Upgrading your steering wheel can significantly enhance your driving experience, both in terms of aesthetics and handling. For those who appreciate the convenience of cruise control, integrating this feature into an aftermarket steering wheel setup is a worthwhile project. This guide walks you through the essential components and steps for installing a Steering Wheel With Cruise Control, ensuring you maintain functionality while personalizing your vehicle.
First, the cornerstone of this modification is the hub adapter. It’s crucial to select a hub adapter that’s compatible with your vehicle’s make and model, and more importantly, one that supports the electrical connections necessary for cruise control and horn functionality. Specifically, you need an adapter that accommodates brushes and a ground connection to ensure these systems work correctly. Not all hub adapters are created equal in this regard. In this project, a Momo brand steering wheel hub adapter, model number 4513, was chosen and confirmed to properly interface with the brush contacts. This model is a reliable option known for its quality and correct electrical conductivity.
While there are other adapters on the market that may appear to have the necessary connections, it’s important to prioritize quality and finish. Opting for a reputable brand like Momo can save you potential headaches and ensure a more durable and reliable setup. Less expensive, untested adapters might compromise the integrity of your electrical connections and overall installation.
Next, consider how to integrate the cruise control switches. While resourceful DIYers have devised various mounting solutions, a straightforward approach involves using a pre-made mount designed for this purpose. A replica of the Saleen mount, which includes housings to neatly enclose the switches behind the mount, offers a clean and professional look.
These Saleen-style mounts can often be found online, for example, on eBay by searching for “Engineered Velocity” from Springfield, MO. While this recommendation is based on personal experience and not an endorsement, it highlights a readily available solution for mounting cruise control switches in a streamlined manner.
Finally, the centerpiece of the upgrade: the steering wheel itself. For compatibility with the chosen hub and cruise control switch mount, a 6-hole steering wheel with a specific hole pattern is required – one hole at the top and bottom of the centerline. Many steering wheel brands like Momo and Sparco offer models with this configuration. A Sparco steering wheel was selected for this project due to its grip material and shape. A critical factor in steering wheel selection is ensuring that the spokes do not obstruct the cruise control switches once mounted. The Momo Montecarlo is another popular option known to be compatible with this type of cruise control mount, offering customization and a good fit.
The installation process involves connecting this assembly to a tilt steering column, typical in many trucks. After disconnecting the original connectors, the wires need to be carefully threaded through the switch mounts to facilitate internal connections within the hub adapter. The finished wiring inside the hub adapter will include connections for the horn (typically two, including a black ground wire), a dedicated ground connection, a horn circuit connection, and a speed control circuit connection.
Connecting the switch mount to the hub requires attention to detail, especially with wiring. Momo hub adapters usually have color-coded wires, though some may use black wires for both connections. Careful observation under good lighting should clarify the correct connections. The ground is often intended to be achieved through a metal horn retaining ring. However, depending on the steering wheel and horn button, alternative grounding methods, such as a ground terminal, might be necessary. Ensure the cruise switch wiring can pass through any retaining rings used.
Once the internal wiring is complete and secure within the hub, use the provided screws to assemble the switch mount and hub. It’s advisable to leave the horn button off until after the entire steering wheel assembly is mounted onto the steering column spline. Finally, secure the steering wheel onto the spline using the appropriate nut and torque specifications.
By carefully selecting components and following these steps, you can successfully install an aftermarket steering wheel while retaining the valuable functionality of cruise control, blending personalization with practicality in your vehicle.
