Swapping speedo needles Options

[jjbunn]

Has anyone had any luck pulling off the needle from a speedo, and replacing it on another? I have a broken silver dot speedo whose needle I would like to install on my working late model speedo.

Thanks!
Julian

[Dr Evil]

Its a bitch. I have not had luck so far. The later one will break, which doesnt matter. I just pull until it gives while watching out that I do not mess anything up.

Marks914 does gauge work, IIRC. Ask him. Look in the vendors section for his gauge face kits.

[Spoke]

I've pulled the needles off of several tachs and speedos with no problems. The technique is simple.

Get a small fork like one that is used with lobster.

Get a small piece of thin wood like a popsicle stick to distribute the force of prying from the face.

Place a napkin under the stick on the face and use the fork to pry the needle off resting the fulcrum of the fork on the stick to distribute the force of prying and avoid damage to the faceplate. The key is to pry on the needle evenly so that there are no lateral stresses on the needle. This is where the fork comes in handy. The needle will pop off with much more force than you would think.

Below are some pics of a swap I did with a late model tach with an early model enclosure and faceplate.

[jjbunn]

I've pulled the needles off of several tachs and speedos with no problems. The technique is simple.

Get a small fork like one that is used with lobster.

Get a small piece of thin wood like a popsicle stick to distribute the force of prying from the face.

Place a napkin under the stick on the face and use the fork to pry the needle off resting the fulcrum of the fork on the stick to distribute the force of prying and avoid damage to the faceplate. The key is to pry on the needle evenly so that there are no lateral stresses on the needle. This is where the fork comes in handy. The needle will pop off with much more force than you would think.

This is great: thanks! What about putting the needle back on to the spindle: is that ticklish - any tips for that procedure?

[Spoke]

No real tips for replacing except make sure the needle is in the right orientation. Use minor pressure straight down and you should be ok.

[marks914]

Of the three or four hundred I have pulled apart, about 25% will pull the shaft from the magnetic cup, so be careful. Some years have different shaft sizes so you may need a dollop of epoxy to hold it on. Also, note the resting position of the pointer on the other side of the stop, that is how you keep the calibration
Any other qoestions feel free to ask
Mark

[jjbunn]

Of the three or four hundred I have pulled apart, about 25% will pull the shaft from the magnetic cup, so be careful. Some years have different shaft sizes so you may need a dollop of epoxy to hold it on. Also, note the resting position of the pointer on the other side of the stop, that is how you keep the calibration
Any other qoestions feel free to ask
Mark

Thanks Mark.

When I came to try to lever the silver dot needle off, I found that the silver dot itself just came right off: it's a small aluminium cap. So I simply glued it to the top of the needle in my later speedo. I then needed to add a small ring shim on the fitting ring, otherwise the top of the silver dot was just touching the glass. But it works and looks fine.

[Strudelwagon]

Of the three or four hundred I have pulled apart, about 25% will pull the shaft from the magnetic cup, so be careful. Some years have different shaft sizes so you may need a dollop of epoxy to hold it on. Also, note the resting position of the pointer on the other side of the stop, that is how you keep the calibration
Any other qoestions feel free to ask
Mark

Thanks Mark.

When I came to try to lever the silver dot needle off, I found that the silver dot itself just came right off: it's a small aluminium cap. So I simply glued it to the top of the needle in my later speedo. I then needed to add a small ring shim on the fitting ring, otherwise the top of the silver dot was just touching the glass. But it works and looks fine.

Is there a best practice to removing the outer face ring (bezel)? I would like to take mine apart and refinish but don't want to screw them up.

Steve

[marks914]

To remove the bezel, just work around it with a screwdriver. Thats pretty much it. I screwed a few up before I got good at it.

Mark

[underthetire]

I even have a extra tach lense i had made after cracking mine putting it back together.

[Strudelwagon]

To remove the bezel, just work around it with a screwdriver. Thats pretty much it. I screwed a few up before I got good at it.

Mark

You guys ever come across the speedo faces with KMH for the Euro gauges?

Steve

[Mike Bellis]

[/quote]
You guys ever come across the speedo faces with KMH for the Euro gauges?

Steve
[/quote]

I have one for a 911 in kilometers. needle won't move with the cable. but may be a good core. Let me know if you can use it...

[Spoke]

To remove the bezel, just work around it with a screwdriver. Thats pretty much it. I screwed a few up before I got good at it.

Mark

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

It takes like 100 laps around to get it off. Don't try to get it off (That's what she said) in one lap. Open it a little at time. Many laps around. After a few laps the bezel will start to be loose enough to rotate around but won't come off. Do a couple more laps and the bezel will come off.

[jjbunn]

To remove the bezel, just work around it with a screwdriver. Thats pretty much it. I screwed a few up before I got good at it.

Mark

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

It takes like 100 laps around to get it off. Don't try to get it off (That's what she said) in one lap. Open it a little at time. Many laps around. After a few laps the bezel will start to be loose enough to rotate around but won't come off. Do a couple more laps and the bezel will come off.

Having done a few of these now, I have to say that whoever designed the damned thing should be hung, drawn and quartered. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[turboman808]

I made an attempt to do it and screwed up a few gauges. Then just ordered from Mark. Great prices and beautiful work.

I kinda take the approach now of doing what I am good at, making extra dough and paying someone that knows better then I do how to do this kind of stuff.

[Strudelwagon]

[quote name='kg6dxn' date='Dec 5 2009, 07:34 PM' post='1246824']
[/quote]
You guys ever come across the speedo faces with KMH for the Euro gauges?

Steve
[/quote]

I have one for a 911 in kilometers. needle won't move with the cable. but may be a good core. Let me know if you can use it...
[/quote]
would it be possible to remove the face and transplant to a 914 gauge or are they different?

steve

[marks914]

We do the KMH dial conversions all the time, depending on which route you go, it runs $95-$120.00

Mark

(IMG:http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/43678/2109966930057582025S600x600Q85.jpg)

[Strudelwagon]

We do the KMH dial conversions all the time, depending on which route you go, it runs $95-$120.00

Mark

(IMG:http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/43678/2109966930057582025S600x600Q85.jpg)

Mark,
Is it possible to buy the KMH face and install it myself? Sending hardware back and fourth across the line is a PITA.
Steve

[marks914]

We do the KMH dial conversions all the time, depending on which route you go, it runs $95-$120.00

Mark

(IMG:http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/43678/2109966930057582025S600x600Q85.jpg)

Mark,
Is it possible to buy the KMH face and install it myself? Sending hardware back and fourth across the line is a PITA.
Steve

We send dials all the time, send me an email with your shipping address and a photo of what you have and we can get you set up

Mark