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Installing Cruise Control, Turn-Signal Display Rearview Mirrors and Seat Covers A group of small projects helps beef up a Jeep's comfort and "drive appeal" before a long road-trip. From "Weekend Mechanic" episode WKM-410

(Continued from page 1)

Bruce begins the project of installing the cruise control system, starting with the work under the hood.

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Figure A

Installing the Cruise Control Unit

Important: When installing underneath the hood (figure A), do not put the unit near a heat source such as the intake and exhaust manifold.

• Drill and mount the cruise control unit onto the firewall (figure B). For this vehicle, we put our unit on the firewall away from the heat source. Following the air tube we routed the cable right to the throttle body, then into the bracket and into the connection point on the throttle body.
  

• Next, the throttle linkage adaptor is installed onto the throttle body and should move freely. The cable-to-cable connector is installed onto the adaptor.

• With the measurement between the cable guide and the throttle linkage, trim the cable housing as necessary. The trimmed cable goes through the cable guide (figure C) and is connected to the throttle linkage.

  Figure B

  Figure C

  
  

  Figure D

• The knee panel beneath the steering wheel comes off (figure D) as well as the lower steering column cover. Mark the cover for the placement of the control switch.

• With the mounting hole drilled out, the wires go through the hole, and the control switch is installed.

• The lock washer and retaining nut secures the switch to the cover.

• The cover with the new cruise control switch is installed back onto the steering column.
  

  	Interior wiring for the cruise control unit.
  	Cruise control module with programming switches
  	Bruce installs the under-hood portion of the cruise control wiring.

Important: Read and follow the instructions that came with the cruise control system to help install it in your specific car.

• First slip the wires in the correct combination into the plug on the control switch on the side of the steering wheel. Lock the wires in place.

• Now that the connector is installed, the knee bolster comes out for access to the wiring.

• The control unit wiring harness is routed through the engine bay and through the firewall grommet. Then the wires are routed through the firewall and the grommet is re-installed.

• After locating the Jeep's ignition wire (brown) by turning the ignition on and using the meter, strip a small section away from the wire. Strip the end of the cruise control ignition wire and make the connection. It is always a good idea to solder electrical connections and secure them with a wire tie. The four wire connector from the cruise control switch is connected to the plug on the control module harness.

• The other two wires, violet and red, are the brake wires that are also connected and secured.

• Back in the engine bay, the blue tach wire is neatly routed and taped up to get to the VSS connection. The blue tach wire is then connected to the VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) signal wire. As always, the connection should be soldered and taped to secure it.

• If you cannot get a clean signal from the VSS lead or the vehicle does not have one, add a signal generator if one is available for the vehicle.

• There are several dip switches (like on/off switches) that you need to set on the unit underneath the hood. You'll set the different selectors to the specific car you're working on, then plug the connector back in.

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