Removing Speedo Gauge Retaining Ring Options

[kenshapiro2002]

I'm in the process of bringing my odometer back to life. I have read the Pelican article and was trying to remove the retaining ring as described...small screwdriver...prying lip of ring... So far, no shot in hell. The space between the ring and the body is so tight that even my smallest screwdriver doesn't fit "in" that gap. I can't even seem to get enough of a bite to push outward against the lip of that ring. Just wondering if anybody here found any magic for getting this done. Thanks in advance.

[biosurfer1]

is there any gap at all? maybe slip some dental floss around the speedo behind the trim and gently pull it out enough to get a screwdriver in there

[kenshapiro2002]

I was peering into that "gap" with a jeweler's loop! When I could get a small amount of "bite" against the edge of the ring, I couldn't get enough to pry in back...doubt dental floss will do it...but I'll give it a shot. Thanks

is there any gap at all? maybe slip some dental floss around the speedo behind the trim and gently pull it out enough to get a screwdriver in there

[Cap'n Krusty]

Easy! Send it to North Hollywood Speedometer and Clock! They'll not only fix your broken odo, they'll clean and lube everything and calibrate the speedo itself.

The Cap'n

[kenshapiro2002]

Great...I'll send them my dirty, dried up girlfriend!

Easy! Send it to North Hollywood Speedometer and Clock! They'll not only fix your broken odo, they'll clean and lube everything[color=#CC0000] and calibrate the speedo itself.

The Cap'n

[lotus_65]

not floss, but a (strong) dental pick works.

it's steel, it doesn't want to bend back... you really have to work it. it's not going to bend up so much you can see it while your working it, it just looks like you distort it, so once you get it going, work around and around until it's a little loose.
it'll be snug as it comes off, kinda like changing a bicycle tire without tools-

expect to jab your other hand at least once with the screwdriver!

[kenshapiro2002]

Thanks. See...there was some benefit to wife #1 being a dental hygienist...still have those steel probes. Good description of the process too...that helps.

Your name piques my interest too...I did a frame off on a '72 Europa TC about 16 years ago.

not floss, but a (strong) dental pick works.

it's steel, it doesn't want to bend back... you really have to work it. it's not going to bend up so much you can see it while your working it, it just looks like you distort it, so once you get it going, work around and around until it's a little loose.
it'll be snug as it comes off, kinda like changing a bicycle tire without tools-

expect to jab your other hand at least once with the screwdriver!

[lotus_65]

glad to help-

i own a '65 lotus climax 25... plastic slot car model.

back in 1992 i was thinking about an on-line i.d. and for some reason that's the one i picked. it stuck.

i wish it was more glorious than that, but it's not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

paul

Thanks. See...there was some benefit to wife #1 being a dental hygienist...still have those steel probes. Good description of the process too...that helps.

Your name piques my interest too...I did a frame off on a '72 Europa TC about 16 years ago.

not floss, but a (strong) dental pick works.

it's steel, it doesn't want to bend back... you really have to work it. it's not going to bend up so much you can see it while your working it, it just looks like you distort it, so once you get it going, work around and around until it's a little loose.
it'll be snug as it comes off, kinda like changing a bicycle tire without tools-

expect to jab your other hand at least once with the screwdriver!

[kenshapiro2002]

Slot cars are gloroius to me. I started a publication (now an online thing) called "HO/USA" back in 1989. Eventually sold my Thunderjet collection for over $23,000 (back 17 years ago) and bought a '64 Vette in 1:1 scale with the money. Still have a number of T-Jets and some 1/32 and 1/24 Cheetahs I just couldn't part with. One of the best looking cars ever built IMNSHO.

glad to help-

i own a '65 lotus climax 25... plastic slot car model.

back in 1992 i was thinking about an on-line i.d. and for some reason that's the one i picked. it stuck.

i wish it was more glorious than that, but it's not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

paul

Thanks. See...there was some benefit to wife #1 being a dental hygienist...still have those steel probes. Good description of the process too...that helps.

Your name piques my interest too...I did a frame off on a '72 Europa TC about 16 years ago.

not floss, but a (strong) dental pick works.

it's steel, it doesn't want to bend back... you really have to work it. it's not going to bend up so much you can see it while your working it, it just looks like you distort it, so once you get it going, work around and around until it's a little loose.
it'll be snug as it comes off, kinda like changing a bicycle tire without tools-

expect to jab your other hand at least once with the screwdriver!

[kenshapiro2002]

Idea worked perfectly...don't have the ring of yet, but the dental tool is lifting it enough that in a few hours I'll have it off. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

not floss, but a (strong) dental pick works.

it's steel, it doesn't want to bend back... you really have to work it. it's not going to bend up so much you can see it while your working it, it just looks like you distort it, so once you get it going, work around and around until it's a little loose.
it'll be snug as it comes off, kinda like changing a bicycle tire without tools-

expect to jab your other hand at least once with the screwdriver!

[kenshapiro2002]

Lotus 65...It's off...thanks. Now to get those wheels taped together. Back to the Garage Mahal!

[kenshapiro2002]

Deformong the inner diameter of the wheel isn't working very well, and doesn't make much sense anyway. I saw that you "knurled" yours. Please explain.

not floss, but a (strong) dental pick works.

it's steel, it doesn't want to bend back... you really have to work it. it's not going to bend up so much you can see it while your working it, it just looks like you distort it, so once you get it going, work around and around until it's a little loose.
it'll be snug as it comes off, kinda like changing a bicycle tire without tools-

expect to jab your other hand at least once with the screwdriver!

[kenshapiro2002]

OK...I "knurled" it by clamping a pair of vice grips on the last 1/2" or so and deforming the shaft. It worked perfectly. As little as I know, I can tell you that the Pelican Parts article (lifted from an old MB site), has some flaws. Taping the number wheels together is for shit. Simply run a small allen wrench (slightly smaller in diameter than the shaft) in thorugh the hole in the wheels as you pull the shaft out. This leaves the wheels aligned and al set to push the shaft back through perfectly when the shaft has been "fixed". Deforming the center of the pot metal gear wasn't going to happen easily either. I also took 8,000 miles off the car in a few hours without driving backwards (not on purpose...getting the numbers back correctly was beyond my patience)!

[lotus_65]

-i was too busy at work to be active online.

you did just what i did, i found that trick here btw. we'll both assume
we didn't knurl too high and have the other digits move along...

slot cars are really cool. here's the last one i have from my collection-

[kenshapiro2002]

Jim Clark was my childhood hero. While my friends were into baseball heros I was the "freak" who idolized Jimmy...was crushed when he was killed in '68. BTW, if this odometer doesn't work...NEVER AGAIN! I'll buy one.

-i was too busy at work to be active online.

you did just what i did, i found that trick here btw. we'll both assume
we didn't knurl too high and have the other digits move along...

slot cars are really cool. here's the last one i have from my collection-

[lotus_65]

jim's personal to me too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
i (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) toast his memory.

2nd time for me inside the gauge, different reasons--- it's easier the 2nd time around!

Jim Clark was my childhood hero. While my friends were into baseball heros I was the "freak" who idolized Jimmy...was crushed when he was killed in '68. BTW, if this odometer doesn't work...NEVER AGAIN! I'll buy one.

[kenshapiro2002]

So is root canal but I'm not looking forward to it.

jim's personal to me too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
i (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) toast his memory.

2nd time for me inside the gauge, different reasons--- it's easier the 2nd time around!

Jim Clark was my childhood hero. While my friends were into baseball heros I was the "freak" who idolized Jimmy...was crushed when he was killed in '68. BTW, if this odometer doesn't work...NEVER AGAIN! I'll buy one.

[lotus_65]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)