Cruise Control Switch Replacement

[heavyredchevy]

My cruise control doesnt work on my 89 K1500 350 AT and I believe its the switch. (Pulling back on the brake and setting it doesnt work). My question is how hard is it to replace the switch. I heard it was a pain to fish the wires back down the stearing column. And because im so lucky in life it just so happens that the switch is the very expensive one with all the wiper delays on it.

Thanks

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by heavyredchevy

My cruise control doesnt work on my 89 K1500 350 AT and I believe its the switch. (Pulling back on the brake and setting it doesnt work). My question is how hard is it to replace the switch. I heard it was a pain to fish the wires back down the stearing column. And because im so lucky in life it just so happens that the switch is the very expensive one with all the wiper delays on it.

Thanks

The wiper switch is inside the steering column on those, and as luck (good luck) will have it, the handle with the switch just simply pulls out of the column, with the cruise control cable on it. The wire for the cruise control switch does indeed run inside the steering column, but I've found that it's fairly easy to replace as long as you remove the bracket that holds the steering column to the dash (two nuts that hold the column to the dash, and 4 bolts that hold the bracket to the column). Before you pull the old one out, disconnect the wire and tie a string around it - pull the wire through the column (with the string) and when you have it out, remove the string from it and tie it around the wire for the new unit. Use the string as a fishtape to pull the wire back down through the column.

You will:

Have to remove the steering wheel.
Remove the antitheft plate, using a special tool (but you can do it without the tool if you have lots of strength in your fingers, a pick-awl, and lots of patience).
Remove the turn signal switch, to gain access to the CC switch wire.
Disconnect the CC switch wire under the dash.
Pull handle out of steering column, then drawing wire out with it.

Installation is the reverse of removal, and with the string (as mentioned above) your job will be easier.

[idmetro]

I did this job on my 86. The anti theft plate removal tool isn't strictly necessary for removal of the plate (I got mine off without the tool) but I found I couldn't get the assembly back together without it. It was <$20 at Schucks and would have saved me a great deal of frustration if I had bought it first.... The string trick is an absolute lifesaver, I added a small modification: where I tied the string on the old wires I wrapped them with electrical tape to make a tapered bump which slid through without getting hung up halfway. I also bought my replacement switch from http://www.lmctruck.com/ I got the plain jane plastic one and it has been working fine for nearly two years now.