New speedometer bouncing
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2018
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New speedometer bouncing
I have a brand new speedometer installed, the needle is bouncing especially at slower speeds. As I speed up it tends to get more stable. The speed is accurate as it settles down but as soon as I brake or let iff the gas it gets super bouncy again.
The cable is fully lubed and the shroud was throughly cleaned out with the inner cable taken out and cleaned thoroughly before being replaced and lubricated with fluid film and sone white lithium grease.
I am probably going to return it but wanted to rule anything out here first. Video attached at 3 different speeds.
1955 F250 4 speed transmission with granny gear.
The cable is fully lubed and the shroud was throughly cleaned out with the inner cable taken out and cleaned thoroughly before being replaced and lubricated with fluid film and sone white lithium grease.
I am probably going to return it but wanted to rule anything out here first. Video attached at 3 different speeds.
1955 F250 4 speed transmission with granny gear.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2015
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From: Central Michigan
I noticed when I replaced the cable in my Olds many years back that the cable had sat on a shelf in package for years. When I first put it in the speedo jumped like crazy, so I was gonna replace it again but found after it straightened after being installed and not wrapped in a coil, it was fine. Been fine since then- prolly 20 years ago...
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2014
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I had a speedo rebuilt by a guy, can’t remember who did it, but it bounces also on our 50 F1. I don’t think it’s the speedo but rather the cable, as we replaced that also. It does seem to settle down a little now with a few miles on the nos cable. I probably need to lube it again.
JB
JB
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,972
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Yup, bouncing needle is typically due to a cable issue. If everything is new and lubed and there aren't any tight corners anywhere then I'd say give it a few hundred miles to settle in, Like Greg said, maybe the cable to a "set" from being coiled up on the shelf for a long time.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2018
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Thanks. Put 30 miles on it so far. Not much better. I will check the routing.
It will also bounce going over bumps which makes me believe something is up with the spring. I assume that's not normal.
It will also bounce going over bumps which makes me believe something is up with the spring. I assume that's not normal.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2018
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More Turbo
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I’ve always gone with a dry lubricant but I don’t really know anything about the white lithium grease.
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Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Back when I was wrenching we used the lithium white assy lube.
In fact, you could even buy some adapters that would thread onto the transmission side of the speed cables that had a grease zerk on them. I couple of shots of white lube from a small grease gun sure was a lot faster than pulling the cluster to get to the other end.
If they were really dry and "bouncy" then it was best to pull the cable loose from the speedo so you could pull the core out of the housing and clean it up a bit. Maybe blow compressed air through it (taking both ends loose first) and then putting it back together. In those cases Id just feed the cable core into the tube of white lithium grease and then pull it out. That was about the perfect amount of lube. Then feed it back into the housing and give it a drive
In fact, you could even buy some adapters that would thread onto the transmission side of the speed cables that had a grease zerk on them. I couple of shots of white lube from a small grease gun sure was a lot faster than pulling the cluster to get to the other end.
If they were really dry and "bouncy" then it was best to pull the cable loose from the speedo so you could pull the core out of the housing and clean it up a bit. Maybe blow compressed air through it (taking both ends loose first) and then putting it back together. In those cases Id just feed the cable core into the tube of white lithium grease and then pull it out. That was about the perfect amount of lube. Then feed it back into the housing and give it a drive
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2007
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I hate the bouncing needle! I have tried greasing the cable with white lithium (just as bobbytnm described above) and it works for me for while. Then tried a new cable (greased as describe above) and that might work a year or two. I even rerouted to lessen the bend. The bounce always seem to come back over time. I think the bounce was a factory option! lol
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Fleet Mechanic
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The thing that has me scratching my head is how the needle bounces back and forth when I hit a bump. That seems like the spring is not wound tight enough that holds the needle steady.
Going to check the radius bends tomorrow.
Going to check the radius bends tomorrow.
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Fleet Mechanic
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I checked the radius bends and disconnected where I had it attached to the firewall. It wasn't a significant bend but I made it as loose as possible. I disconnected the cable at the transmission and checked it and reinstalled it.
I went out for a drive and noticed a chook...........chook........chook sound that changed with the speed of the truck. Then I noticed at low speed every chook made the needle bounce. The faster I went the less bounce clearly because the interval between the chooks was shorter. So something is clearly rubbing.
I disconnected the cable from the speedometer to see if it still made the noise and it did not. Only when connected to the speedo. I took a video of the cable rotating at 50mph or so and it looks normal but maybe it is not perfectly straight at the end and it is putting pressure on something inside the speedometer?
A new cable is either $11 at LMC or $24 at Dennis Carpenter. Maybe it's worth just getting a new cable to eliminate that issue. And I can get a new speedometer at the same time and return this one to Summit.
Video attached. Let me know what you think.
I went out for a drive and noticed a chook...........chook........chook sound that changed with the speed of the truck. Then I noticed at low speed every chook made the needle bounce. The faster I went the less bounce clearly because the interval between the chooks was shorter. So something is clearly rubbing.
I disconnected the cable from the speedometer to see if it still made the noise and it did not. Only when connected to the speedo. I took a video of the cable rotating at 50mph or so and it looks normal but maybe it is not perfectly straight at the end and it is putting pressure on something inside the speedometer?
A new cable is either $11 at LMC or $24 at Dennis Carpenter. Maybe it's worth just getting a new cable to eliminate that issue. And I can get a new speedometer at the same time and return this one to Summit.
Video attached. Let me know what you think.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Hmmm
It's possible that the end of the cable could be tweaked. You could pull the cable out of the housing a bit and see what it looks like. Maybe be able to see a tweak in it and bend it back.
Back in the day, if the housings weren't damaged we'd just replace the inside cable. The cable kits were universal and you'd cut them to length and install the tip on them. The tips were either crimped on or glued on.
The cross section of the cables is round. The tip that mates with the speedo drive is square.
For $11 bucks its a decent gamble to replace it and see what happens.
It's possible that the end of the cable could be tweaked. You could pull the cable out of the housing a bit and see what it looks like. Maybe be able to see a tweak in it and bend it back.
Back in the day, if the housings weren't damaged we'd just replace the inside cable. The cable kits were universal and you'd cut them to length and install the tip on them. The tips were either crimped on or glued on.
The cross section of the cables is round. The tip that mates with the speedo drive is square.
For $11 bucks its a decent gamble to replace it and see what happens.