The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Speedometer Ticking??

So I took my 61 on a cross state adventure for memorial day weekend (see story in Greasy Spoon) and everything worked out great but I had to add one thing to my gripe list. My speedometer has always kind of bounced in a 5 mph range on the highway, but now there is a ticking noise that seems to coincide with this bouncing.

What's up with that? Is that the sign of impending doom? Do I need to pull the cable and lube it up? Let it be?

Not sure what to do about it, ideas and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Kyle

you might try lubing it first..........check with popcorn...help may be on the way......

Kyle: Try the lube but I bet you got either a gear tooth missing or the little gears might be getting worn thus not making good contact thus the clicking noise.

popcorn The Truth is Out There (Watch out I am becoming a speedometer expert Joker) NOT!!! Pops

make sure to use something like lithium grease to lube that baby up. If you use a penetrating oil you'll end up having to redo it.

It could be the cable broke and intermittently looses its grip at the broken spot and makes a noise when it does. But, lack of lube is usually the reason for problems.

That's what mine was doing after I changed just the broken cable. I then changed the housing and the cable and that took care of the clicking and bouncing. I believe there was a burr or rough spot in the housing. Napa had everything I needed.

Thanks all, I guess I will start with the lube...hope that solves the problem. I am really hoping that it is not a big issue. As always thanks for the input and keep it coming!

Kyle

Which end of the cable to you take out so that you can lube the cable? My speedo is waving in my '66 C-10 too and I need to lube it, I just don't know how to go about doing it.

Drew

Unscrew the speedo cable from the speedometer. Pull the inner core out. Sometimes there is a small washer on the top end of the cable core. Don't loose it and get it back in place. Look for a nice finished square end (bottom). If the bottom end of the core is freyed and/or broken, remove the bottom end of the cable from the transmission and remove any broken pieces of the core. Look for sharp bends, or stretched parts in the core as well as the outer cable. If your core is broken, try to match up the outer cable with the inner core to see if there is a problem with the outer cable. Obviousely replace a broken core. If the outer cable passes your inspection, grease the inner core and fish it back into the outer cable. Turn the core with your fingers to see if you can feel it binding or catching. If it is reinspect everything. I usually screw the transmission end onto the tranny before sliding the core back in. When the core reaches the transmission gear, turn it either direction until the square end of the core slides into the gear and drops the rest of the way in. Place the speedometer end of the cable/core into the speedometer. If you have to turn the speedo to get the core in, turn the small round brass end on the speedometer until the core slides in. Screw the speedometer side in and that's about it.

builder - thanks for the in depth reply, i am going to try and fix it this weekend.