Speedometer Cable Length?
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Speedometer Cable Length?
Hello all, just picked up a 1988 F-250 with a 7.3 IDI yesterday, it's got an 8 foot bed and extended cab, manual trans. It's my first Diesel and I'm loving it so far. I got it for 1800 with 200k on the body and 100k on the engine. There was a lot of work done to the truck, but oh so much more tedious things I must do to her.
To start, speedometer cable needs replaced, I haven't pulled it yet but the cable is 15 dollars so I don't feel like lubing it or messing with it, just want to replace it. I was going to be in town today and didn't have time to pull it this morning. I was wondering if anybody knew the Speedo cable length to save me the hassle of having to wait till tomorrow to measure it? Thanks in advance!
To start, speedometer cable needs replaced, I haven't pulled it yet but the cable is 15 dollars so I don't feel like lubing it or messing with it, just want to replace it. I was going to be in town today and didn't have time to pull it this morning. I was wondering if anybody knew the Speedo cable length to save me the hassle of having to wait till tomorrow to measure it? Thanks in advance!
Elder User
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With the old style speedo's it's not uncommon to need to lube the cable every number of years with chassis/wheel brg. grease. No big deal, unscrew the speedo housing nut on the back of the speedo, pull the cable and lube it all but about the last 4-6 inches of the end that goes into the speedo head. If the cable's frayed, then it needs replacing.
You might thing about lubing the old one, I'd be willing to bet any one you buy over the counter will be a hair too long or too short making it unusable. Standard procedure for mechanics is pull the old cable and make (or have made) up a new one from a speedo cable kit using the old cable for correct length.
On Edit: If I remember right, these IDI era pickups don't have a cable housing nut at the back of the speedo like normal trucks, but the Ford engineers laid awake nights dreaming up a clip that takes super-human painful manual finger dexterity and strength to compress and release.
To start, speedometer cable needs replaced, I haven't pulled it yet but the cable is 15 dollars so I don't feel like lubing it or messing with it, just want to replace it.
On Edit: If I remember right, these IDI era pickups don't have a cable housing nut at the back of the speedo like normal trucks, but the Ford engineers laid awake nights dreaming up a clip that takes super-human painful manual finger dexterity and strength to compress and release.
Scope Wizard
Joined: May 2019
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I wouldn't use chassis/wheel brg. grease. in it.
Kable-ease is a Graphite suspension .....
Kable-ease is the way to go.... https://agscompany.com/product/kable...card-hardware/
Kable-ease is a Graphite suspension .....
Kable-ease is the way to go.... https://agscompany.com/product/kable...card-hardware/
Elder User
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 695
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I wouldn't use chassis/wheel brg. grease. in it.
Kable-ease is a Graphite suspension .....
Kable-ease is the way to go.... https://agscompany.com/product/kable...card-hardware/
Kable-ease is a Graphite suspension .....
Kable-ease is the way to go.... https://agscompany.com/product/kable...card-hardware/
Scope Wizard
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,530
Likes: 25
For decades I've worked with Cable control systems too and Engineers Spec Greases for cables ... while Motor oil or transmission fluid may work fine I doubt the Manufacture would approve of it.... Just saying.
I use instrument Greases for instruments and wheel bearing and Chassis Grease for their intended purposes
And yeah... I know on the interweb there is 10,000 different suggestions
and any grease is better than none at all....
I use instrument Greases for instruments and wheel bearing and Chassis Grease for their intended purposes
And yeah... I know on the interweb there is 10,000 different suggestions
and any grease is better than none at all....
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Thanks all, I ended up having to replace the speedometer cable. It was a 63 inch cable tip to tip, the old one was kinked pretty bad and starting to fray in multiple spots. I got one from an auto parts store, measured it and it's almost down to a thousandth in length. I'll put it in and tell you all how it goes.
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[QUOTE]... while Motor oil or transmission fluid may work fine[/QUOTE]
Who mentioned motor oil or transmission fluid???? Oldtrucksrock, you should always grease a new cable as you install it, but don't lube up to the very tip. There's been cases where lube worked up into the speedo head and caused the speedo needle to fluctuate.
Who mentioned motor oil or transmission fluid???? Oldtrucksrock, you should always grease a new cable as you install it, but don't lube up to the very tip. There's been cases where lube worked up into the speedo head and caused the speedo needle to fluctuate.
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[QUOTE=RaymondIV;18837659]
Thanks! Will do, it's my first time replacing a speedometer cable, I've only ever driven a handful of old trucks and they never needed the replacement.
... while Motor oil or transmission fluid may work fine[/QUOTE]
Who mentioned motor oil or transmission fluid???? Oldtrucksrock, you should always grease a new cable as you install it, but don't lube up to the very tip. There's been cases where lube worked up into the speedo head and caused the speedo needle to fluctuate.
Who mentioned motor oil or transmission fluid???? Oldtrucksrock, you should always grease a new cable as you install it, but don't lube up to the very tip. There's been cases where lube worked up into the speedo head and caused the speedo needle to fluctuate.
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