Putting OEM Cruise control on my 94 C2500 Cheyenne

[Husker 6.5]

I desperately want to put a tilt column w/cruise in my non-tilt/cruise pickup. It is a 94 C2500HD engine code "F". I can handle swapping steering columns, that's not the hard part. Drive by wire, that's the bite. Here are some of the questions I have, that depending on the answers, will dictate if trying this is feasible.

I e-mailed Walt through SSDS's contact sheet with essentially the same questions on the 21st of Feb, and am still awaiting a response. Over the past year getting replies back from Walt has been hit and miss, evidently they don't all get through with hotmail, as I have received back only three replies to five inquiries over the past two and a half weeks, which is about the average over the past year's worth of correspondence.

When I approached the people in the service/parts department at the local Mega GM-Mercedes-BMW dealership with this, all I got for help was a deer-in-headlights look (some of y'all know what I mean), and a "Why didn't you order your truck that way originally?" Morons! I bought it used off E-bay as a cab/chassis Cheyenne equipped with an 8' steel utility box, and was lucky to find what I needed when I did.

So here goes:

1. Do I have to use a column from 94 and a diesel, or would a column from this series truck (88-99) and a gasser Silverado work for wiring harness compatibility? I know physically the columns interchange. I am capable of rewiring/splicing to make harnesses work.

2. Would this be essentially a plug-and-play install, or would I have to get other components/harnesses from a donor 94-99 diesel ie: would I have to change ECM/prom, VSS, dash harness, etc.?

3. How would this affect, if at all, putting in a 80hp chip if I do have to make ECM/prom changes, or now have cruise on a vehicle that originally didn't?

Since the truck is not currently running and I'm doing a heads up rebuild with performance/cooling upgrades, now is the time to do this. What's one more weekend spent working on the truck, when I can drive in a position that's comfortable for me without my foot on the go pedal for hundreds of miles (better MPG hiway) as the pay-off?

If any of you have done this, or know how/what I need to do this, your input would be highly appreciated, and if I'm ever out your way or you're out mine, dinner's on me.

Thanks.

Allen

[Packrider]

You may have already done this and I'm just blowing wind and hopefully it worked.

I used to work on factory cruises a long time ago. I haven't worked with diesels before for cruises. I do know most of the factory cruises required vacuum. As for the steering column, all the ones I dealt with have a plug that comes from the turn signal. I don't think the whole column would need to be replaced, just the switch. Most of the trucks were made to add factory cruise after the fact so as long as you get all the pieces, it should go in easy.

Good luck.

[grancito]

The good thing is 94 on have the cruise controlled by the ECM, so it is probably only a plug in situation, you need to locate a wiring diagram, there was one posted a few days ago, it may be of use, look for "day time lights elimination" it could have something in the diagram.

[Husker 6.5]

You may have already done this and I'm just blowing wind and hopefully it worked.

I used to work on factory cruises a long time ago. I haven't worked with diesels before for cruises. I do know most of the factory cruises required vacuum. As for the steering column, all the ones I dealt with have a plug that comes from the turn signal. I don't think the whole column would need to be replaced, just the switch. Most of the trucks were made to add factory cruise after the fact so as long as you get all the pieces, it should go in easy.

Good luck.

Nope, haven't done it , yet. Other projects call. SCREAMINXL sent me a diagram, as long as certain positions of the dash harness steering column plug have pins in them, then I can just drop a tilt column from a Silverado in and plug in the cruise-t/s-wiper combo plug and go.

Thanks any way to both of you for your help.

Husker 6.5

[94K30]

I know a guy that added cruise to his, it was just a matter of changing the signal arm and plugging new one in... I believe his was a 95, but that would be same anyway.....

[Husker 6.5]

I know a guy that added cruise to his, it was just a matter of changing the signal arm and plugging new one in... I believe his was a 95, but that would be same anyway.....

Ahh, but if you read my original post, my Cheyenne is a plain-Jane cab and chassis, and I want a tilt column as well as cruise. The straight column just doesn't fit me right, so a column transplant and a plug in. I haven't checked the underdash plug yet, will contort myself under there when I finally do decide to begin the project.

Husker 6.5

[Packrider]

So it's all about the TILT. This has nothing to do with the cruise. That's just a bonus. Now isnt it? I do see what you mean about a tilt though. I don't know if I could use one without it. Good luck.

[Husker 6.5]

So it's all about the TILT. This has nothing to do with the cruise. That's just a bonus. Now isnt it? I do see what you mean about a tilt though. I don't know if I could use one without it. Good luck.

Actually, it's about both at once. Upgrading a utility Cheyenne into a more comfortable Silverado and adding the convenience and better highway MPG of a cruise.

Husker 6.5

[Coonboy888]

While i have not done what you are talking about exactly, all of those trucks are set up to accept whatever options that are going to be added. I don't see much of a problem with the column upgrade, i'd recommend going to a junk yard and scrounging off all of the cruise components off of a diesel truck. I'm not 100% but i think that the gas trucks used a vacuum actuator to control the throttle, while a diesel is going to have different linkage and an electric actuator to control the injector pump. I can get you the diagrams to the column from the cheyenne to the silverado, and the cruse wiring. I'll put it up on monday when i get back to work.

[Coonboy888]

This first one is the diagram for a '94 C2500 p-up with a 6.5
http://www.fuelslut.net/ihost/files/9711/42374373.gif
These two are for a '95 c2500 gas truck
http://www.fuelslut.net/ihost/files/9711/1.gif http://www.fuelslut.net/ihost/files/9711/2.gif
Hope it helps

[bosshog]

I know I'm about three years behind on this. Am I understanding that if I order a T/S lever w/ cruise and plug in, then I have cruise? This would be awesome.

[Husker 6.5]

Yes, as long as the dash harness plug has pins in the appropriate position for the cruise option (signals to the ECM) from the column combination switch, you can plug and play. If the pins are not present, then the ECM is not set up for cruise, and you will have to change the PROM or the ECM (96+) to a cruise equipped model and add wiring as needed to interface.