Today, after ten years of operation, I decided to grease my speedometer chain. First of all, it was almost as clean, and well lubricated as when I put it in, but I thought I'd try something new. I fed the chain in one link at a time, hoping it would come out the other end. It didn't, and I had to remove the whole cable. What happens is the chain compresses as you feed it in. So much for trying new things.
I also put in a replated nickel bezel on the speedometer that I got from Russ. What an improvement!
Stewart speedometer chains
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Original Smith
Topic author - Posts: 3699
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- First Name: Larry
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RajoRacer
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Re: Stewart speedometer chains
Larry - I've done this on the Centerdoor - after removing the complete housing and laying it on the bench, I removed the chain then I pushed a piece of bailing wire through the vacated housing, then grabbed the first link with the wire and pulled it through - worked pretty slick.
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Mark Osterman
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Re: Stewart speedometer chains
LOL ... yes, I recently had my 160 Stewart speedometer head bind and break a chain link. So had to pull out the chain and fish out the broken part. I fixed the broken chain .. thank goodness I had some spare links. At the time I thought it was a faulty link and put the head back on and tested it with the front wheel jacked up .. and it bound up again. So I sent the head to Russ since he had rebuilt it a year ago when one of the pot metal parts became distorted. I installed a spare head from the “Parts Department” in my garage. I don’t really care how fast I’m going but I use the trip odometer as my gas gauge setting it to 000 when I fill up.
Greasing the chains and pulling them through the housing is always a comical activity. I have a special wire with a hook on the end for this and it works well but it’s always a little like wrestling a greasy snake. Russ check out the speedometer head, lubricated it and sent it back the other day. He couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Strange since I could feel it bind a little after turning it by hand about five turns. Fingers crossed.
Greasing the chains and pulling them through the housing is always a comical activity. I have a special wire with a hook on the end for this and it works well but it’s always a little like wrestling a greasy snake. Russ check out the speedometer head, lubricated it and sent it back the other day. He couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Strange since I could feel it bind a little after turning it by hand about five turns. Fingers crossed.
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YellowTRacer
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Re: Stewart speedometer chains
My guess is that the problem lies in your speedo swivel gears.
Ed aka #4
Ed aka #4
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Drkbp
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Re: Stewart speedometer chains
If your swivel and speedometer are functioning properly, be sure and "lay the chain" prior to attaching to the speedometer head or you invite a jam and broken link.
To flip the links all in the same direction:
Insert chain in the housing, attach both clutches to chain and screw cable onto swivel.
Leave upper cable loose so you can check the upper clutch.
Jack up front right wheel (road gear) and rotate wheel "forward" and be sure there is no binding in the chain.
If there is no binding, spin front wheel forward. Check upper clutch and be sure it is spinning freely while front wheel spins forward. Stop wheel, attach cable/upper clutch to speedometer head.Twist speedometer head drive to drop on chain clutch where it stopped and tighten.
The chain links are now all flipped in the same direction and the potential for jam or binding is reduced.
I attach a string to the upper clutch link and pull the string through as I remove the chain. Grease it up good and pull back through with the string and attach the upper clutch.
To flip the links all in the same direction:
Insert chain in the housing, attach both clutches to chain and screw cable onto swivel.
Leave upper cable loose so you can check the upper clutch.
Jack up front right wheel (road gear) and rotate wheel "forward" and be sure there is no binding in the chain.
If there is no binding, spin front wheel forward. Check upper clutch and be sure it is spinning freely while front wheel spins forward. Stop wheel, attach cable/upper clutch to speedometer head.Twist speedometer head drive to drop on chain clutch where it stopped and tighten.
The chain links are now all flipped in the same direction and the potential for jam or binding is reduced.
I attach a string to the upper clutch link and pull the string through as I remove the chain. Grease it up good and pull back through with the string and attach the upper clutch.