My old OEM cruise control never worked very well. It is vacuum driven and uses the speedometer cable to sense vehicle speed.

Mine never held speed well and surged a lot on hills. On top of that, the primary cable from the trans to the cruise module broke once already. The second cable runs from the cruise to the speedometer itself and is showing signs of failure (the speedo needle is bouncing pretty badly)

Looking around for aftermarket cruise units, there aren't many choices. I decided to go with a Dakota Digital cruise control. They are all electric (no vacuum hoses) and are adjustable for sensitivity (gain) and response rate. I'm hoping to get better speed control and eliminate the need for the jerky old cables.

Dakota sells several models.

The ones for the newer cars do not need a speed sensor, they just have a single "VSS" wire to pick up the signal from the car's computer.

The ones for the older rigs with cable speedometers come with an adapter which installs in line with the cable. The adapter has an internal rev sensor and a cable to connect to the cruise module. This is the model I'm using, with the adapter attached to the trans. I won't be using the rest of the cable any more.

The cruise unit itself is the same, just gets its speed signal from a different source.

Since the cables are no longer needed for cruise, and the speedometer varies by over 5 mph, I decided to replace the speedometer with a GPS type which needs no cable. (See posting on Speedhut gauges)

The unit comes with a control module, wiring harnesses, speed sensor and transmission adapter, and a switch/turn signal stalk.



I'll start hooking these up tomorrow.

I don't use cruise control; thinking about hurtling an 8-ton RV down the road if I were to lose consciousness makes me avoid it. But then, it may be OK for someone with a copilot...

Yeah, cruise control can be dangerous! It's really tempting just to walk back, make a sandwich, grab a beer.... oops who's driving this thing?

I only use the cruise for a break for my right foot now and then. 86Barth doesn't have enough power to run cruise all the time in hills, etc. The new cruise may cope better, we'll see.

Today I installed the main module on the left forward side of the doghouse. To the right of the yellow electrical plug, the rubber plug covers the DIP switches used for changing the settings.



The throttle cable was easy, the old cruise cable was attached along side the normal cable... I just hooked in the new one in its' place.



I got the transmission speed sensor installed. Usually the speedometer cable connects to the sensor but I won't be using the cable so I will cover the end.



When I get the turn signal stalk/switch installed I just have a few more connections to make!

I can not run without the cruise control. I could not wait to replace that vacuum junk. My adaption works well although I have not found a way to alter the gain. A little sluggish for this weight vehicle/torque but will hold speed +/- 1 MPH even over small grades. I like the tap up/down 1 MPH/tap feature.

If I could get the throttle position sensor calibrated right so it would shift down quicker, it would be much better

I have some spare parts now. I thought the cruise was made by ARA but it is labelled ACME! (It makes me think of the road runner and Wiley Coyote.)



I haven't removed the other cable that goes to the speedometer, maybe later. I think there is some kind of module somewhere but I haven't found it yet.

Does anyone else have this model? Anybody want the parts? It was "working" when I removed it.

Ran back from Florida to Michigan. Cruise worked well the first time I set it. Holds the set speed really well compared to the old vacuum unit. The speed varies only about plus/minus 1 mph on the flats.

The old 454 still can't pull big hills without slowing a bit but it is way better than the old one. The rate of the throttle action is much smoother, the old one you could feel it let off at the top of the hill and it hammered the throttle on the way up. The new one is much smoother, you don't feel it surging. You can bump the set button or resume to go up or down in 1 mph increments.

If you have LED tail lights you will have to wire in a simple relay into the brake circuit. The system looks for a ground path through the brake light bulbs and the LEDs do not allow it. (The instructions show how to install the relay.)

Overall, this was very satisfactory. Installation was straightforward, operation is much improved and the system allows for some adjustment if needed. (I left the sensitivity and gain at the low settings, lighter vehicles might benefit from more sensitivity and quicker response.)

I saw Doorman with his Class C at the GTG. It looked like he had a similar old unit so I gave him the old parts for spares.