Topic: Speedometer Testing

[swestleyj60]

Next step on my 1978 CB550K is to replace the speedometer cable.

Now, all I know is that the speedometer doesn't work.  I took the old cable off and the little aluminum sending cap that fits into the wheel hub had broken off.

The new cable has arrived and I'd like to test it against the speedometer before I hook it up completely, by linking it to a drill and spinning it against the speedo.  Question:

When the front wheel is turning, which way is the speedometer cable spinning - Clockwise or counter-clockwise...?

[el pachuco]

Test the drive gear at the wheel first. install the lower end of the cable into the wheel gear and leave the top part of the cable off to see if the inner cable turns when the wheel does. If it does, then install the top end of the cable to see if the speedometer is working. If it does not, then the speedometer is faulty

[Bodi]

The cable may have broken just from age and metal fatigue, or the speedometer may be jammed and that caused the cable to shear.
So test that the cable will turn freely in the speedo. Pull the core out and stick the end in the speedo sockeg, the core should spin freely. And you can see which way is correct... but the cable turns the same way theneedle goes up, there are no reversing gears in there.