48F1 speedo question

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Feb 2, 2013 | 11:20 AM

Tomget

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From: Yountville Ca

48F1 speedo question

I've got a 48F1 with a granny 4-speed non-synchro tranny and can't get the speedo to work. I've had the truck a few years and it never has worked.

I can spin the speedo drive at back of instrument and needle moves.

I see that with the cable removed from the speedo and driving about..the speedo cable is not turning. I recall replacing the cable some time back because there was no cable when I got the truck. Are there different cables? Did I get the wrong one?

Or is there a drive gear in the tranny itself?

Any ideas?

Thanks

Feb 2, 2013 | 11:53 AM

Doc

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From: East KY

There's a drive gear in the tranny. It might be messed up, or the cable might not be seated properly in it.

Feb 2, 2013 | 03:21 PM

Tomget

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From: Yountville Ca

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc

There's a drive gear in the tranny. It might be messed up, or the cable might not be seated properly in it.

I'll mess about with pushing in the speedo cable etc and observe/as I recall its not the kind of speedo gear that would come out..I've swapped tranny speedo gears in modern cars and I would suppose its not like that.

Probably the tranny speedo gear is removed from "inside the case"?

Feb 2, 2013 | 04:16 PM

f5fordgirl

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The cable you put in may be too short and not contacting the gear in the trans.

Feb 2, 2013 | 05:35 PM

brain75

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From: Sterling CO

"I recall replacing the cable some time back because there was no cable when I got the truck."

I could be way off cause I never made mine work or restored the original setup. I seem to remember it being a-symetrical when I took mine out (switched to a T-5)... Both ends have the same "non-ford" threading. One end the inner core is flush with the housing, the other end it protrudes 3/8". The long end has to go in the tranny to contact the more recessed driver, the flush end goes in the speedo. If you put it in backwards then you probably aren't getting contact in the tranny, and could damage your speedo.

Macs only has 1 part for 48-60 all models.

1948-1960 Ford Pickup Truck Speedometer Cable - 4 Speed Manual Transmission - F1 Thru F8 & F100 Thru F900 - MAC's Antique Auto Parts

Feb 2, 2013 | 06:44 PM

48ATOY

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From: Chicago

If you replaced the speedo core with a
universal core (dorman) you cut to length
and put a small square tip on the end and crimped on

could that square end be turning on the core cable?

Feb 2, 2013 | 08:54 PM

Tomget

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From: Yountville Ca

I'm pretty certain I bought the cable not as a universal cut to fit, but as a ready made to go etc. And I haven't had a chance to work on it today but hope to tomorrow, but I think its almost mandatory that the cable protrudes longer into the tranny..probably impossible to get that longish end into the speedo..

So I'm guessing its the tranny speedo gear.

And I know nothing about that or how to access. Don't want to remove the tranny just to fix it.