A little speedometer mystery solved

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: A little speedometer mystery solved
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 04:18 pm:

The twenty dollar bike speedometer I use on my touring has always worked perfectly, so I was a bit perplexed recently when it started reading wildly erratic numbers unrelated to the actual speed of the car. It might read 28.6 mph, the actual speed, then flash 43.7 or 6.2, or nothing at all, and all within a few seconds. After all the previous discussions here of ignition interference, shielded wiring, yada yada yada, I assumed some kind of electronic malfunction. But sometimes the simplest answer is the right one. Today while doing a little routine inspection I found this.


One of the U bolts holding the sensor bracket to the spindle arm had worked loose and the sensor was being bounced around.


The fix was a bit of rubber hose and a little pad of inner tube to absorb some of the vibration. We'll see if that works as a long term solution.



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 04:55 pm:

Steve, please describe your setup. Where did you route your wires? What make and model sensor are you using? I tried a wireless bike speedometer last year with no luck (I pulled if off my bike). I have glanced at the wired ones in the stores but the wires look a little short.

Glad it was an easy fix.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 06:34 pm:

I think Steve is using a Velo......I'm have a Planet Protoge 5.0 on the touring car and it works perfectly.
The metal is some stainless steel that was lying around at the shop and I used a piece of 5/32" welding rod to mount the magnet (on the wheel).

pickup

Receiver


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 08:16 pm:

Have the Schwinn on the '24 touring, easy to read big numerals :-)



Mounts made of scrap sheet metal, bolted to existing fasteners, and JB Weld to secure the pickup sensor.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:31 pm:

What are you doing about wire lengths? All the sensors I have seen only have an 82 cm cable.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:48 pm:

You need to splice.
It's not easy scraping varnish from less than human hair width wires. I soldered my splices but I had to splice only one cable as the young guy who was helping me at the bicycle shop was so interested in WHAT I wanted it for he gave me an extra cable....... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:58 pm:

You just splice in more wire, easy to do. Any fine audio wire works, I used stereo wire from a junk earbud.

The sensor wire on most is single conductor center with a shield return, splice the shield to the same ends of the stereo (twin conductor wire) and the primary center to the other. Just be sure to splice the right ends so your making an extension wire keeping the polarity the same, easy.

Here is my routing on the '24 using the twin conductor stereo wire to the factory speedo cable.

Routed cable from wheel, then extension wire up the steering column. Polarity was easy as my extension wire had a white tracer on one of the wires. :-)




routed up from the chassis going up the steering column


Lastly the extension terminates back to the cable to the speedo display unit.



Next install on the '23 will use this Bell unit ...




Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 10:07 pm:

Why not put on an old stock speedometer? I run Stewarts on every single Model T I own and like them. If you want a bike speedometer go for it. I'll stick with the old stuff!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 10:52 pm:

Because not everyone wants to spend that much money for a complete WORKING setup for starters.
I got burned once.....and that's enough.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Mikeska, Denver CO on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:14 pm:

I like the originals as well but with the cost of a complete original set up getting north of a grand I may look into bicycle speedometers for my next project.

Paul


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:20 pm:

When it comes to speedometers, I see four ways to go:
1 Do without, as millions of T owners have done;
2 Use a $20 bike speedometer;
3 Buy and study the book, and scrounge the stuff to assemble a working period unit;
4 Buy a gorgeous restored one from Russ.

For now, I'm going with #2 and spending the real dough on other things. I may eventually go with #3.

The Velo 5 is an older unit (bought it three years ago) and works very well. Interference is not a problem. As Dan says, it's easy to splice in some speaker wire to extend the cable. I ran the wire up the tube with the horn wire.

I like Craig's sensor installation better than mine. Much less likely to wander.





Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Hughes, Raymond, NE on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:52 pm:

Or solution 5, a speedometer app for a smart phone, or a GPS device. I have used them all. I like the GPS or smart phone for the accuracy, but have to admit it doesn't look too good in a T. The bike speedometers are pretty good if you take the time to calibrate them, and they are pretty unobtrusive looking.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Willie K Cordes on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 12:33 pm:

The pick-up wire has a low voltage and you need to route it away from the plug wires and probably not with the magneto wire. (away from any high voltage) This is a basic rule you learn in the electrical world.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Cascisa - Poulsbo, Washington on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 01:44 pm:

Here is my speedometer. No wires :-) :-)

Be_Zero_Be


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By J Berch on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 03:04 pm:

I use a very old, outdated, handheld GPS when I need to check my speed. I just lay it on the seat beside me and pick it up and check it once in a while. It's more of a curiosity thing with me. The only place I could exceed the speed limit would probably be a fast food drive through.

Bob, A friend of mine took me for a ride on his 2 seater Ultralight one time. That's what we had for a speedometer. We weren't going as fast as your are.

Nice mirror.

John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gene Carrothers Huntington Beach on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 07:21 pm:

John, I tried calling you a couple of times. Are you going to be putting along on the Nebraska Tour this Year?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By J Berch on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 07:37 pm:

Gene, I'll call ya.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Steele-Rusty Montana on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 01:35 pm:

Has anyone tried one of the wireless bicycle speedometers yet? Just wondering if there would be interference caused by the engine.
Russ is working on one for my 15 but on my 17 open express I need one that goes to 100mph:-)
Just kidding, I just don't want to spend $$.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 02:22 pm:

I tried the wireless unit off my mountain bike this past summer. The signal strength is not strong enough. With the front wheel spinning (on a jacked), with the display in my hand I could not move it father than about two feet from the sensor. That was with the engine off, new batteries in both the sensor and receiver units.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Steele-Rusty Montana on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 09:52 pm:

Jason,
Thank you!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 09:57 pm:

John Stoltz, Model T Ranch, sell a nice speedometer kit for $235 plus shipping.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Mikeska, Denver CO on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 10:32 pm:

Just my .02
If you do not like bicycle speedometers as not period correct you will not like the Model T Ranch unit. It is a mechanical bicycle speedometer. I have one and it works but it is out of place on a T.

Paul


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bernard, San Buenaventura, Calif on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 03:02 pm:

Bob Cascia,

I like yours. Where can I buy it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Cassara Long Island, NY on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 04:27 pm:

Use a Cell Phone with a Car Dashboard App. GPS accuracy and it doesn't have to mounted or wired.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 07:53 pm:

Bernard, here you can buy one: http://www.hallwindmeter.com/gliders.php


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 09:23 pm:

Bob, does the air powered speedometer read high when you're bucking a headwind?

So my list of choices now includes:

5 wind gauge;
6 GPS;
7 $235 bicycle speedometer.



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