Speedo stopped working

[vavision]

I had to commute 120 miles to work today because I stayed over late this weekend.

Mile 30, the speedo starts acting up, cut out for a second, came back on.

Mile 35, speedo starts ticking or bouncing around my speed.

Mile 42, speedo cuts out completely.

Mile ~45, speedo comes back in

Stop for a traffic light and speedo never came back

Thoughts?

[QBS]

Speedo head unit is speedo cable driven.  Make sure that speedo cable housing is screwed on to both speedo head and lower wheel drive units.  Cheers.

[Riche]

vavision

Great advice by QBS. If the cable is connected then check the cable. Is it broken or frayed? If the cable and liner are serviceable reconnect it to the drive unit at the wheel. Test drive or spin the wheel to see if the cable turns inside the liner. If both the drive and cable are working do a search in the forum for speedo problems and check the links to the member websites for answers concerning the speedo head unit.

[Superfly]

One thing I have done to check a speedo is to get one of the small screwdrivers, stick it into where you screw the cable in (on the speedo), and spin it.  You should be able to see the speedo needle moving a bit, and might even hear a slight ticking.  If it does not move at all, try putting some grease in there (I use Moly for almost everything!) and try again.

[Kiwi_XZ]

Quick check with a battery operated drill - Disconnect the speedo cable at the front wheel speedo drive unit and spin it up with the battery drill, slow speed to start with until you accertain that you are driving it in the right direction.

If the speedo works it's in the drive unit, if not then a sheared cable or dead indicator.

The inner flexible drive cable (that you connect the drill to) can come out OK, I have removed mine cleaned it and reinserted it with a good smear of lithium based grease.  Run the cable thru a handfull as you feed it back into the outer covering.

The front wheel speedo drive unit can also be disassembled, once removed the inner gear is held in with a circlip and the can be removed.  You will then be able to clean and inspect both gears with the inner removed.  Reassemble using wheel bearing grease.

I haven't been into the indicator, but I have a spare so I can have a look if I get a chance tonite.

Cheers - Shane

[Coil Coyle]

The indicator is a magnet spun by the cable that is driving the needle against a spring pushing back to zero.
So; a pegged speedo = a broken spring, a stuck needle needs lubrication.
But clicking and stopping points to cable or wheel drive plate issues.
Does the wheel turning spin the cable at the speedo end?
Does the cable stick into the speedo far enough?
$00.02
;)
coil

[vavision]

I wish I had time (read daylight due to not having a garage) to check this out before the weekend. Thanks for all the tips, I plan to take this speedo problem on with all the force I can muster.

[vavision]

Speedo fixed.

I got the best tip ever from a DC cab driver.

I was just riding along, minding my own business when I hear a loud horn. A quick glimpse to the mirror shows a cab flying up on my tail with his 4-ways on and his horn going nonstop. I moved over to let him by and he gets behind me and moves to my right. He pulls next to me and starts pointing at my rear tire yelling (tire tire stop stop). I was of course thinking "jiminy cricket!" I got off the road with the cabby blocking traffic and pulled into a hotel parking lot thinking I was going to be late getting back to work, I was going to have to pay for another set of tires and getting them mounted/balanced. So when I get off my bike I see that my rear tire is fine, after a sigh of relief I notice the big coax looking cable.... hanging from my front wheel...

The point of the story, a forum is a great place for information but you need to provide your own common sense. I hooked the cable back up (I guess it rattled loose over time?) and the speedo works great!

[QBS]

You owe the cab driver a beer!

[Riche]

  ;D  QBS, he should have paid attention to your first post. You called the best place to start looking

[QBS]

Riche: Thank you.  We all live and learn.  Trust me, I know a lot of stuff I that learned the hard way.

[Riche]

We all live and learn.? Trust me, I know a lot of stuff I that learned the hard way.

You said it, I'm sure glad we don't have to keep track of the number. LOL
Here's hoping our next hard way lesson takes it's time showing up.

It always pays to check the simple stuff first.? ;) All to often we get side tracked trying to find a complex solution.

One thing I enjoy about this forum is the diverse/ingenious ways people have to solve the same problem/get the same job done. There are some very clever people posting here.