1996 Ranger, 1999 5.0 Explorer, engine, tranny and rear diff.
I am getting to the completion stage, Electric fans working, rad hoses look good, Electric fuel has been working. Dual exhaust in and was that a $$$$ surprise?
Bed is back on, trailer hitch ordered and installed, step bumper brackets made.
Tach is rewired but I am wondering the best way to tie in the the Dakota Digital speedometer?

I figure 2 wires from the Explorer diff coming in and that is where I am not sure? What do I tie into the "out 1" and "out 2"?
Also, if the VSS creates an electrical signal, do I need to run a hot and ground to the device?

 

Which Dakota model is it?

SGI-5E or SGI-100BT

You need to test the 2 wires at the rear Axle ABS sensor to find out which wire is the ground, use OHM meter
That will tell you which wire is + and -
ABS and VSS sensors generate their own AC sine wave pulse, .5v to 5v AC, but only the + half of the signal is used

You could just use 1 wire, the + wire, from the ABS(rear axle) sensor but I would use both for the INPUT signal, they connect to SEN IN(not 5v) and sen - on the dakota unit

There will be grey/black wires in the dash used to send speed signal to speedo and cruise and GEM, they are/were connected to the VSS sensor on the transmission/transfer case of a 1996 Ranger, so you can access that grey/black wire there under the truck at the now unused 2 wire VSS connector

You may/will need to run a wire from a splice to grey/black wire to computers pin 58 grey/black wire, the explorer got speed signal from 4WABS module, so that wire won't be hooked up in Ranger, computer will show code P0500 if there is no speed signal

You need to use OUT 8,000ppm AC from dakota unit to the grey/black wire, the speedo, cruise, gem and computer are already grounded so just need the 1 speed signal wire

You do need to hook dakota unit to KEY ON 12volt and a ground, as there is no "power" in the speed signal, low AC volts with 0 amps

 

It is the 100BT
I will be working on it later today/tomorrow

Thanks!

 

Additional issues. I ran 2 new wires tied into the VSS and ran them in a loom to the engine compartment then into cab. Wired in to the SGI-100BT Key on/ignition and grd.
VSS wires from rear - positive side "input" with grd. wire to "spd-". I found a gray with black tracer hooked in to speedo harness terminal connector and appeared to be same gray/black tracer on pin 58. I ran a splice jumper from the output of SGI to this wire.

I have been on the phone with tech support several times trying to program this device. Right now the tech has left for the day and I still am showing 43 mph on speedo with my GPS/phone showing 30mph.

The trans will not shift. If I manually drop into 1st gear, (the trans is the 4R70W I believe/factory 1999 5.0 Explorer) I can start off, shift up manually and I can tell she shifts but only once did it manually shift into drive, then it immediately down shifted into second. If I start out in OD on gear shift she takes off in 2nd and never changes. Earlier I could use the "OD" On/Off button on end of shifter and watch the dash light change on/off. The last trip I noticed it no longer would do this, either moving slow or after turning the key off and trying it again.

This is all new ground for me. And I appreciate every time you all have responded but I'm stuck again.

Of note: the truck is pretty peppy but rides like a buck board. The 8.8 Explorer rear has additional springs and '96 4X4 Ranger shocks.
At 45 mph by GPS/Phone there is NO vibration to be felt, so I feel good about the drivetrain mods.

 

Yes, you may need to add some weight to the bed if you used explorer springs, shocks can effect ride but not if springs are rated for a higher weight
The weight the springs support determine how much they flex when you hit a bump, if they are rated to support 1,500lbs but bed is only 1,000lbs then when you hit any bump the springs just push the frame/bed up, no flex, so they are no longer "springs" they are just iron bars holding the frame above the axle, lol