The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk replacing speedometer needle.............

so i got a replacement speedometer from chevy duty for my 3100. anyone know how to install these things? the needle itself is attached to the metal cap, and that cap needs to be pressed into place somehow into place. anyone able to give me some pointers?

hey Murdock, I have the same question. My speedometer is about to go out and I have worked on it for about two weeks but I am thinking that it is not the cable but the needle and mechanical arm. Also did you get a whole new cluster? or just the speedometer mechanism?

Cliff59

Cliff - if you're reffering to yer 59, you can get a new speedo - like here at American Classic , or you could get yours rebuilt at this place , or maybe others
you can also get the same for the 52

what makes you think it's "about to go out"? is it jumping around? that is a sticky cable, and you should try that as a first step to save some bucks, don't discard the idea - nothing can go wrong w/ the needle, and what it's attached to is a magnetic thing that gets spun by the cable, no arms involved

Bill

cliff, mine is just the needle itsself that fell off. nothing else is busted. it looks like it might need a speacial tool for it to be replaced. i dont know tho

the needles on most years just press fit on the pin - carefully - getting them off frequently damages them w/o extreme care, but they just press on

Bill

red58, I have been lubing the cable now for two weeks and still no luck I get a loud (cry) and the needle jumps and then just stops working for about 2 city blocks then will start back. I am not sure what it is?

Cliff59

might partly be the mechanism where the cable plugs into the speedo is gummed up, but I'd bet the cable needs replacing - have you pulled the inner part of the cable right out of the housing? it should NOT be lubed w/ oil, but cleaned and dried well and treated w/ dry graphite - if you take it right out and get it clean you may see places with wear marks, or some of the stranding may be messed up - the whole cable isn't that expensive, and you can find one [a "universal" at least] at an auto parts store

Bill

red58, I think ill try the cable first. I have been using vasolene and wd-40 on the speedo-cable.
guess I have been making it worse.

cliff59

To answer the original question, how to install the replacment speedometer needle, this is what I did.

I ordered the replacement needle but it came without the center hub needed to fit on the speedo spindle. All it came with was the needle and the sheet metal cover. I filled the cover with JB Weld and let it set up until nearly hard. I drilled a hole in the center of the JB Weld with a drill bit just slightly smaller than the speedo spindle shaft. I then pressed the needle onto the spindle before the JB Weld set up completely.

After the JB Weld had set up the needle was ateched to the speedo. Make sure you have the needle pointing to zero when you press it on the spindle shaft.

You just take the center hub off the old needle, it is clipped on by the sheet metal cover.