Lubing the cables: Difference between revisions

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====How to lube the speedometer cable====

Speedo cables will sooner or later dry up their original lubrication and you will see the needle start to jump on the dial. It wants lubrication. If ignored, it will get worse, and break. The cable is a tiny, long, coiled spring with square ends formed on it for a drive. You can lube the cable by disconnecting the knurled knob on the speedo gearbox on the front axle with your fingers. No need to disturb the upper end fitting at the speedo.

Speedo cables will sooner or later dry up their original lubrication and you will see the needle start to jump on the dial. It wants lubrication. If ignored, it will get worse and break. The cable is a tiny, long, coiled spring with square ends formed on it for a drive. You can lube the cable by disconnecting the knurled knob on the speedo gearbox on the front axle with your fingers. No need to disturb the upper end fitting at the speedo.

With great care, twist and pull the cable out of the housing. It makes some tight bends so will be a little tight. Don't yank on it or it will be ruined. Using a MOLY (only) chassis grease available in tubes from NAPA or good auto parts stores (commonly used with a grease gun for car and truck chassis lubrication), coat the cable thoroughly on its whole length with the grease, using your fingers to make sure it's thoroughly greased. But don't really glop it on, or shove grease up the housing, because that has been known to get grease up into the speedo head and ruin it.

Now, ease and fish your cable up the housing, very gently, around the tight bends and turn it a little, which will help. You will also need to turn and ease the square drive end up into the speedo head itself, using no force any time. Eventually you will see the cable is fully installed in its housing, as it was when you detached it from the axle gearbox. Now you re-attach it to the axle gearbox, once again carefully making sure the square end of the cable properly enters the gearbox. Now, after tightening the knurled finger nut, you're good to go. And you will find that the cable will run smoothly a long, long time with this moly-grease treatment, before the next one becomes necessary.

Now, ease and fish your cable up the housing, very gently, around the tight bends and turn it a little, which will help. You will also need to turn and ease the square drive end up into the speedo head itself, using no force at any time. Eventually you will see the cable is fully installed in its housing, as it was when you detached it from the axle gearbox. Now you re-attach it to the axle gearbox, once again carefully making sure the square end of the cable properly enters the gearbox. Now, after tightening the knurled finger nut, you're good to go. And you will find that the cable will run smoothly a long, long time with this moly-grease treatment, before the next one becomes necessary.

It's not a bad idea to clean and grease up the speedo drive on the axle whenever you've got the wheel off. Both gears will come out of the unit, letting you remove any gunk and particles that may have settled there. Pack it real well w/ regular bearing grease when re-assembling it.

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 ====How to lube the speedometer cable====
-Speedo cables will sooner or later dry up their original lubrication and you will see the needle start to jump on the dial. It wants lubrication. If ignored, it will get worse, and break. The cable is a tiny, long, coiled spring with square ends formed on it for a drive. You can lube the cable by disconnecting the knurled knob on the speedo gearbox on the front axle with your fingers. No need to disturb the upper end fitting at the speedo.
+Speedo cables will sooner or later dry up their original lubrication and you will see the needle start to jump on the dial. It wants lubrication. If ignored, it will get worse and break. The cable is a tiny, long, coiled spring with square ends formed on it for a drive. You can lube the cable by disconnecting the knurled knob on the speedo gearbox on the front axle with your fingers. No need to disturb the upper end fitting at the speedo.
 With great care, twist and pull the cable out of the housing. It makes some tight bends so will be a little tight. Don't yank on it or it will be ruined. Using a MOLY (only) chassis grease available in tubes from NAPA or good auto parts stores (commonly used with a grease gun for car and truck chassis lubrication), coat the cable thoroughly on its whole length with the grease, using your fingers to make sure it's thoroughly greased. But don't really glop it on, or shove grease up the housing, because that has been known to get grease up into the speedo head and ruin it.
-Now, ease and fish your cable up the housing, very gently, around the tight bends and turn it a little, which will help. You will also need to turn and ease the square drive end up into the speedo head itself, using no force any time. Eventually you will see the cable is fully installed in its housing, as it was when you detached it from the axle gearbox. Now you re-attach it to the axle gearbox, once again carefully making sure the square end of the cable properly enters the gearbox. Now, after tightening the knurled finger nut, you're good to go. And you will find that the cable will run smoothly a long, long time with this moly-grease treatment, before the next one becomes necessary.
+Now, ease and fish your cable up the housing, very gently, around the tight bends and turn it a little, which will help. You will also need to turn and ease the square drive end up into the speedo head itself, using no force at any time. Eventually you will see the cable is fully installed in its housing, as it was when you detached it from the axle gearbox. Now you re-attach it to the axle gearbox, once again carefully making sure the square end of the cable properly enters the gearbox. Now, after tightening the knurled finger nut, you're good to go. And you will find that the cable will run smoothly a long, long time with this moly-grease treatment, before the next one becomes necessary.
 It's not a bad idea to clean and grease up the speedo drive on the axle whenever you've got the wheel off. Both gears will come out of the unit, letting you remove any gunk and particles that may have settled there. Pack it real well w/ regular bearing grease when re-assembling it.