LSUMatt1514

For those who don't remember, I screwed up my speedometer needle when I was removing my Speedhut gauges. The first set that I got from them had a defective gauge, and I had to remove all of them and send them back so that they would send me a new kit. As I was removing the white face gauge over the speedometer, I noticed that the needle bent too much. The normal resting position of the needle with the "needle stop" removed was about 1/4"-1/2" below zero. After my needle bent, I saw the needle fall about 1" below zero. Well, sure enough, when I put the cluster back in, the speedometer was 20 mph off. It still tracks normal on acceleration and slowing down, but it is almost exactly 20 mph slow. I dropped my truck off at a local dealer today (who by the way has an excellent service department) and they were unable to re-calibrate it electronically with the computer. The service manager said that I should be able to fix this myself, but I think I'm gonna need ya'lls help to do it. I know I've read on here before that some of you have done it yourself, so here goes....

1. How do I remove the needle?
2. Something mechanical (gear, spring, etc) shifted or changed when I bent the needle to much. This has to be why it dropped another 1/2". How do I set it back the way it was before?

Any suggestions or assistance will be GREATLY appreciated. I do not want to have to buy a new instrument panel, or drive my 4Runner forever with the speedometer off 20 mph. Thanks guys. Sorry for the long post. Later.

Matt

foxtrapper

The needle is a press fit onto the shft normally. Sometimes they is an adhesive in place. You must pull the needle straight up the shaft. Any cocking tends to ensure the shaft snaps.

Assuming the needle is free floating, simply set the zero position correctly and you will be reasonably set and accurate.

You are not actually recalibrating the speedometer, just repositioning the needle. You'd recalibrate if it was off by a factor. Say reading x2. In your case, it's reading +20. That is an offset, not a slope error.

LSUMatt1514

Foxtrapper,
Thanks for the response. I'm not sure that I follow what you are saying as far as pulling the needle off. If I just pull the needle off, and snap it back on, it seems to me that it will be right back in the same position as it is now. How do I reposition it back closer to zero and could you be a little more specific on how to pull it off? Thanks.

Matt

foxtrapper

Matt,

This is a pretty good link for general speedometer understanding, with a nice close up of a needle pulled off the shaft. It's on there just like the hands of a clock are mounted.
http://members.ispwest.com/jkcaplan/...faq/speedo.htm

Yes, you need to reposition the needle on the shaft when you reinstall it. This is simply a case of noting how far off it is now, and adjusting for that when you reinstall the needle.

Highland Runner

When I lived in FL there was a shop that did nothing but fix speedometers. This place helped people that got speeding tickets because thier speedometer was off. They put your car on rollers that spin at a speed set but a computer for your gearing, tire size etc. The needle is then reposition while doing this.

LSUMatt1514

Foxtrapper,
Thanks so much. Those pics are awesome. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it apprears that the whole thing (needle and "black pivot ball") will just pull straight up off of the shaft. Will a small screwdriver be sufficient to pop it off? Thanks again.

Matt

foxtrapper

I'd suggest using two whatevers in the attempt to get the force even and straight up. Be carefull of the gauge face, as they are normally very easily marred.

Do be aware that this job can fail. I don't want to give a false sense of casual confidence here. Most of the time the needle just comes off nicely. But, I've snapped one shaft before, and had some others that I just couldn't get to come off the shaft. Maybe more force would have pulled them, but that's how I snapped the one. And trying to fix a snapped shaft is not easy. I've not done your specific speedometer, but I've done roughly a dozen or twenty various speedometers and tachometer disassemblies over the years. It's kind of nerve wracking as you're prying on this needle wondering if it's going to come off, or if something is about to break.

LSUMatt1514

Foxtrapper,
One more for you. Are there any prongs on the shaft that hold the needle and pivot ball on there or is it just a matter of pulling them off the shaft? The reason I ask is this. If there are "tabs" on the shaft that hold them, I am not sure how I would be able to re-position the needle because it would not line up with the tabs on the shaft.

Hopefully it's just a matter of gently prying the two off of the shaft, re-positioning them, and sliding them back into place. Thanks.

Matt

foxtrapper

Matt,
Every one I've seen was just a round shaft. No tabs, or square shank or such. Just a friction fit onto the shaft.

Jeffires

I'm switching out my cluster to an SR5 model, and the only concern I have is with the odometer. Here are the options I am considering 1) Swap the cluster directly don't worry about the mileage 2) put my odometer into the new cluster 3) attempt to change the reading of the odometer in the SR5 set that I am putting in.

I understand how to switch odemeters. I have the cluster apart and know the procedure for switching odometers. My concern is the problems I may incur if I remove the speedometer needle in order to do this. Based on what I have read, if I do pop the needle off and swap the odometers, pressing it back on pointed to "0" will cause incorrect reading.

I really would like to keep the correct mileage on my cluster, but I don't want to damage the speedometer and have to have a shop fix it. Has anyone adjusted an odometer before putting in a cluster swap? I read that someone spun it by hand, but I'll have to remove the odometer to do that.

Flamedx4

Bunch of poorly communicated info in this thread

First, moving the needle does not recalibrate and speedometer.
If you, for example, change tire size your speedo will be off. It will be off by a percentage. (i.e. If the tire size is now 10% bigger, then your speedo will read 10% too low - at 55mph it will read 50 mph, at 110 mph it will read 100mph.) Recalbration corrects this percentage. Changing axle gears to match the tires does too.

Getting the needle in the wrong place did not make the speedometer inacurate, it still works perfectly and does not need "recalibrated." It just needs the needle put back in place. This is tough to do since zero usually rests on a stop, and when you pull the needle off the shaft turns below where it was and now you have no way to get it back in the right spot. It may take a few trial and errors of putting it on and driving. I've done it by driving and putting it on while driving at a set speed, this works great - but (standard disclaimer - the vehicle has no brains, so use yours! ) THis Is a Dangerous practice! (duh)

Changing the odometer reading when you replace a cluster- You can change the odo reading but it is not 'spinning by hand." They are designed to be tamperproof and it's very difficult to pry the gear wheels around without doing damage. It can be done but its tricky. I've ruined a few. You could hook up a speedo cable to a drill or something (many people swear by this, but I bet they've never tried it) but bear in mind that it is going to have to drive off all those miles and it takes days and days and even weeks and weeks. Most odos don't work in reverse so you have to go all the way around - nice with Toyotas milllion mile odometers... It is usually far easier to change the old odo into the new gauge.

4x4Lamm

Here is a good website to spare you the math headache:

http://www.tyres1.com/calculators.html

Lamm