Topic: K0 Speedo Hub/Housing

[Bob Wessner]

I've got a problem. Got the bike on the road 6/21 after 22yrs in storage and about a year of on-and-off work. Put almost a 1,000 miles on it this summer with no problems. A couple of weeks ago, I went for a ride and noticed my speedometer was not working. Finished the ride and when I got home, found the inner cable snapped. Hmm, I thought, well it is 35 years old (it had been lubed). Ordered a new one and rode a couple of times without it while waiting for the new cable. Installed the new cable (after wrestling a seized retaining screw out) and went for a ride. Not more than 10 miles into the ride I started to hear a rhythmic noise whenever I slowed down. I finally isolated the sound and it was the speedo cable. The housing down on the front axle was wanting to rotate in the direction of wheel travel and was putting an extra bend in the cable in the process. I'm now thinking this is what snapped the first cable.

Finally had some time to devote to the problem today. Removed the front wheel to check everything out. Found nothing amiss that I could see. Wheel/axle/bearing seemed to be adjusted correctly?? The housing for that end of the speedo cable moves freely around the axle (it's supposed to right?) there is even the slightest lateral movement to the housing.

I put everything back together, took a ride, about 25 mi. (great day here in Mich., probably not too many left), but sure enough, same problem. Can anyone give me any insight as to what is wrong, what I should be looking for? I don't miss the speedo as much as the odometer since it's essentially my fuel gauge.

[Jonesy]

Bob-

Oddly enough I had my front wheel off today while going through the forks and experimenting with different fork oils to improve the ride. I noticed when you tighten the front axle, the speedo drive stays in a fixed position relative to the axle ends. (I remember seeing instructions on cyclexchange.com about making sure the speedo drive is in the appropriate position before tightening the fork caps.) See if when you tighten the axle the drive stays in position. I put a wrench on the hex portion and a thick-shank screwdriver though the hole on the other end to tighten against.

[Bob Wessner]

I noticed when you tighten the front axle, the speedo drive stays in a fixed position relative to the axle ends.

Dan,

My problem is that it does not stay fixed, it moves freely around the axle even when the axle cap nuts are tightened. I did notice, while I had the wheel off, that if I snug the axle nut (opposite the speedo drive) it will snug the housing up against a stop that will prevent it spinning..I think, but that would seem to make the axle/bearing too tight, or perhaps I'm not understanding how it all fits together.

Biffta,

Speedo cable is working, spinning the wheel with front end raised turns the hub/housing and the cable as well.

[Bob Wessner]

With all these references to the housing being fixed, I must have something set-up incorrectly. Going to have to take another look tomorrow.

[Bob Wessner]

Dan,

If you are still logged-on, been rereading your post about the speedo housing. If I grasp the hex on the rotor side and snug the assembly enough to keep the speedo housing from rotating, won't this appy to much pressure to the wheel bearings, or are the bearings handled strickly within the hub? Can't recall what it all looked like in there when I had the hub apart last winter.

[Clyde]

Bob,
If I am reading your thread correctly, your front axle is not tightened up enough. According to my manual you have to tighten up your axle bolt to 40 ft lb.
The axle locks the speedo housing. There should be no damage to your bearings as you are tightening them up against the inner spacer  between them.
Regds Clyde

[Bob Wessner]

Clyde,

Thanks, was beginning to think that was the issue, but not sure. Torque wrench, here I come.  I seem to recall having something of an inner debate with myself on this last winter, the torque value seemed pretty high, was it a misprint, what, etc? Your comment about the inner spacer certainly makes sense, I remember that part.

[Jonesy]

Bob,
If I am reading your thread correctly, your front axle is not tightened up enough. According to my manual you have to tighten up your axle bolt to 40 ft lb.
The axle locks the speedo housing. There should be no damage to your bearings as you are tightening them up against the inner spacer  between them.
Regds Clyde

That was my thought, but I wanted to do a little homework first and double check. The inner bearing races are taking the load and carrying it through the spacer, so you shouldn't be hurting the bearings themselves. I could find a torque value (I have a very early manual), so this info will come in handy!

[Bob Wessner]

Haven't yet gone out to the garage to fix this yet, but researched the manual and parts list a bit more. With every removal of the front wheel, there was something nagging at me every time. It dawned on me this morning and the parts list verified this. On mine, the axle caps are only secured with the nut and a flat washer. Yesterday it seemed to me this is an application where a lock washer (spring washer to Honda) would be appropriate. Sure enough, the parts list indicates nut, spring washer AND flat washer. Another PO modification. I usually try to catch these, there have been others, but this one got overlooked.

[Bob Wessner]

Well, problem solved. Housing is now tight and positioned correctly. Only problem I encountered was, though nice to know the correct torque, I don't have a long reach 24mm socket for the torque wrench to reach down the axle shaft..sooo, I had to use a guesstimation torque  , nice and snug. Found that the missing axle cap washers were actually the flat washers, not the spring washers. It's just that the spring washers had lost their spring and were flat as can be. Nearby hardware store with a decent selection of metric fasteners and washers provided new flat and spring washers.

I have to say it was a great riding day today, roads were thick with those damn motorcyclists. 

[Clyde]

Bob,
I quoted the torque from my manual, but I have never used my torque wrench, just a guesstimation.
Regds Clyde

[Bob Wessner]

Clyde,

Makes sense, it would be an awkwardly long reach down the axle shaft.

[Sam Green Racing]

Not speaking to you