odometer issues

[KARSTEN]

I have a '85R80RT with some odometer issues.The tach and speedometer work fine all the time,the odometer and tripmeter will work,suddenly stop and eventually will work again.I have installed a new cable hoping to cure the problem,changed the routing also to no avail.I can disconect the cable at the tranny and reinstall and it will work for a while.Is this a common problem?Faulty instruments?any ideas on how to solve this?thanks,Karsten

[20774]

Sounds like the odometer has slipped down the shaft some. Follow this website:

http://www.pbase.com/dwerbil/1978_r1007_odometer_repair

and get the odometer wheel lined up and glue it into place on the shaft.

[KARSTEN]

Kurt,
thanks a lot,will attempt tonight to correct the problem.

[crazydrummerdude]

Just to clarify some symptoms:

If the speedo needle is lagging or nothing moves, it's the cable.

If the trip-meter stops, but everything else still works, it's the helical gear on the side losing contact with the trip-meter shaft.

If the odometer pauses or speeds along or gets all messed up looking, the gear on the end of that shaft has slipped towards the end of the shaft and the number wheels have room to wobble.

You can line the numbers back up (it's tricky at first; there's little grey wheels that advance the number wheels that have to be lined up properly in relation to little indents on the number wheels (I think around the "7" position)) and slide the gear back in place and secure it there somehow.

[Jeff488]

Or you can just send it to Overseas Speedometer in Austin, TX, and they will make it all better. Very reasonable prices, too.
http://www.speedometer.com/

[tvrla]

...and get the odometer wheel lined up and glue it into place on the shaft.

How do you glue the gear to the shaft? The fit is fairly tight and a surface bond wouldn't be very strong. It would really need glue between the gear and the shaft, and I don't see how it's going to flow in between the two parts.

The method I prefer involves knurling the shaft to provide more purchase for the gear, but that requires dismantling the complete speedometer - needle, face, everything.

For $75 I'll fix it for you and clean and lube it as well.

[20774]

How do you glue the gear to the shaft? The fit is fairly tight and a surface bond wouldn't be very strong. It would really need glue between the gear and the shaft, and I don't see how it's going to flow in between the two parts.

I think the idea is to keep the last wheel on the stack from migrating away down the shaft. So getting just about anything to stick would do the job. Maybe the shaft would need to be "roughed" up some to help with the adhesion.

[Geoff]

How do you glue the gear to the shaft? The fit is fairly tight and a surface bond wouldn't be very strong. It would really need glue between the gear and the shaft, and I don't see how it's going to flow in between the two parts.

The method I prefer involves knurling the shaft to provide more purchase for the gear, but that requires dismantling the complete speedometer - needle, face, everything.

For $75 I'll fix it for you and clean and lube it as well.

+1. I eat lunch at a speedometer shop every day and they use the "knurling " method to get that troublesome gear to stick to the shaft. They also used super glue to repair a broken gear. Don't let the problem persist as it will become exponentially more spendy as other (not so available) parts become damaged. A good cleaning and proper lube, and you'll be good for a long while. BTW $75.00 is a good price if done properly.