
The reason the gear is not fitting is because the cable is for a VSS system, which doesn't use the speedometer gears at all.

 

With or without Speed (Cruise is a GM term) Control makes no difference inre to the speedometer DRIVEN gears.

When these puppies are looked up in Ford parts catalogs, there's no mention of Speed Control.

What must be known to get the correct DRIVEN gear is the trans type, rear axle ratio, 2WD or 4WD and the tire size.

Nylon DRIVEN gears: Same since 1960, 16 thru 21 teeth are available from Ford & auto parts stores.

Pic: Where does it say anything inre to Speed Control?

 

See, this is how I learn... slowly. I was completely stuck on the difference between the cables you're absolutely right. Gear ≠ Cable, got it!