Tore into another speedometer...

[Shuriken]

Finally got tired of my 79sf speedometer sleeping until 60+ mph, so I tore into it yesterday, along with completing an ignition switch replacement.

This is the second meter I've gone into. Basically, I very carefully used carb cleaner on the gunky internals and relubed when finished. I tested the speedo with a drill before and after.

Finally, I took it out for a spin. It's nice having a working clock.

Now I need to figure out the dead tach and fix the midrange on this bike, and figure out how to align the front wheel rotors properly to the calipers!

Ben

[Jerry]

Having a working speedo is nice. I just replaced the broken drive plate, spacer, and seal in the front wheel of my XJ, now have a speedo for the first time since Bozeman rally the first week of August.

Also replaced the clutch cable, old one was at the end of its adjustment, made a lot of difference in smoothness of cutch operation. Also replace the XJ's choke (Yamaha calls it a starter) cable, makes cold-weather starts much easier! Now to rebuild the front M/C and most of my fall maintenance will be done. Next I will have to get the old ('86) V-Max snowmobile out and up to reliable standards for the winter riding season.

Has already snowed here, so major motorcycling is done for the year, although some weekend rides are probably still ahead.

[srq68]

Has already snowed here, so major motorcycling is done for the year

I just can't conceive the idea.... I never lived in a place where the temps go below freezing!
Enjoying the BEGINING of the riding season down here...

[Bob Falter]

Ben,

How did you get the speedometer apart? I tried to take my 79 speedometer apart but found that I would have to bend, cut, or brake something to do it.

[Shuriken]

Yeah, you have to hack them up pretty good.

This time I used a small hacksaw blade a cut a notch into the aluminum-like ring that holds the plastic lens over the guage. Then I carefully pried around the ring on the backside of the guage to separate it from the plastic housing enough that I could remove the ring intact.

Then there are two screws on the back of the guage that you remove. Then you can see that the internals are held inside the plastic housing only by the trip-reset knob. So you have to cut the plastic housing so the trip knob doesn't hang up.

Then the whole thing comes out.

I was able to reassemble in reverse order. With a little cosmetic work, the guage looks just fine.

Ben

[fxrer]

To Ben and Bob,

Here's a reply to beechfront back in Oct, about how I got into my tachometer. Hope it helps.
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Regarding opening a speedometer, and/or tach, by cutting around with a dremel tool - I had read that technique in a previous post, by a reader who opened his tach that way. I had problems with my tach, caused by, believe it or not, a SPIDER that crawled inside and spun a web; I could see the silk strands between the glass and dial plate. It caused the tach needle became erratic, and jump wildly.

So, after learning that there was no “easy way” to remove the glass face, and wishing to avoid “cutting around the bezel” with a dremel, I experimented. Using a small, # 1, 1/8” flat blade screw driver, I carefully began to pry the bezel lip upwards from the tach body, in very small increments. After going 360 deg. around the bezel once, and raising the lip slightly, I was then able to use a toenail clipper (larger and heavier duty than a fingernail clipper) to gently grasp the slight raised lip, and continue around the bezel, prying it carefully towards 90 degrees vertical. Patience, care, and a light touch are needed, so as not to over bend any one section. After working it in this fashion, the bezel loosens from the main body and can be removed. Take care no to pry too hard, and break the glass.

Once inside, I cleaned out the cob webs, including removing the dial face plate and cleaning the webs underneath.

Then I replaced the glass, bezel, and carefully re-bent the edge all the way around with small jaw vice grips, to secure it. I put a small bead of silicone sealer around the bezel, and the
breather holes, not for adhesion, but to keep those damn spiders out! It is very solid, well sealed and looks nice.

This method should work for a speedometer, too. Good luck

[Shuriken]

Yeah, that's what I did, too. I forgot - I used some wire cutters to grasp the ring and pull it out. Worked great. A strong pair of needle-nose pliers might work. When the job is finished, you could seal it with RTV or something to help keep crawlers out and to help keep the inside of the dial from condensing.

Ben

[Bob Falter]

Thanks Ben. Thanks fxrer. Sounds like I have a winter project.