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1967 - 1972 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Bumpsides Ford Truck

speedometer doesnt work

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Old Jun 19, 2009 | 07:40 AM
  #1  
72sportcustom3906.4l's Avatar
72sportcustom3906.4l
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From: tennessee
speedometer doesnt work

Ive been told to disconnect my cable form the back of my speedometer and drive to see if the little cable inside moves.. It does!.But once i hook it up to my speedometer the needle doesnt move at all it stays on zero.! I wiggled the connecter on the back of the speedometer and the needle moves. I need some advice please!! Help me!!
 
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Old Jun 19, 2009 | 11:44 AM
  #2  
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Freightrain
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The needle is basically free floating, so if you wiggle any of it, it should move back/forth.

Pull the cluster and inspect the hole where the cable goes. Should have a nice square hole for cable. If not, it's stripped. Inspect the end of the cable and make sure it's nice and square too.

When putting it back together, make sure the cable sticks far enough out of casing to engage the speedo.

You should be able to spin the speedo by your fingers to get it to move. Should be enough "tab" sticking out. Make sure the speedo isn't broken.
 
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Old Jun 19, 2009 | 03:31 PM
  #3  
72sportcustom3906.4l's Avatar
72sportcustom3906.4l
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thanks for the information but my cable is rounded off and so is the back of the speedo where it goes in
 
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Old Jun 19, 2009 | 08:29 PM
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garbz2
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Originally Posted by 72sportcustom3906.4l
Ive been told to disconnect my cable form the back of my speedometer and drive to see if the little cable inside moves.. It does!.But once i hook it up to my speedometer the needle doesnt move at all it stays on zero.! I wiggled the connecter on the back of the speedometer and the needle moves. I need some advice please!! Help me!!
If you can spin the cable and it is still attached to the transmission it is broken...

The cable will not move while the vehicle is stationary (even if it is in Neutral) as it is attached to a meshed gear in the trans.

Garbz
 
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Old Jun 20, 2009 | 05:56 AM
  #5  
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NumberDummy
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Inside the speedometer cable housing is a woven steel core. As Garbz stated above, if you can spin it at the speedo end, it has snapped into two pieces.

This is typical, because the core was supposed to be lubed every so often. When the lube dries up, the core binds up in the housing and snaps.

Every autoparts store sells a universal speedometer cable core kit, which comes with replaceable squared extensions.

Cut the core to the correct length, the extensions slide over the end of the cable, then are crimped on. Install in the housing, lubricate with graphite or a thin coating of white lithium grease.
 
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