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Speedometer needle removal

Started by redfourjohnd, October 16, 2009, 09:41:43 AM

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redfourjohnd

Hi everyone,

I'm redoing my gauges in my 68 Charger. I've ordered a tach without the clock from chargerspecialties.com and I want everything to match. I've ordered the decals from performance car graphics, as recommended in lilwendal's cluster restoration thread.

That thread is the greatest, by the way. Thanks lilwendal!

I've got the voltage limiter rebuilt to solid state and the gauges calibrated as close as I could get them.

My speedo face is rusty so it's got to come off to be beadblasted. Lilwendal says this in his thread:

"And that speedo needle bushing... You must hold the magnetic wheel behind the face when you twist and pull the needle off or there is a very good chance of snapping the needle bushing that holds the return spring.  Break that and your looking for a new speedo."

Those words are scaring the heck out of me. Can I get a little more specific technique? Or am I too worried about it?

Thanks, John D
First car: 1969 Charger R/T 440 4 barrel 3.91 rear- sold it like a dummy.

Current Mopars:

1968 Charger Slant Six A833 OD
1976 Ramcharger 400 4WD
1962 Valiant 170 2 door post
1962 Valiant 225 Signet
1962 Valiant 225 Signet junker car-but it has a brand new rebuilt 225 in it :-))
1962 Lancer parts car

Hemidog

I pulled mine off with a fork, no problems...  :yesnod:

redfourjohnd

Quote from: Hemidog on October 16, 2009, 10:09:33 AM
I pulled mine off with a fork, no problems...  :yesnod:

Is that like a special dealer tool or something? ;)

Thanks! I'll give it a shot then.

John D
First car: 1969 Charger R/T 440 4 barrel 3.91 rear- sold it like a dummy.

Current Mopars:

1968 Charger Slant Six A833 OD
1976 Ramcharger 400 4WD
1962 Valiant 170 2 door post
1962 Valiant 225 Signet
1962 Valiant 225 Signet junker car-but it has a brand new rebuilt 225 in it :-))
1962 Lancer parts car

68 RT

The refacing kit will have instructions how to take it off with out damage. 

jaak

Grasp the round part in the middle...not the needle itself, gently pull up....comes right off.

Jason

redfourjohnd

Pulled on it gently and it came right off! Easy.

Thanks for the courage guys  :2thumbs:

John D
First car: 1969 Charger R/T 440 4 barrel 3.91 rear- sold it like a dummy.

Current Mopars:

1968 Charger Slant Six A833 OD
1976 Ramcharger 400 4WD
1962 Valiant 170 2 door post
1962 Valiant 225 Signet
1962 Valiant 225 Signet junker car-but it has a brand new rebuilt 225 in it :-))
1962 Lancer parts car

Hemidog


green69rt

Quote from: Hemidog on October 16, 2009, 07:13:57 PM
:2thumbs: always good to check first!

My experience.  Pulling a speedometer needle off of a pivot leads to other problems.  The biggest is the calibration of the system.  I did this on my 85 Nissan because the needle warped with the heat down here in Houston and I wanted to replace it.  I never got a good reading afterward. At 0 MPH the needle rests against a stop that prevents it from going below 0 MPH.  When you pull it off, unless you fix the shaft, it will turn and lose its calibration.  I Don't know what the solution is but beware.