After installing my aftermarket steering wheel I realized how much I missed cruise control. I was thinking about mounting the buttons under the clock but there ain't enough room there, so this evening I had an epiphany: The little blank panel that in more heavily optioned cars would've housed the power antenna, ride and fuel switches. I've still got to fill in the gaps around them with black silicone but I think they look rather good there:
:D very nice!
How hard are they to get at when the car is in gear? I wanted to mount mine next to the floor shifter.
You can reach them easily with the car in gear (I had to go out and check after eading your post). In fact if you're the type that drives with one hand on the wheel and one on your knee you don't even have to take your hand off your knee - at least if you're 6'3", anyway :D
My very first idea was to mount them in the center console switch plate (my car has no power seats so space wouldn't have been a problem). I decided against that right away because I figured the driver or the passenger could unwittingly lean on the buttons and make the cruise do unexpected things
I probably couldn't reach the button there beings I'm only 5'9" I would be reaching kinda far.
next project would be seeing if you could find backlit buttons
That would be schweet :D
I wonder if late model Fords use the same resistor network, or if they are digital? I must check Mitchell Ondemand...
*EDIT* Schweeter still - THEY ARE THE SAME! At least a '99 Explorer is - time to find me an Explorer wheel to nab the switches out of :D:D:D
The resistors might be different, but that's nothing I can't handle...
Pic 1 = T-Bird cruise
Pic 2 = Explorer cruise
id assume that theyre digital, only because if it were the same, it would be too easy
i think most late model fords have them mounted in the opening of the steering wheels, rather than mounted on the dash, but its possible that theres something
Actually after looking at an Explorer wheel, the buttons are kinda ugly (see below). Anyone have any other suggestions? Are MN12 buttons nicer and backlit (I don't remember whether my old '91 was or not)?
my dads 89's cruise control buttons arnt backlit, i dont think any of em were, and in 95, they used a similar wheel to the stang if i remember correctly
Yeah, I imagine just about all late models have the buttons out on the sides like the Explorer 'cuz of the airbag...
The Explorer buttons are too organic for the dash of a TbirdCougar. It wasn't until 1995 that MN-12s, Explorers, etc had back lit buttons, though.
I'd wait a few years and get the buttons from late model Fords...see the wheel on a Montego or 500 and you'll see what I mean.
what about the buttons in the 05 mustang wheel?
I don't think any of the MN12s have back-lit buttons.
One of my projects is to swap the Exploder buttons onto my steering wheel. While the cruise buttons on my wheel are plastic, the Exploder buttons have a black rubber cover on them.
Getting them to light up is a different story. Somebody told me that the MN12 steering columns are missing that necessary wire.
1995-up Mark VIIIs have the lighted buttons.
That part of my dash is already far too busy to add any more buttons. ;)