Lubing the speedometer cable....

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Lubing the speedometer cable....
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marshall V. Daut on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 - 06:51 pm:

Now that the Holley NH passage drilling situation is behind me thanks to you guys, I'm on to other problem areas that I have put off fixing due to lack of knowledge or instructional material. The problem de jours is the 1914 speedometer cable and its care. Russ Furstnow did a fantastic job going through the original speedometer, so I'm sure that part is bullet-proof. I have freed up the speedo drive gears on the spindle arm with 3-in-1 oil to point that they spin very easily now. Apparently there was a threaded cap over where lube is introduced, but a chunk is broken out, so someone plugged the hole with a cork! I'll address that situation later. Right now I'm stumped by how to lube the cable itself. The inner cable is still present and operable, but it turns hard, which will probably mess up the newly-rebuilt speedo head. Each end of the inner cable has two small tangs. I assume one has to be removed in order to pull out the chain and coat it with grease - but how? Am I correct that chassis grease is to be used to lube the chain or does one flow oil inside the cable housing? I would think grease would be better and more durable. The cable has to come out first, though, right?
Along these lines, now that the drive gears spin freely, should grease be pushed inside the head or is the 3-in-1 oil the way to go? I suppose the MTFCA speedometer booklet has such information (and then again, maybe not), but this is a one-time speedometer refurbishing scenario that I'm not likely to repeat in my comfort zone of "black" Model Ts. I'd probably never refer to the booklet again = the booklet would be a hard sell to the car's owner.
Thanks again for checking out my problem of the day.
Marshall "Speedy" Daut


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 - 08:09 pm:

I'll be a politician and spout without specific knowledge. If this is like most other speedometer cables, yes, you slather it with grease, not oil.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 - 08:34 pm:

I have tried twice to respond and firefox won't let me. Sorry,if you like,call me.317-679-6624.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By KEN PARKER on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 - 10:18 pm:

Marshall,

I assume you have a 48" Stewart cable. The sliding bar and lower clutch of the chain allows the chain to be pulled from the cable housing from either end. Unhook the chain, attach a string to one end of the chain and pull it out the other. This leaves the string in the housing to pull the greased chain back through the housing.

I would check the chain to be sure there are no links that have been bent and they lay out correctly. Grease the chain with axle grease and pull back in the cable. Attach the swivel lower end and "roll" the front wheel forward (jacked up) to lay the chain in the housing. Then attach the upper end to the head. If you don't get the cable "laying with" the forward rotation of the front road gear, you will break a cable link. The links are made to "pull" each other, not "push" each other when in a normal forward operation of the car.

If the housing needs to be cleaned, the string allows you to pull a small cleaning rag back and forth before you grease it up.

Russ Furstnow has a very good speedometer book and I believe you will find it very helpful as well as interesting.

My 1914 has a Model 100 with the Stewart 48" cable and a 1913 swivel, RHD. It has been a very dependable setup. I drove the car over 300 miles this weekend and have about 4,000 miles on it.

Ken in Texas


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 - 05:00 am:

I had an old timer that owned a service station all his like recommend vaseline.

speedometers


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