Rodney_Hamon Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 Just spent time to disconnect speedo cable and clean with lots of Macs dry graphite film lube from Napa. Sprayed it in opening back of speedometer as well. Tried my best to apply a few drops of 3in 1 oil into what I hope was an oil port at back of the speedometer. Using a thin wire I let the drops wick dn into the hole. Using a mirror, flashlight, drop light, and laying on an old sofa cushion to save my back, I accomplished the task. I connected the cable into the back of the speedometer and hand twisted it and it worked! I will connect to the tranny next. My question is...is it normal for the cable to slide out the housing on one end. The speedometer stopped working in 1985 and I disconnected it then. I am wondering if the cable simply slipped out of the gear. In any case I was not looking forward to removing that speedometer. Maybe I won’t have to! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted January 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2020 I have answered my own question. I read many discussions on speedometer cables and pulled/studied 3 different cables/housings-one from the truck and 2 from the p-23’s. All were in the same orientation of cup/stop at the speedometer end. Surprised that cables were basically the same in a 15 yr time span and in good shape, just dirty. As to the speedometer drive pinion/sleave I need to wait until it warms up. Still cold laying on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted January 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2020 Needed closure on this so went out to cold garage (38 deg)and removed drive pinion to make sure it wasn’t stripped. Looked in great shape! A thin wall socket 11/16 is the best. I barely could fit my std socket on that housing but managed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted January 30, 2020 Report Share Posted January 30, 2020 The speedometer cable broke at the pinion on my '48...apparently the cable sheath was so gummed up that the cable twisted in two as the pinion spun while we dragged that truck from the side of the barn where it had sat for 20 years and backed it into another barn so I could work on it in '89...I found a replacement cable, lubed it with weedeater drive cable grease, and it worked fine for over 10 years 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted January 31, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2020 Nice. Both the ‘51 car cables are very gunked up as you say...as if grease had been packed into them. The pinion drive is a very elegant part when you think about it and I am surprised the plastic lasts that long. Can you find this part new anymore or is it scavenging from now on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 I believe that there are a plethora of options here as speedometer cable assemblies and parts are available from a variety of specialty vintage parts vendors...I repaired mine by finding a universal cable assembly at a local auto parts store, pulling the cable out of the new vinyl covered sheath, cutting to length, cleaning out my old metal sheath, lubing up the cable and running with it for going on 3 decades... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkeiser Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 Speedometer cables don't appear to have changed in design over the years. The cable that came on my 53 was a little rough and wasn't long enough to reach the port on the A833 swap. I used a piece of wire to get an approximate length then got a generic speedo cable from O'Reilly's. It screwed right into the 833 and to the stock speedometer. Surprisingly, it's only off by 5 mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted February 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 I am impressed that cables can be made to work universally. That will be Spring’s search with vintage parts vendors in regards to the pinion drive. JB Neal, I wanted to add in response to your ‘48. I owned a ‘48 3/4 ton pu and that was probably my all time favorite vehicle. Drove it as a teenager and my dad taught me how to wrench. Took it apart and restored it. I drove the heck out of it and good thing the speed limit was only 55 back in the 70’s ! That truck topped out at 55. I loved double clutching it. Granny gear could let that truck climb a 45 deg. Grade. Lol. As I was going to school in suburbia Sacramento my dad also found a 64 1/2 mustang and threw that at me. What kid could turn a mustang down in 1973 ? My mom said no teenage kid is going to own 2 cars in my house while going to school. Choose. Damn. I let the truck go but had so much remorse I found the ‘36 1/2 ton a year later. My mom had to eat crow. Ah, the ‘48 had a heater and a radio as well. Swell truck indeed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted February 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2020 I need help understanding how this forum works. When you post something with your subject is that the only place where you see responses? I think I’m getting confused when I see someone reacting but it doesn’t add to the chain of discussion. What is a reaction actually. I feel dense asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48Dodger Posted February 5, 2020 Report Share Posted February 5, 2020 An Emoji, or emotional reaction with a picture, is just a way to acknowledge a post....positive or negative. If a reader doesn't have an answer for you, or wants to be supportive...they tag your post with an emoji. A quick response is in the lower right corner....4 choices, all basically positive. In the text area, its a little more diverse. For ex. ...........click on the happy face where the Bold/Italic/Underline, etc are..... These are all ways of putting an emotional response with a written response. Not everyone is a good writer and a simple smiley face can help relate the intend of the response or post. Hope that explains it.... If it doesn't, don't get mad.... I didn't mean to confuse anyone... I did my best..... Good luck with the emoji's..... 48D 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted February 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2020 Ahh. Thanks for the enlightenment. I am not a Luddite, but have only been using my phone for one year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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