Speedometer needle

[BA80]

This is probably a dumb question but is there anyplace to get replacement Speedometer/tach needles?

[jetmechmarty]

Don Lawson of the Yamaha 650 Society used to repair these clocks. I saw one that he had replaced the needle with a flat toothpick. I had to get up close to see the difference.

How fond of this clock are you? You can have it fixed like new.
Joel Levine Co.
610 S. Chattanooga Street
Lafayette, GA 30728
USA

[BA80]

You might remember that my odometer quit working on mine just before XSSE this year. I made an offer on another 140MPH speedometer on ebay and got it. The glass was cracked on it and I didn't notice the needle was broken.

I've got it apart and cleaned and lubed all the guts and they work good but the only needles I have are on the one on my bike now and an 85MPH that is in working order.

I've never been able to remove one without breaking it.

[DAVINCI]

IIRC, Topcat removed his by getting under it with a fork and prying up. he did a write-up a few yrs ago about renewing the dial faces in his clocks. A search might pull up the thread.

[BA80]

Yeah, I remember that Randy and it works fairly well with tachometers but if you look closely at a Special speedometer there is almost 0 clearance between the button on the needle and the face.

[jetmechmarty]

I've never been able to remove one without breaking it.

Did you try TC's dinner fork removal method? This may be the time to go ahead with the toothpick needle. OR... you could send it to Joel Levine Co. and get it back in perfect order for only $$. It will come back with a new face and chrome bezel, so you'll have to send them the tach to match for another $$....or maybe it's $$$.

[BA80]

Did you try TC's dinner fork removal method? This may be the time to go ahead with the toothpick needle. OR... you could send it to Joel Levine Co. and get it back in perfect order for only $$. It will come back with a new face and chrome bezel, so you'll have to send them the tach to match for another $$....or maybe it's $$$.

See post #5.

[jetmechmarty]

See post #5.

I hunt & peck. There could be five replies while I type this. I failed typing in high school.

[BA80]

What, your supposed to use more than 2 fingers?

[jetmechmarty]

What, your supposed to use more than 2 fingers?

How ever many fingers you use, you're faster than me.

[donebysunday]

160 mph. Needles

I've a couple from when I used to repair speedos/tachs.
About 5-10% of the gauges break taking them off, and about the same for the needles.

[BA80]

Well I actually got this one off the 85mph but now I need to figure out how to get it put on the other in the right position so it's calibrated.

[donebysunday]

That's fine, the 85 mph. needle will just feel like it's been polished and ported

It's not going to be exact but you can use a tiny (very small) amount of super glue to hold it on. The tricky part ,,,,,,,,, put the needle on about 1/4" to the wrong side of the pin, then lift/bend the needle to pass over the pin so it's on the right side of the pin. Most likely your speedo will be off but within 10 MPH., calibration, well some where between 1/4-1/2" to the wrong side of the pin, good luck !

Well I actually got this one off the 85mph but now I need to figure out how to get it put on the other in the right position so it's calibrated.

[BA80]

I have another plan.

I have another 140 speedometer. It's that ugly green faced one but it works good. I'll use my drill and spin it up as fast as the drill will spin it (about 23mph) and match the needle on the other one to the drill speed.

I'll just use a little red Loctite. It takes a while to dry and I can get the needle adjusted before it does. I think that'll get it real close.

[Schming]

Sounds like a good plan.

Don't forget, although I don't think it would hurt anything, to spin the speedo cable with the drill motor in reverse.