////////continually have problems with my GW's Dana cruise control and it is related to the connections. I have learned to open the box up and "cycle" the input connector in and out several times to restore operation. I think that corrosion has built up on the contacts there.//// ==== I had the same problem in my 84 which quit about 3 years after I bought the car new. The most obvious problem was that I threw the magnet which was attached with a wire tie from the factory. After replacing that, the cruise still didn't work. I wrote to the manufacturer and got the technical instructions. I tested all the wires and regulator in accordance with the technical guide I got from the manufacturer. I spoke with all the folks I could find that had some experience with that style cruise control. Finally, after ten or twelve years of fooling around with it I spoke with a man who installs and maintains cruise controls for our local GM dealer. He convinced me that even if he was able to repair it, that the design was old technology and that repair would likely be only a temporary one, that something else was likely to go out later or the magnet would get thrown again and any repair parts would be increasingly difficult to get and to find someone who would work on it. His recommendation was to get a newer technology cruise control installed. This I did and without regret. The cost was $250 installed. It looks like a factory installed system and works great. The bottom line is that while it is fun to try and fix some of the original items - I've spent a lot of time fixing things before buying new (just as a matter of principle) -- at some point, flogging yourself just isn't worth it. My recommendation is to scrap the Dana system and get one of the newer aftermarket newer technology cruise control. Then you can move on to the next project. ------------------ Experiences from our 82' and cruise control glitches; 1) Directly behind the brake booster is the mercury filled safety switch mounted on it's own small bracket. It is easily bent causing the switch to open. It should be pointing up at about the 10 o'clock posistion..2)The vacumn brake switch is easily pushed up the pedal lever with your toe. This slackens the chain and bleeds off the vacumn. 3)The magnets on the driveshaft fall of easily. I bought two dime size General brand magnets from the hardware store and JB Weld epoxied them to the driveshaft. Hold them in place with a nylon wire tie until the glue sets up. Hopes this helps Andy & Sharon Jones RQB3466 ------------ Two suggestions. Don't "assume" that the steering column control switch is OK. That switch is easy to check with a test light. If there is now too much slack in the chain (or whatever) that is closing the switch until you hit the brake pedal, you may have to shorten it. With the ignition on, you should get your test light to illuminate until you depress the brake pedal and open the switch (of course on one side only, the other side should be hot all the time). I had to shorten that switch connection to get my cruise to work after RQB 3479 was restored following last September's crash. Getting the frame straightened and with new motor mounts, I reckon everything moved slightly rearward, giving me too much slack. By the way, I shortened it with some dental floss. Number two, check the little mercury "crash kill" switch on the firewall. This has to be pointed slightly up, and I assume the mercury rolls down to the bottom to complete the circuit. If you crash, the mercury propels forward and breaks the cruise control circuit. I've had to adjust that mercury switch twice in the twenty years I've had the car in order to make the cruise control work. Ernie =-=========================================== The gray box was an earlier model, later they went to a yellow box. They were made by Dana. The company was later sold to Rostra. I talked to them and they still have some cruise control parts but they don't have any more of the control boxes. They have magnets and servos. I checked out the system in my car and my control box is defective also. The engineers at Rostra reccomend that I install a more state of the art model for abou $150 to $200. You can get a brand new model like ours at E-bay for about $75 to $100. Look under "cruise controls" and look for a Universal Cruise Control. There are a number of brand new ones with the magnets, the pickup servo and control box. Most of them were manufactured by Dana under different names or go to rostra.com to see their new "Global Unit" which they reccomend Jaandras@aol.com July 2003 ================================ The "Acme" unit on my '87 works like a charm! It is an "all in one" unit, no magnets or magic boxes to worry about. Check it out, they're still available new and I'd bet any competent aftermarket shop that installs cruise, air, remote entry systems can do the job for you with no changes to your existing actuator on the signal arm. Keith Brooks July 2003 =====================================