Calibrate Speedometer '96 Explorer
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Calgary Canada
Calibrate Speedometer '96 Explorer
I've got a '96 Explorer 4x4. I changed the tires from the stock 225/70 to a 235/75 (also a stock size). It's a manual transmission so the shift point isn't an issue. What is the issue is the $170 ticket I got 'cause my speedo is out 10% instead of the 5% I thought it was.
Anyway, long story short, I went the local Ford dealer and the service manager told me he was prohibited from adjusting the speedometer because the larger tires would cause increased fuel consumption. He indicated I needed to change the axle ratios to fix the speedo. I'm gonna shop for a different dealer to see if I get the same story.
I think it's an electronic speedo so I don't think the $8 speedo gear described in earlier posts will work. I'm reasonably handy with a wrench and would like to fix it myself if someone could point me in the right direction. Has anyone else come across this before?
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Ray
Anyway, long story short, I went the local Ford dealer and the service manager told me he was prohibited from adjusting the speedometer because the larger tires would cause increased fuel consumption. He indicated I needed to change the axle ratios to fix the speedo. I'm gonna shop for a different dealer to see if I get the same story.
I think it's an electronic speedo so I don't think the $8 speedo gear described in earlier posts will work. I'm reasonably handy with a wrench and would like to fix it myself if someone could point me in the right direction. Has anyone else come across this before?
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Ray
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 580
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From: Kelseyville, CA
Calibrate Speedometer '96 Explorer
Your '96 will take an $8.00 gear. Your VSS is located on your transfer case and is held on by one 10mm bolt. Remove it and count the teeth. Go down to your Ford parts deparment and get one with one less tooth on it. If your stock one is black, get a pink one. If it is pink, get a yellow one. If it is yellow get a white one.
When you changed your tires, you went from a 27.4" tire to a 28.9" tire which is 5.4%. If you are off by 10% now then your speedometer was off by nearly 5% to begin with. If you are certain that you are off 10% instead of 5%, then you will need to get a gear with 2 less teeth. In which case if your stock one is black, get a yellow one, if it is pink, get a white one and if it is yellow, get a wine one.
When you changed your tires, you went from a 27.4" tire to a 28.9" tire which is 5.4%. If you are off by 10% now then your speedometer was off by nearly 5% to begin with. If you are certain that you are off 10% instead of 5%, then you will need to get a gear with 2 less teeth. In which case if your stock one is black, get a yellow one, if it is pink, get a white one and if it is yellow, get a wine one.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 159
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Calibrate Speedometer '96 Explorer
I changed the tire size on my 92' once. Replacing the gear at the transmission for the speedo is easy and only a few bucks.
But I couldn't find a local shop that had a speedo calibration service. Also, there were no highway 1 mile markers in my area that I could use to calculate my speed.
What I did was to purchase a GPS unit at Walmart. In addition to determining location, the unit had a speed function. So I was able to verify my speedo with the GPS unit. It worked great!
borland
95' XLT
But I couldn't find a local shop that had a speedo calibration service. Also, there were no highway 1 mile markers in my area that I could use to calculate my speed.
What I did was to purchase a GPS unit at Walmart. In addition to determining location, the unit had a speed function. So I was able to verify my speedo with the GPS unit. It worked great!
borland
95' XLT
Junior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: north of 60
Calibrate Speedometer '96 Explorer
>I changed the tire size on my 92' once. Replacing the gear
>at the transmission for the speedo is easy and only a few
>bucks.
>
>But I couldn't find a local shop that had a speedo
>calibration service. Also, there were no highway 1 mile
>markers in my area that I could use to calculate my speed.
>
>What I did was to purchase a GPS unit at Walmart. In
>addition to determining location, the unit had a speed
>function. So I was able to verify my speedo with the GPS
>unit. It worked great!
>
>borland
>95' XLT
what a coolway to get a gps
>at the transmission for the speedo is easy and only a few
>bucks.
>
>But I couldn't find a local shop that had a speedo
>calibration service. Also, there were no highway 1 mile
>markers in my area that I could use to calculate my speed.
>
>What I did was to purchase a GPS unit at Walmart. In
>addition to determining location, the unit had a speed
>function. So I was able to verify my speedo with the GPS
>unit. It worked great!
>
>borland
>95' XLT
what a coolway to get a gps
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