The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk speedometer

My odometer is turning over miles, but the speed needle is not working. It stuck at 70 mph (even though I did not drive it that fast). Now the needle just drifts about slowly. Any ideas?

My guess is the speedometer cable needs lubrication or replacement.

Thanks for the idea. I lubed the cable before reinstalling it. I am wondering if the needle portion of the gauge can be repaired without replacing the entire unit. The vehicle has 61K original miles and for that reason I would like to keep the original gauge if possible. Has anyone had experience repairing a speedometer?

look at the tips here about speedos to understand how they work - if the odometer is working, likely the speedo parts need cleaning and a light lube - mothing to do with the cable

Bill

Thanks, Bill. Great idea. Although the tips shown are not the same year as mine (1953), it looks like even I can take it apart, clean and lube! While under the dash, it would be a good time to re-connect the electric windshield wiper.... My body is too old for these types of contortions!

Tom,

I understand being old and climbing under the dash...to help make it easier if you build a sawhorse the same height as the truck floor and then lay a couple long planks from the floor to the sawhorse you can then slide in and out while laying flat.

If you have lots to do under there removing the seat can provide more room to move around.

As long as the odometer is racking up the miles the cable is good.

Mike B

Thanks, Mike. That's a great idea--using a saw horse and planks. I had hoped that I had removed the seat for the last time. Not that the task is monumental, it is just the psychological aspect of "one more time". On the brighter side, though, life is grand since that is my only worry! I need to go through re-tread school to remember how to post photos. I would like to show my truck to anyone who might be interested. I am now into short shake down cruises to work off a final punch list following a 4 year frame-off rebuild.

The nice thing is if the speedometer can't be saved through a good cleaning and lubing you can replace the guts of the unit from a donor speedometer while keeping the original face, housing, and odometer. Basically you'd be replacing only the speedometer mechanism. If it comes to that.

Pictures...

You have to upload your pictures to a photo hosting web site and then copy/paste the link here.

Mike B

Thanks for the sawhorse/plank idea Mike. I'm in the same "old category."

If it were me, I would remove the center radio grill and work through the hole. Getting under that dash is a pretty awful job. On my 38 Chev Master, I can lie across the front seat and gaze up at the dash. It is a treat to work under that one.

It has been discussed before, but knurled brass nuts in place of the 4 steel nuts which hold the speedometer in place makes this job much easier.

I just got too darn old for under dash work so I made a bracket to hold my Garmin GPS at the right angle and mounted it in the glove box. Invisible when door is closed and is dead accurate no matter what tires, gears, or if transmission has mechanical or electronic speedo set up. Also gives the posted speed limit and in a pinch can even be used for directions.

I agree with truckernix. Remove the front speaker dash grill. You then have easier access to the dash instruments. Disconnect the speedo cable and then the speedometer gauge itself.

How does the needle come off easy if you want to save the face you have? I’ve never done that.. any tips?

Some have taken a dinner fork and slipped it under at the post and using the curved tines to push up on the needle. Slow and steady pressure. Or take the whole assembly to a clock repair shop where they have a special tool for removing clock hands.🛠

Or, buy one from China for $0.20 with free shipping. I took a chance on it working - it works quite well.

Oh, yeah - the price was/is right, too.

Thanks! I’ve seen that on posts, my old doner one the shaft broke! I guess being 70 years old had something to do with it.