Throttle Knob?

[six-two]

First of all my truck does not have one, never has. I'm just curious what this knob does. Is it so you can fast idle your truck without your foot on the gas? Or to serve as a backup if the foot pedal breaks? Maybe to keep a steady speed when loading hay from a field, etc? Ghetto cruise control? I just thought it might be cool to install one if I get really, really bored.



_____________________________six-two

[ICEMAN6166]

the throttle cable is used to give more gas when needed like using the pto unit if you have one.
you need some extra carb pieces to attach the cable to to make it work.
you are not supposed to use it as cruise control because it cannot be deactivated by the brake pedal, but .....
i think all of the trucks i have seen with the throttle cable are f350 and up but i have them installed on my 4x4s.

[six-two]

Thanks ICEMAN, you know all.

[Johnny Canuck]

My '64 had one originally, although the knob and cable were long gone by the time I got it, and all that was left was the bezel.
I used to see them in pickups all the time in the sixties, early sixties and fifties trucks that is. They were used mostly to keep the fast idle going on a cold morning. Could have been a Canadian thing, but I would have thought it popular in Alaska too.

I also remember my dad using one in a '46 Maple Leaf grain truck, to match the speed of the combine he was driving along side. Unless you live in Saskatchewan or North Dakota, they aren't much use as a poor man's cruise control. They don't compensate for even the smallest hills.

[BigTim]

The 57 Chebby 1/2 ton I sold to buy the Slick had a throttle knob. Grandad and a lot of other old timers have told me it was used as a cruise control more than a few times.

[six-two]

Well. that decides it, if someone gives me one, and I get really bored, my truck might get one. But seriously, thanks for the information, that answers all my questions.



_____________________________________six-two