CHARLESTON BRONC
New member
What's up guys. I turn to you yet again for some help. Yesterday my speedometer started sticking. It's been running fine but now for some reason it wants to stick at 5 M.P.H. intervals above 65. Any ideas?
Speedometer
- Thread starter CHARLESTON BRONC
- Start date
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yo,
Cable & Speedometer Head "... Speedometers get into trouble when cables bind or magnetic heads cease due to the absence of lubrication. Like the humble car clock, speedometers need periodic maintenance, too. The spinning speedometer head needs occasional lubrication (speedometer-head lubricant). Pull the cluster out, disconnect the cable, and feed modest doses of lubricant into the head once a year. Don't overdo it. While you're at it, pull the speedometer cable out and bathe it in white grease and a low-viscosity engine oil. This combination will keep it happy for thousands of miles..." MIESK5 NOTE; Some Speedo ends (at Speedo) are held on by a plastic clip: place Index finger on Metal Tube & thumb on plastic ring flat surface; Press Flat Surface of clip & Pull Cable from Speedo (Ford calls the speedo end the Head; or screwed on:Turn the cable end counterclockwise to disconnect. You may need an open end wrench. This is by Chilton for an 85 Bronco; 1.Remove the instrument cluster as previously described. Remove the lens and the mask from the cluster. 3.Disconnect the speedometer cable. 4.Remove the speedometer attaching screws and remove the unit. To install: 5.Position the speedometer to the pack plate and install the two attaching screws. 6.Examine the square drive hole for sufficient lubrication. If required, apply a 3/16 inch dab of lubricant (B5AZ-19581-A or equivalent) in the drive hole. 7.Reconnect the speedometer cable. Total Cable replacement; 1.Reach up behind the cluster and disconnect the cable by depressing the quick disconnect tab and pulling the cable away. 2.Remove the cable from the casing. If the cable is broken, raise the vehicle on a hoist and disconnect the cable from the transmission. 3.Remove the cable from the casing. 4.To remove the casing from the vehicle, pull it through the floor pan. 5.To replace the cable, slide the new cable into the casing and connect it at the transmission. 6.Route the cable through the floor pan and position the grommet in its groove in the floor. 7.Push the cable onto the speedometer head..."
Source: by Jim S
here is the xfer case end of da cable, as shown in:
Gear Change in a 90 (at transfer case)
Source: by Keith L (TTB Blows, Bling-Bling) at http://www.supermotors.net/clubs/superford/registry/139/13464
Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) Location pic in a 90 (at transfer case); "...The speedo gear is retained by a c-clip, visible just under my fingers here..."
Steve83 wrote, "...Its magnets & tone ring are all inside that sensor body. The plastic gear drives the sensor's shaft, and that shaft drives the speedo cable. Pull the C-clip off the gear and then pull the gear off the sensor. it makes 6 pulses per rev..."
Cluster Removal Tips in a 90
Source: by Steve83
pull the bezels from around the cluster & A/C controls? You should see the screws holding them in. Remove them. You might have to remove the wheel, &/or lower the column.
take out the 4 screws in the WHITE plastic, just outside the lens. IIRC, they're T20.
If you remove the 4 screws from the HVAC panel, you'll be able to turn it to release the wiring & cables. The cable sleeves clip to the white frame, and when they're released, you can unhook the cable ends from the levers. It's probably the speedo cable that's keeping you from getting the cluster out far enough to get at the connectors. Look under the truck & make sure all the slack is pushed forward, then pull it up by the brake pedal & try again at pulling the cluster out. To release the speedo cable from the cluster, push the large white plastic collar down, then back. The cable end locks automatically when you push it into the back of the speedo. Look at them while it's apart
Cable & Speedometer Head "... Speedometers get into trouble when cables bind or magnetic heads cease due to the absence of lubrication. Like the humble car clock, speedometers need periodic maintenance, too. The spinning speedometer head needs occasional lubrication (speedometer-head lubricant). Pull the cluster out, disconnect the cable, and feed modest doses of lubricant into the head once a year. Don't overdo it. While you're at it, pull the speedometer cable out and bathe it in white grease and a low-viscosity engine oil. This combination will keep it happy for thousands of miles..." MIESK5 NOTE; Some Speedo ends (at Speedo) are held on by a plastic clip: place Index finger on Metal Tube & thumb on plastic ring flat surface; Press Flat Surface of clip & Pull Cable from Speedo (Ford calls the speedo end the Head; or screwed on:Turn the cable end counterclockwise to disconnect. You may need an open end wrench. This is by Chilton for an 85 Bronco; 1.Remove the instrument cluster as previously described. Remove the lens and the mask from the cluster. 3.Disconnect the speedometer cable. 4.Remove the speedometer attaching screws and remove the unit. To install: 5.Position the speedometer to the pack plate and install the two attaching screws. 6.Examine the square drive hole for sufficient lubrication. If required, apply a 3/16 inch dab of lubricant (B5AZ-19581-A or equivalent) in the drive hole. 7.Reconnect the speedometer cable. Total Cable replacement; 1.Reach up behind the cluster and disconnect the cable by depressing the quick disconnect tab and pulling the cable away. 2.Remove the cable from the casing. If the cable is broken, raise the vehicle on a hoist and disconnect the cable from the transmission. 3.Remove the cable from the casing. 4.To remove the casing from the vehicle, pull it through the floor pan. 5.To replace the cable, slide the new cable into the casing and connect it at the transmission. 6.Route the cable through the floor pan and position the grommet in its groove in the floor. 7.Push the cable onto the speedometer head..."
Source: by Jim S
here is the xfer case end of da cable, as shown in:
Gear Change in a 90 (at transfer case)
Source: by Keith L (TTB Blows, Bling-Bling) at http://www.supermotors.net/clubs/superford/registry/139/13464
Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) Location pic in a 90 (at transfer case); "...The speedo gear is retained by a c-clip, visible just under my fingers here..."
Steve83 wrote, "...Its magnets & tone ring are all inside that sensor body. The plastic gear drives the sensor's shaft, and that shaft drives the speedo cable. Pull the C-clip off the gear and then pull the gear off the sensor. it makes 6 pulses per rev..."
Cluster Removal Tips in a 90
Source: by Steve83
pull the bezels from around the cluster & A/C controls? You should see the screws holding them in. Remove them. You might have to remove the wheel, &/or lower the column.
take out the 4 screws in the WHITE plastic, just outside the lens. IIRC, they're T20.
If you remove the 4 screws from the HVAC panel, you'll be able to turn it to release the wiring & cables. The cable sleeves clip to the white frame, and when they're released, you can unhook the cable ends from the levers. It's probably the speedo cable that's keeping you from getting the cluster out far enough to get at the connectors. Look under the truck & make sure all the slack is pushed forward, then pull it up by the brake pedal & try again at pulling the cluster out. To release the speedo cable from the cluster, push the large white plastic collar down, then back. The cable end locks automatically when you push it into the back of the speedo. Look at them while it's apart
Krafty
New member
it could be that your speedo cable is starting to stick to the outer casing at the higher speeds, I would recommend pulling the cable off the back of the gauge cluster and getting some kind of lubricant down there.
in my 89 when I had it, I had all kinds of problems with sticky cables and a couple times they even got hot and unwound the casing right off of them while driving. I went through 4 cables trying to get it right but to no luck.it was broken when i sold it. the previous owner cut through the cable and the cab mount when removing rusted sections of the floor before I bought it and it was never the same since.
in my 89 when I had it, I had all kinds of problems with sticky cables and a couple times they even got hot and unwound the casing right off of them while driving. I went through 4 cables trying to get it right but to no luck.it was broken when i sold it. the previous owner cut through the cable and the cab mount when removing rusted sections of the floor before I bought it and it was never the same since.
CHARLESTON BRONC
New member
Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like a good project for this weekend.
