The clockspring (the sliding contacts that electrically connect the steering wheel to the steering column) is the same no matter whether the car has cruise from the factory or not
All cars come equipped with a brake position sensor and a vehicle speed sensor, the PCM needs these inputs to determine torque converter lockup and other runtime paramters
Cruise control wiring is not used for anything other than cruise control but ford apparently put the wiring into all crown vics they made
Brake pressure switch is a redundant safety device. On 98's it's located inside the vehicles interior behind the brake pedal immediately above the brake position sensor. Has two wires going to it, they are light green with red stripe and orange colored wires. All 98's were equipped with the brake pressure switch regardless of whether they had cruise or not.
On 97' and prior models the brake pressure switch was located on the aluminum housing of the brake master cylinder, immediately below the brake fluid level sensor (if so equipped). Some non-cruise equipped cars got the brake pressure switch, and yet others did not. If you want to add cruise and don't have the switch, there are a couple options: short the LG/R wire with the O wire or replace the master cylinder with one equipped with the switch.
Cruise control servo and actuator cable are not installed on crownvics
unless they came factory equipped with cruise. According to bell&howell
parts system 1995-1998 crownvic/marquis/town car cruise servos will interchange.
Ford list on the cruise servo + actuator cable + fender mounting brackets
is around $200, ought to be able to get a junkyard setup for $50 or less.
95'-98' cruise servos definetly interchange since they have the same part number. In 93' ford switched to electrically controlled servos instead of the combination vacuum/electric setups used in previous years. The 93'-94' servos have the same electrical connector as the 95'-98' ones do, so they will probably work if you're desperate and cannot locate a 95'-98' servo for your crown vic. 99' and later crown vic servos also share the same electrical connector as the 95'-98' ones do, so they will likely work in a 95'-98' vic as well.
It should be noted that while 1995-1998 cruise servos interchange, the actuator cable that runs from the servo to throttle body will not interchange between all years. In 96', the intake manifold was changed to plastic construction and the throttle body relocated. 1996-1998 actuator cables will interchange, 1995 and prior cruise setups use different cables than 96' and later ones. Not an expensive issue since cruise actuator cables are less than $30 new from ford, but it would be a very frustrating and unproductive expierence attempting to bolt a 95' actuator cable onto a 98' vic.
Steering wheels without cruise switches have to be replaced to install the switches. Ford list for steering wheels complete with cruise switches installed is around $150. Might get lucky with a junkyard wheel but salvage yard steering wheels are often:
Cruise control actuator cable install:
Steering wheel installation
Cruise should now engage when car reaches 30MPH, cruise ON switch is pressed, and speed is set using set accel switch.
Car may need a front end alignment after new steering wheel install to get steering wheel centered when the front tires are pointed straight ahead. Cost varies for this procedure, some independent shops charge as little as $40 for a front end alignment, while others have been known to charge in excess of $75. While in the alignment shop, you may wish to have the tires balanced if you feel vibration at highway speeds. Also, don't be suprised if you get a call from the shop telling you that you've got worn front end components that should be replaced. Front suspension and steering components seem to have a rather short lifespan during police use.
Ford does not offer a "speed control retrofit kit" for 98' crown victorias,
you have to order each part individually
Picture of the original non-cruise steering wheel installed in my 98' PI, the tool to the left is the two jaw puller used to remove the steering wheel from the column.
Note the electrical connector on the sensor mounted to the metal housing of the master cylinder, that's the brake pressure switch on 1997 and prior vehicles.
