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| | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 157 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 157 | I'm renovating the speedometer head in my '51 pickup. Carefully removed the bezel and glass. Cleaned everything up and removed the old speedo needle, it just seemed to be pressed on to the wire shaft. Man, that's a little shaft - about .025" by the looks of it. Put one drop of light sewing machine oil down the shaft hole, and one drop on the brass sleeve that is driven by the cable.
My question is: should I take the 2 screws off the back of the head and check to see if anything needs lubricating? I've been afraid to go further, and the speedometer did work OK when I took it out. Just that the old needle was curved so badly, it dragged on the glass. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 322 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 322 | Fred,
did you replace the needle?....mine drags on the glass too because of being curved. I thought that maybe replacing the gasket might help, as it has gone to mush over the years.
Chuck
Blue 50
1950 3100 w/57 235
Patrick’s Saginaw 4 speed and 3:55 rear end
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 15 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 15 | Fred;
I performed the same procedure but went ahead and removed the two screws.
The rear housing fell to the workbench before I could catch it. The housing contains a spiral spring that indexes with the speedo needle.
I guessed wrong that the needle should index after making one revolution on the spring. (A metal tab limits the range of movement)
I reassembled everything and found that the speedo now reads low.
It has to come out again and apart and the needle (i think) should be indexed on a "relaxed" spring.
It would be great if a professional Stovebolt speedo person would throw out a few words of wisdom before I tear into this again.
Mike | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 157 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 157 | Originally posted by Blue 50:
Fred,
did you replace the needle?....mine drags on the glass too because of being curved. I thought that maybe replacing the gasket might help, as it has gone to mush over the years.
Chuck I've ordered a new needle from Chevy Duty, my old one is curved and rubbing on the glass also. (after reading what mike3100 sez, I ain't taking mine apart any further, just waiting for the new needle to show up.) | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | There was a post a long while ago by Chief that metioned this spring. I didn't go further with mine because of the spring. Mine worked correctly before and after. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | Mine is really noisy and the needle jumps around. Then it will settle down and hold steady. I don't know if it's accurate, though. Somebody posted on here once and said they substituted a wooden tooth pick for the needle.
Professional Novice
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 | Many times if the speedo is making noise and/or the needle is jumping, it is the cable becoming freyed or broken. Pull the cable out and lube it. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | I'll try lubing the cable. Thanks 
Professional Novice
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