Just wondering how hard it will be to change the speedo cable on my
88 f-250, C-6 4x4. I had a garage try, but they took it out and ordered the wrong one twice. I got the truck back but without the cable, so I dončt know the routing.


Adam

 

There's a guy who has a speedo shop near my house. If you find a shop like this he can make you one. The shops just have a long roll of cable and cable housing and all the other parts. They can whip you one up in 20 minutes if you have the old one to go by. There's nothing special about the routing. You just have to get it back to the trans.

 

Why did it need changed? Was your speedometer bouncing or not working at all? I'm assuming you are talking about just replacing the inner cable and not the entire cable and housing. I would call a(some) jobber(s) and see what is available for parts. If you just need the inner cable you can probably get a universal cable kit and cut the cable to length and attach the one end to it.(don't get it too long (the inner cable) or you will damage your speedometer head. You probably need to install the cable from the top end behind the speedometer which would require pulling the dash out some to get to it. If you could get the correct length cable from Ford(which I would guess your repair shop was trying to do) it would probably simplify the whole installation, the correct Ford cable would probably have both ends flat and square and could be installed from the bottom end by unhooking the cable housing at the transmission or transfer case(most likey with 4X4) and sliding it in there. If the cable housing needs replaced, the story would change some.

 

thanks for the help,
I have to climb under there and see what I have. I dončt know if the shop re installed the housing or not. I did not know at the time that it was possible to do only the inner cable.


The reason was because the speedo did not work at all.


Adam

 

You can just replace the inner cable IF the cable housing in not damaged internally or externally. Beings the speedometer didn't work at all, the internal cable must have been broke in two and you may have a damaged housing unless the repair shop made a poor diagnosis of the cause of the problem.(it could be the plastic gear at the lower end of the cable that drives the cable) If you need to replace the entire housing, complete with cable, one that is too long will work(not real desireable but it will work) as long as it is routed without any sharp kinks.