Speedometer cable broke...repair said>

My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the speed.
Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to be
rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300, plus
lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
replacement would be in order? One person told me, don't worry about it,
just drive it with no speedo, no miles racked up either.
-tom

Hello Tom,
My 66 Bug speedo broke and it cost £9.0 to get one, and 15 mins to put on.
Not sure where you are in the world, but i'm in the UK.

Hope you get it fixed.
cheerio
ant


"Tom Nakashima" > wrote in message
...
> My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
> thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
> got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the speed.
> Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
> zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to
> be
> rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300,
> plus
> lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
> replacement would be in order? One person told me, don't worry about it,
> just drive it with no speedo, no miles racked up either.
> -tom
>
>

Tom Nakashima wrote:

> My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
> thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
> got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the speed.
> Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
> zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to be
> rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300, plus
> lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
> replacement would be in order? One person told me, don't worry about it,
> just drive it with no speedo, no miles racked up either.
> -tom
>
>
Replacing the cable is an easy DIY job.
http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/vie...WC0002&cartid=
for source.

If the new one squeals, the bushing inside the speedo may
need lubrication. Fairly easy to squirt some light oil
in there without disassembly.

Look in your Shop Manual for how the cable attaches to the
front wheel hub.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

WHAT!
probably the dust cap on the hub is worn making the cable just spin in the
hole. get a new cable and dust cap for the hub. Easy repair. If the speedo
is broken - get one from a junk yard. most older cars the odometer reading
doesn't mean squat. My registration says odometer exempt as it is past its
mechanical limits. I think my 66 has 387700 miles on it, but the odo only
has 5 numbers so it reads 87700 I figure at almost 10k miles a year for 39
years - so its close, but I don't really care... : )

BTW tire size will affect the speedo and odo... 135/15's on the front of a
bug will offset the speed and milage by around 8 mph faster than you are
really going...

--
************************************************** **************
dragenwagen
1966 Type I - Daily Driver
1969 Type I - Undergoing heater channel replacement
http://www.ramva.org/dragenwagen
"Old VW's Don't Leak Oil, They Mark Their Territory."
************************************************** **************

"Tom Nakashima" > wrote in message
...
> My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
> thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
> got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the speed.
> Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
> zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to
be
> rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300,
plus
> lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
> replacement would be in order? One person told me, don't worry about it,
> just drive it with no speedo, no miles racked up either.
> -tom
>
>

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 13:28:02 -0800 "Tom Nakashima"
> wrote:

>My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
>thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
>got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the speed.
>Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
>zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to be
>rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300, plus
>lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
>replacement would be in order?

At least now you know one shop to avoid, unless they actually looked
at the speedo and determined that it's binding up.

You can buy a new cable and install it yourself. Just pay attention to
how the old one was routed.

Once you've got the old one out, cut a 6" piece of the old center wire
to use to spin the speedo just to check that it turns freely. It
should be completely free. A drop of oil between the speedo input
shaft and the body casting is a good thing.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

"Jim Adney" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 13:28:02 -0800 "Tom Nakashima"
> > wrote:
>
> >My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
> >thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
> >got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the
speed.
> >Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
> >zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to
be
> >rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300,
plus
> >lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
> >replacement would be in order?
>
> At least now you know one shop to avoid, unless they actually looked
> at the speedo and determined that it's binding up.
>
> You can buy a new cable and install it yourself. Just pay attention to
> how the old one was routed.
>
> Once you've got the old one out, cut a 6" piece of the old center wire
> to use to spin the speedo just to check that it turns freely. It
> should be completely free. A drop of oil between the speedo input
> shaft and the body casting is a good thing.
>
It was a good suggestion to replace the cable first.
Before I did, I examined the existing cable by disconnecting the end from
the speedometer, and removing the hubcap and the clip that keeps the cable
in place on the wheel in the square hole. I could easily spin the cable,
there was no binding at all as I saw it spin on the opposite end.
I then disconnected the speedometer end and did the opposite, so it looks
like the speedo is indeed out, needle doesn't move. Big bucks? as I would
like to retain the original speedo and not go to the junk yard. Has anyone
done their own repair on the speedometer? Thought I better ask before I
atempt to take it apart.
-tom

Tom Nakashima wrote:
> "Jim Adney" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 13:28:02 -0800 "Tom Nakashima"
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>My speedometer cable broke on my '66 bug. It was making a whining noise,
>>>thought it was the brakes at first on the driver's side front. The noise
>>>got louder as I increased the speed, and quieter as I decreased the
>
> speed.
>
>>>Then I head a pop sound and the needle of the speedometer went right to
>>>zero. I called a local repair shop and they said the speedometer has to
>
> be
>
>>>rebuilt as well as a cable replacement. Said I'm looking at $275-300,
>
> plus
>
>>>lose the car for a day. Does this sound right? I thought just a cable
>>>replacement would be in order?
>>
>>At least now you know one shop to avoid, unless they actually looked
>>at the speedo and determined that it's binding up.
>>
>>You can buy a new cable and install it yourself. Just pay attention to
>>how the old one was routed.
>>
>>Once you've got the old one out, cut a 6" piece of the old center wire
>>to use to spin the speedo just to check that it turns freely. It
>>should be completely free. A drop of oil between the speedo input
>>shaft and the body casting is a good thing.
>>
>
> It was a good suggestion to replace the cable first.
> Before I did, I examined the existing cable by disconnecting the end from
> the speedometer, and removing the hubcap and the clip that keeps the cable
> in place on the wheel in the square hole. I could easily spin the cable,
> there was no binding at all as I saw it spin on the opposite end.
> I then disconnected the speedometer end and did the opposite, so it looks
> like the speedo is indeed out, needle doesn't move. Big bucks? as I would
> like to retain the original speedo and not go to the junk yard. Has anyone
> done their own repair on the speedometer? Thought I better ask before I
> atempt to take it apart.
> -tom
>
>
>
Hard to believe the speedo is actually "broken".
Take it out of the dash. Insert some small
tool into the square drive hole where the
cable connects and see if you can turn it.

If you *do* decide to disassemble it, here are
the problems:
It's difficult to "uncrimp" the chrome ring
without damaging it.
To get to the "innards" requires removing the
speedo needle. Hard to do without damaging
the finish on the needle.

See if you can turn the input drive first...

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

On 2005-03-16, Speedy Jim > wrote:
>
> Hard to believe the speedo is actually "broken".
> Take it out of the dash. Insert some small
> tool into the square drive hole where the
> cable connects and see if you can turn it.
>
> If you *do* decide to disassemble it, here are
> the problems:
> It's difficult to "uncrimp" the chrome ring
> without damaging it.
> To get to the "innards" requires removing the
> speedo needle. Hard to do without damaging
> the finish on the needle.
>

I've done it!

All the lubricant in my speedo had dried itself out after 35
or so years and it was making an absolutely nauseating shriek
whenever I started driving.

The chrome ring has those little divits where the 'ears' of
the speedo stick out, I found I was able to sneak a flathead
screwdriver into that spot and gently pry the ring off. No
damage whatsoever.

Removing the needle wasn't neccessary either. With a bit of
wiggling, the entire assembly slides out of the casing once
I took out the screws on the back.

Reassembly was a little more tricky because I had to guide
everything back together and there's a tube inside there that
can be a pain to guide where it's supposed to go, it's a trick
that got easier after two or three dissasemblies.

Only real complication was the little twisted metal tabs used
to hold the innards together. It's a very soft metal, and it
doesn't take much for them to snap off. My "backyard redneck"
(acutally I did it at my computer desk) solutions for that
particular failure shall not be detailed here.

It should be possible to lube up most of the pieces without
un-twisting any metal anyways.

A page of pictures I did up on it, incidentially from a '66:

http://www.tru7h.org/bug/speedo/

On 16 Mar 2005 19:11:08 GMT, Seth Graham > wrote:

>I've done it!
>
>All the lubricant in my speedo had dried itself out after 35
>or so years and it was making an absolutely nauseating shriek
>whenever I started driving.
>
>The chrome ring has those little divits where the 'ears' of
>the speedo stick out, I found I was able to sneak a flathead
>screwdriver into that spot and gently pry the ring off. No
>damage whatsoever.
>
>Removing the needle wasn't neccessary either. With a bit of
>wiggling, the entire assembly slides out of the casing once
>I took out the screws on the back.
>
>Reassembly was a little more tricky because I had to guide
>everything back together and there's a tube inside there that
>can be a pain to guide where it's supposed to go, it's a trick
>that got easier after two or three dissasemblies.
>
>Only real complication was the little twisted metal tabs used
>to hold the innards together. It's a very soft metal, and it
>doesn't take much for them to snap off. My "backyard redneck"
>(acutally I did it at my computer desk) solutions for that
>particular failure shall not be detailed here.
>
>It should be possible to lube up most of the pieces without
>un-twisting any metal anyways.
>
>A page of pictures I did up on it, incidentially from a '66:
>
>http://www.tru7h.org/bug/speedo/

Nice writeup. I was on the edge of my seat while reading your
speedometer adventure. Those little bent tabs! Nerve-wracking! :-)


---
"There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot."
- Inspector Harry Callahan

Seth Graham wrote:
<SNIP>
> It should be possible to lube up most of the pieces without
> un-twisting any metal anyways.
>
> A page of pictures I did up on it, incidentially from a '66:
>
> http://www.tru7h.org/bug/speedo/
>

Excellent job! Bravo.

Bookmarked.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/