cruise control clockspring????

[whoathere]

I am currently in the process or acquring a cruise control unit from another member... I don't think I have anything that I need to do the install. I dont have the unit mounted by the washer fluid bottle. What I need to know is...I am getting the wiring from the unit that is by the washer fluid bottle, the wiring, and the buttons. Now, on the tutorial I read on how to do this install, it said that you also need clockspring in the steering wheel. The problem is, I dont know what teh clockspring is, and neither does the guy im getting this from, so I need some help so he can find it.

ANd if you can think of anything else I need, please let me know, thanks.

 

[Rick]

I found this, but it is not Explorer specific.

Power for the cruise control comes in through the DRL/Fog/Horn fuse in the engine compartment fuse box. It then goes through the horn relay (don't ask me why) , through the clockspring in the steering wheel and then to the cruise control switch.

So, if the cruise control and the horn doesn't work, it is likely the horn relay or the clockspring assembly is bad. If the horn does work, then the clockspring assembly or the cruise control switch is bad.

And this:

The fix for the horn is likely going to be the fix for the Air Bag and cruise control too. Just below the steering wheel there is a wrap of wires. This wrap of wires is contained in a plastic case. On each side of this case is an electrical connector, one going to your cruise control, horn and Air Bag on the steering wheel. The other end is connected to the wiring harness at the base of the steering column. The plastic case that the wires are contained in is often referred to as the clock spring. The reasoning for this name? The wires are laid out in a manner that they look like the spring to a wind-up clock. What makes it even more like a clock spring is the way the wires wind-up inside the case while the steering is being turned to the left or right. This is done to allow for the movement of the steering wheel while not breaking the wires. To repair a failed clock spring requires disassembling and removal of the steering wheel which includes the Air Bag. When working with Air Bags you’ve got to know what you’re up to, they are damn dangerous if handled incorrectly. Have a tech with proper training diagnose and repair your vehicle.

 

[whoathere]

well this is just for an installation of cruise control, on my currently non-cc explorer. I want to just install cruise control, among a crapload of other stuff, but I know that I need a clockspring, and neither of us know what it is.

 

[Rick]

Umm...The articles above TELLS you what it is.

 

[whoathere]

I just read the thread again about installing the cruise control, and it says that the horn, cruise control, and the airbag all run through the same clockspring. So does this mean that I can use the same clockspring that is already in my steering wheel, since i have the airbag and horn?

 

[Turdle]

I just read the thread again about installing the cruise control, and it says that the horn, cruise control, and the airbag all run through the same clockspring. So does this mean that I can use the same clockspring that is already in my steering wheel, since i have the airbag and horn?

Do you have the correct steering wheel?

 

[whoathere]

I dont know, how can I tell. I do not have the controls on the steering wheel. I just have the 4 spoke wheel, I think thats what it has been referred to as. All black, not leather or anything.

 

[Turdle]

I dont know, how can I tell. I do not have the controls on the steering wheel. I just have the 4 spoke wheel, I think thats what it has been referred to as. All black, not leather or anything.

The reason for the electrical contacts thru the steering wheel are for the cruise control switches, which are in the steering wheel, the horn switch in the wheel, and the airbag in the wheel. You probably ought to try to get the whole steering column from the cruise donor, or at least the wheel and clockspring

 

[whoathere]

Oh ok. When I did some searching on this, I found a member that installed a cruise control kit that he ordered from Ford. It just came with the mounting hardware for the switches, a clockspring, wiring, and the servo unit and cable. Another member mentioned that when he took off the old clockspring, he noticed that it had the same part # as the one included with the kit, which is why I wondered if it was teh same in all vehicles. Another thing I am in question about is, the wiring goes from the switches through the firewall to the unit that is mounted by the washer fluid bottle, and from there, what do you have to connect that tells the engine that the cruise is engaged?

 

[MONMIX]

There are two clock spring part numbers numbers one with steering wheel controls, and one with out.

In dealing with the clock spring you are dealing with the air bag. Make sure you disconnect BOTH terminals of the battery ten mineuts prior to removing the air bag or the other end of the clock spring connections.

 

[whoathere]

Monmix: is that so I dont deploy the airbag?

And with this clockspring, is it just the unit that moves when the steering wheel is turned, and the wires must go through it then? To keep them from binding or losing connection? It's hard for me to explain to the guy im buying it from, when I have no idea what it is myself. If it moves with the wheel. Then I can tell him to just turn the wheel and take out the component that moves with it correct?

Or could you guys just give me an idea of what it is and what it looks like so I can tell him.

 

[Rick]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996...33719QQitemZ8011856497QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

I'm sure getting educated on these things. It's easy to find anything you need on the net when you search around.

 

[whoathere]

definately not exactly what i had in mind thanks for the help. I'll let you guys know how the install goes.

 

[MONMIX]

Monmix: is that so I dont deploy the airbag?

And with this clockspring, is it just the unit that moves when the steering wheel is turned, and the wires must go through it then? To keep them from binding or losing connection? It's hard for me to explain to the guy im buying it from, when I have no idea what it is myself. If it moves with the wheel. Then I can tell him to just turn the wheel and take out the component that moves with it correct?

Or could you guys just give me an idea of what it is and what it looks like so I can tell him.

Well in part. The odds of you deploying the bag are actually slim. The odds of you throwing a code however are pretty significant.

Exactally. The clock spring is what stops the wires from getting all twisted.

The photo Rick posted is in fact a clock spring.