jpdodge150

Howdy! Sorry to bug yall, but I have been doing a considerable amount of researching about our clocksprings. I busted mine in my 96 3500 4x4 changing out the gear box. So after some looking around I was shocked to see how big the price differences are. The dealer quoted me about $360! So there was and is no way i'm paying that much for that little durn thing. So I grabbed the part number and I ran, I ran very far away. I found that auto zone has the same part number clock spring for $40.00??? I've seen some floating around for around $200. So what I came up with is the connectors may be different but the wiring will be the same. So my question to yall is there any one out there that has experienced this and knows what i'm in for? Is it necessary to buy the more expensive one? I can't really find anything to explain that the part numbers are the same but that there is a HUGE difference in prices. Any help appreciated!

Edit: Sorry for the titling, hit something while typing and it posted itself...

nickg

I got one from a small indpentant parts store, it broke first time I turned all the way right paid 80$ for it, took it back they could not get a replacement so they refunded my money, I got the 40$ one from NAPA which happend to be the exact same one I got from the first shop...been fine ever since, I believe there is only one company that makes aftermarket clocksprings for our trucks, and its luck of the draw it either works or it breaks ( like the ribbon is wound wrong or too short)
either way they warrantee it
cant recall the company name that makes the clockspring

Mike Holmen

I found that NAPA only had a clockspring for trucks up to 2001. In 2002 they started to put stereo buttons on the steering wheel and the clock spring is different (more expensive). Of course the NAPA book indicated that it would work in the 02 truck. Well it don't fit and NAPA doesn't take back electronic stuff that used/installed. To bad you were not closer to me, I could give you my spare hardly used clockspring

swordfish

I replaced the one in my '01 about a year ago. I got my from rockauto.com. I think it was around $40 and works well. As stated mine being an '01 it had connections for the horn, cruise and I think the airbag....no radio connections.

jpdodge150

Thanks guys for all the info. My truck obviously only has the airbag, cruise, and horn like yall have said. I wasn't sure when the steering wheel control's changed, so thanks for pointing that out. But amazingly the horn is still working, but everything else quit. But I want to get the problem fixed because with my luck, the airbag might go off in my face. I'm going to tear into her today and pull out the old clockspring to match up to any of the ones I find. Figure I might as well play it safe. I will let yall know how it goes. Wish me luck!

jpdodge150

Ok so I pretty much answered my question after taking a closer look at the new cheaper clockspring. Turns out that even though the part numbers cross over and are said to replace the oem part, it won't. What's sad is that the clocksprings are almost exactly the same, with the same number of wires, only difference is the cruise control wiring is different. On mine, it has three wires into one connector, on the new one it looks to be split into two smaller connectors. However, the airbag and horn wiring look to be the same. The only thing I have yet to determine is if the main connector to the clockspring itself is different. I have to pick up a steering wheel puller and some longer torx drivers to continue. I guess I will have to figure out what wires go where, because I would rather solder my old connectors onto the new one than pay over triple the amount just because of a couple of connectors that do the same job and has the same three wires as the old one. If anyone can shine some light on crossing over the color codes that would be great!

SIXSLUG

ok, here goes. This is from my 2001 Shop manual.
RD/BK Left remote radio switch
BK/LG right remote radio switch
BK/RD horn
DG/RD Left Speed Control Switch (on/off,set)
WT Right Speed Control Switch (Coast/resume:accel/ cancel

There is a lot of info on the removal and reinstallation. I'd suggest getting your hands on a service manual pages 8W-33,41,43,47 and info on page 8O -10. That's 8 O "Ostrich" and the number 10.

jpdodge150

Thanks, but I think that's a bit different from mine, isn't it? Mine has the bar with the square buttons at the bottom.

SIXSLUG

Sorry, I thought you had an 02.

I can't say. Hopefully somene else can find you some info.

jpdodge150

Ok so I took a $50 hit for the team. I plugged up everything to find nothing worked what so ever. So I resorted back to my multimeter to try and figure out what was going on. Turns out the clockspring IS wired internally different and WILL NOT work on the older trucks with this design. It may be shorting out from the get go and not allowing any juice to get to the cruise control. The hots and grounds are wired together internally. It may have even got a good dose of 12v instead of 5v where it didn't belong. So hopefully I didn't fry the button module. I found a replacement clockspring for $180+ship. Thanks for all the input!