Author Topic: Taking Speedometer apart (Read 4598 times)

lowmileage · « **on:** July 15, 2009, 07:24:51 AM »

Anyone ever figure a way to take a speedo apart and not (totally) screw up the skinny chrome ring (that mates up to the black foam type piece that inserts into the chrome housing) in the process of dismantling and re-assembly?

cookindaddy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2009, 07:31:17 AM »

Hi. I asked a similar question couple weeks ago and got some good replies. You can look at
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=54557.msg586500#msg586500
I don't know if I am doing this link right,
Search for Instrument Appliques if the link does not work.
It was about July 7

lowmileage · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2009, 07:58:59 AM »

Yup,

and I thought I was in virgin territory here

.

Looks like the way I'm proceeding is the only way there is to do it. The ring is the *itch part of the job.

Thanks much.

kent400 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:37:16 AM »

If you can't find the info you require P.M. (include your email address) me and I'll send you a Gauge Restoration Guide in PDF format. If mainly refers to the smaller gauges fitted to the 350f, 400f and the 500f. The principle is the same for all gauges that are held together with the stainless steel band. The info is on the forum somewhere!

Johnny5 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:39:47 AM »

Quote from: lowmileage on July 15, 2009, 07:58:59 AM

Yup, and I thought I was in virgin territory here .

Looks like the way I'm proceeding is the only way there is to do it. The ring is the *itch part of the job.

Thanks much.

Yep, that freaking ring....ugh.

lowmileage · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:49:41 AM »

Sounds like you've been there

Johnny5 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:58:17 AM »

Quote from: lowmileage on July 15, 2009, 09:49:41 AM

Sounds like you've been there

Oh yeah....man, frustrating. I ended up destroying that ring and glueing the whole thing back together and using a chrome strip used for door edging or something to make it look pretty again. All turned out well, but that was a bad night spent with that ring....

lowmileage · « **Reply #7 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:15:39 AM »

I've already

****ed up one ring but am being real careful on my last spare.

Johnie · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:38:12 AM »

I pulled the ring off both my K1 gauges. The secret is to take your time and use a small screwdriver as the pry. You have to go all the way around and not leave to many spaces or you will not get it off. I also put some electrical tape on the ring to keep it from riding up on the black case and scratching it. Then during reassembly I put electrical tape back on the ring so I would not scratch the surface when pressing it back together. Good luck with it. I would not want to do this everyday as it is time consuming, but the finished product is good. And a heck of a lot cheaper than sending it away for this work.

B.O.X.N.I.F.E. · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:52:47 AM »

I'm a patient dude, and I screwed up my first ring and the spare from the other gauge. This was trying to use the prying method. I strongly recommend cutting the ring with a dremel at the bottom and resecuring it with JB weld. If you're feeling adventerous go for the bending, I thought I could do it. Now I'm looking for an extra gauge to cut up.

B.O.X.N.I.F.E. · « **Reply #10 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:54:28 AM »

Also, I'm planning on having to split ring tack welded by a sheet metal shop for a couple bucks, then filing and polishing it back. But plenty of people have used JB.

BobbyR · « **Reply #11 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:20:49 PM »

I have tried this on a junk pair of clocks. I am patient and it looked like ass when i was finisihed. Whai I plan to do is cut and access hole in the rear and do any lubrication throiugh that hole. There is not much in there to lube anyway. Wheni I am done I will solder or JB weld the metal piece I cut out back on.

lowmileage · « **Reply #12 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:28:06 PM »

I don't see how you could cut that piece off without fashimmiling the black housing up

rustrocket92 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:38:17 PM »

I cut them off with a dremal tool and jb welded them back together. I realy wasnt worried about them being cut and glued because I had Chrome bezels and clamps to install which cover the original ring.

Johnie · « **Reply #14 on:** July 15, 2009, 01:25:39 PM »

I don't know...I did not have a problem and the K1 was the first set I had to get the rings off. I did the KO set but those were much easier. I did not have to worry about what the bottom of the ring looked like when I crimped it back together since it is covered by the rubber retaining ring anyway. I never thought about the Dreml and JB, but I bet you could get the seam in a good spot that you would not notice it.

rustrocket92 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 15, 2009, 01:40:38 PM »

If you get the chrome covers then you don't have to worry about the ring being damaged because the chrome clamp covers all that up.

BobbyR · « **Reply #16 on:** July 15, 2009, 01:59:22 PM »

Quote from: lowmileage on July 15, 2009, 12:28:06 PM

I don't see how you could cut that piece off without fashimmiling the black housing up

You cut above the cable connector in the back. No visable fashimmiling. For those of you outside the NY metro area, we adopted a lot of Yiddish and Italian words into our everyday speech. Fashimmiling a Yiddish term roughly means making it ugly or messing it up.

grumpy · « **Reply #17 on:** July 15, 2009, 03:30:40 PM »

here's a little tutorial...

http://www.cb750cafe.com/parts.php?id=5&PHPSESSID=b71c31965a2aef3b7fd0544d2dd8c282

B.O.X.N.I.F.E. · « **Reply #18 on:** July 15, 2009, 03:42:13 PM »

Hell, while the topic is up, anyone got a junk guage I can take off your hands? Those damn rings...

lowmileage · « **Reply #19 on:** July 16, 2009, 06:16:40 AM »

Cutting might be the way to go. With prying, you'll never get the neat curve of the OEM look. We'll see after I get mine put together this weekend - I've already pryed mine off as neatly as possible. I have a nice water pump plyer to crimp it back on - the plyer has smooth jaws. Now, if I can only find my (recently bought) tube of white litheum grease but it'll

probably be easier just to buy another.

kent400 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 17, 2009, 09:25:29 AM »

Cutting the stainless steel band to dismantle the gauge is a far less time consuming method, simply bond it back with JB weld or some other epoxy resin adhesive. Place a large hose clamp around the band until the adhesive has set.

If you want to remove the band without cutting it place a large hose clamp around the band before it is lifted from the base. The hose clamp will prevent the band being spread outwards and distorted. Lift the band using a suitable small screwdriver and lift the band a small amount as you revolve the gauge.

Refitting, if using pliers you need to protect the top of the band and be very careful. A piece of thick plastic slid over the gauge down to the band will work.

A better method is to bore a hole in a thick piece of wood so the gauge will drop into it up to the band. The band can then be bent back over the base flange using a plastic punch and a small hammer working around the gauge. As the top of the band is protected by the wood block there's little chance it would be damaged. It also protects the body you have just painted! If you have a bench drill press the plastic punch can be placed in the chuck and with the gauge in the block the band can be pressed back to the base easily. Of course you need to press it down a small amount at a time as the gauge is revolved.

Whilst boring a hold in a block of wood the size of the gauge is a laborious task the end result is worth the effort!

lowmileage · « **Reply #21 on:** July 18, 2009, 07:46:23 AM »

Ok

, here's my .02 on this -

there is no *****n' way you're gunna pry that band off and put it back on without it lookin' *****d up. I was real careful in my 2nd attempt but there are some sections that wouldn't crimp down on the silver part side cause (for some reason) it was too crimped on the black side. In addition, even on the other areas (which I tried to be real careful) it looks like a botch repair

. In addition, while I did have the black area covered with tape to protect it from scratches, I had the tape off and decided to do a crimp on a spot and the

wrench slipped and scratched the black (of course, where else where) piece right on the top middle where a blind man could see it. I do have a spare tach where I could, spend some more time on the job and try to cut that ring and put it on my speedo but for now am looking for some type of something to put over and disguise the botched repaired chrome ring. I spent 15 minutes in my True Value hardware store where the (very helpful) guy behind the counter suggested a couple ideas which I promptly discounted as not going to work. He left me with a couple of plastic strips which I'm going to work on now. I have to move on (quickly) with this project otherwise winter will be here and other projects will get further delayed. So for now, it's again off to the workbench.

cookindaddy · « **Reply #22 on:** July 19, 2009, 06:21:54 AM »

Hello Kent400.
Can you please explain a bit more about this part:

"The band can then be bent back over the base flange using a plastic punch and a small hammer working around the gauge."

The rest of your post I understand and it sounds like a good way for me.
Thanks

lowmileage · « **Reply #23 on:** July 20, 2009, 07:08:16 AM »

Update - I couldn't find an appropriate fix to cover up the crimp botch up. I had spare tach so I cut the ring. I didn't have a dremel so I took my 4" metal cutting wheel and just touched the ring to start a cut with the hacksaw. CUTTING IS THE WAY TO DO IT. DON'T EVEN ATTEMPT THE PRY OFF AND CRIMP ON TECHNIQUE. I destroyed 2 rings trying it. I put a dab of JB weld on it and after holding for about 15 minutes with my hands , put a 4" worm clamp (they call it for a dryer hose) on and let it sit from 3pm yesterday to this morning. Unclamped this morning (put the screwdriver part of the clamp near the weld because that will give it a bit of clearance so the clamp doesn't sit directly on the weld) and it's a done deal.

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Author Topic: Taking Speedometer apart (Read 4598 times)