Fixing the stuck odometer (with pics) (1 Viewer)

[bj40green]

Hi Josh,

Have look here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/544543-clusters-gauges-odo-meters.html and go to post# 15 to see how you can remove the needle. I had the same problem myself. It's just "pull it off" but if it's really stuck like mine was you can do it the way I show it in that thread.

Rudi

 

[Chamba]

All done and working well (touch wood). Here are my findings:

• The FJ60 odometer does not fit the '81 - '84 FJ40/BJ42 as the teeth on the 60 series tenths wheel are cut opposite to the one on the 40 series;
• The odometer from Cruisers fitted with French Miles (Kms) is the same as the odometer fitted to the MPH ones and they are interchangeable (at least the ones marked with 60 kph = 637 rpm and 60 MPH = 1026 (spot-on bj40green); and
• It is easier to paint the speedometer needle with flouro orange than to remove it without bending the shaft.... at least when one has fat fingers.

Thanks for posting this thread - it should be made a sticky as there are so many queries related to the odometer.
Cheers,
Josh

 

[ekdee1]

Used this thread to fix my odometer this weekend! Worked great! My odometer has the brass bushing on both ends of the steel shaft, so I didn't manage to take off all the wheels and get a great degreasing job done. Instead, I soaked it in a mix of simple green and water. Worked it with my fingers for quite a while, rinsed, repeated, rinsed, dried, and then forced some quality grease into the wheels near the gears. I spun the wheels several times as I worked the grease in. Then I wiped off all the excess grease and reassembled. Drove the FJ to work and back today with no problems, while before it was sticking. Won't have a great test until the 100's or 1000's unit turns over, but not worried about that today.

While I was at it, I used a GPS to accurately gauge my distance. After the calculations I am about 10% short on the odometer and the speedometer. Guessing this is due to the bigger wheels. At least I can assume I'm getting 10% better fuel mileage when calculated per the odometer.

Cheers!

 

[pedrocalima]

Did it yesterday.

Following this and also this (https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/160271-odometer-fix.html) threads I manage to clean my odometer from all that sticking grease, it’s really not a difficult job, just takes patience and light hands.

I didn’t notice right away that the odometer was sticking as it would happen only when turning the bigger digits in cold weather. I started hearing a “tic-tic” noise of the gears jumping but initially I though it was something electrical as it really sound like a relay! If you start hearing that and notice the odometer is jumping do this cleaning ASAP as the “jumping” gears as plastic and will worn out quite easily.

My 2 cents are, first you HAVE to remove the speedometer cable before taking the two screws out from the cluster. I mean you can take the screws out before but don’t try pulling the cluster out before disconnecting the cable from under the dashboard, the cable is not long enough.

During disassemble there is a “gasket” between the front of the cluster and the back part, I had to unstuck it from the front part so It came out with the back part, in my case the instruments couldn’t pass on the space with the gasket attached.

You also need to take the 2 screws that hold the speedometer and odometer on the back plate before splitting back and front of the cluster, but this you will notice right away.

Cheers

 

[firestopper]

Nice write up and technical writing sir.
I just went through this last month and had to wing it, although I did not take it down as far as you did in fear of the unknown.
Thanks

 

[Beeale]

If any of the gears are stripped out and you dont have a spare odometer to part out, you can swap the gear with the furthest one on the left ( hundred thousands ).

Also while its all out, consider cutting out the metal shields that sit between the speedo light and the speedo. Your dash lights will be twice as bright.

cheers-
Dustin

Didn't think about trimming the metal. Great idea.

 

[bj40green]

Didn't think about trimming the metal. Great idea.

If you want it really bright.....
Remove the bulb covers and the gauge covers.
Paint the inside cluster and the back of the front panel white.
Upgrade your light bulbs to 5 Watts.

NOTE: clean the little square behind the FUEL gauge from the paint.
This is the GROUND for the FUEL gauge. (RED square in the pic).


Rudi

 

[Tamey]

Hi All - thought I'd provide some feedback to this thread. Apologies if some of what I say is a repeat of others; I'm not necessarily providing new info, but rather giving a newbie perspective on the task. I reconditioned my odometer yesterday and reinstalled it with no issues. I acknowledge all who have tread the path before me - without this thread (and others on this site) I would never have attempted this.

Not repeating the entire process - just some high points for me. Vehicle is an Aussie 1984 FJ45 Troopy.


REMOVAL OF CLUSTER PROCESS

• I disconnected the battery!
• I detached the speedo cable from its retaining clips/brackets in the engine bay - this provides some cable play to allow push the cable through the fire-wall and allow the cluster to tip forward.
• After I tipped the cluster forward an inch or so (everything still connected), I could see what I needed to achieve and I managed to slip my hand up behind the cluster from the left hand side of the driving column and up under the dash. (REMOVE YOUR WATCH OR IT WILL SNAG - ask me how I know..)
• I then managed to unclip the speedo cable - you will not be able to tip the cluster forward enough to remove it with doing this!
• I could now tip the cluster further forward, then removed the gang plugs (two of them) and further tipped the cluster to remove it.
• The tabs on the bottom of the cluster that secure the base in the dash frame can be a biatch!! You need to tip the cluster a long way forward to disengage the assembly. The cluster may bind a little on the dash cut-out sides at places as you swivel the cluster forward. I found that with firm-ish pressure, it will move past the interference.

REMOVAL OF ODOMETER

• The gasket/seal between the backing plate/power-board and instruments can be sticky - use a blade to GENTLY pry the back plate off. (Prior to this I had to remove two wires from the back of the odometer and other very obvious threads.
• The odometer is held in with threads suited for the plastic odometer assembly they secure - don't mix them up with the other securing threads. (And when you reinstall - don't over tighten and strip the plastic!)

CLEAN UP OF ODOMETER

• Exactly as described by Gary; but my observations....
• Removing the securing pin of the odometer barrel, I crushed the top of it with my needle nose pliers - just letting you know that it's obviously a hollow pin. The up side - makes no difference to the securing properties and now allows you to twist it a bit which will free it up for removal! (Before I tried twisting it first, I couldn't simply 'pull' it out
• Strongly agree with sliding things on some wire in order of removal - I also swapped the slightly worn skipping gear with the 100k gear
• I used contact cleaner as described
• I used WHITE LITHIUM GREASE in a spray can - easy application with nozzle tube and dries to leave a nice greasy deposit - Can't say it's best or what long term effectiveness is but I found several other non-Toyota threads recommend it for plastics.
• Fiddly clean-up but straight-forward; although a couple of disks were stuck hard and needed some persuasion!
• I found it WAY easier to find the closest 0000 combo when I reassembled - easy to keep alignment. My odometer stuck at about 173 000 km. I guestimated it was about 30 000km ago - So I reassembled the odometer to 200 000. (For very obvious gloat purposes, yes, this 84 Troopy has only about 200k on it!...seriously, it's done bugger-all km's. Family has owned it since new.)
• Using a nice 000 figure helps with aligning dials and the metal plates - remember the metal plates need to align with each other to hook back onto the speedo face when reinstalling. They provide the "anchor" for the disks to rotate off.
• Don't force anything! The disks and plates should butt up against each other without force and without gaps. AND mind that the little pinion gears go on the correct way as per other cautions and warnings in this thread.

REINSTALLATION

• Reassembled as per guidance above.
• Attached gang plugs first
• Engaged bottom lugs and then rotated cluster up (gentle persuasion past interference)
• WATCHLESS hand up behind dash, left of driving column to re-engage speedo cable. Reinstallation only took me 10 minutes - compared to 20 minutes of me swearing while getting it out!
• Ignition key in - accessories on - gauges/lights check-serviceable
• Tooke it for a drive 10km. At least know the unit km's and tens of km work now!

Other notes: Took the opportunity to replace all light bulbs while it was out. Never had brightness issues beforehand so I didn't modify anything as has been suggested by others.

I hope the above adds some value to what is already an awesome repository of knowledge and fantastic guidance.

Contact this newbie if you have any questions regarding what I have posted.
Tamey

 

[bj40green]

Great write up Tamey

Rudi

 

[sproggy]

I just wanted to add my heartfelt thanks to the OP, for the time and patience taken to write this wonderful and extremely helpful Wiki....
Cheers.....

 

[The Relic]

My odometer stuck a while back, so I'm glad to find such a helpful thread. I've ordered a replacement set of brighter gauge bulbs from CCOT, and if they arrive in time, will try to clean and lube my odo next weekend when I replace the bulbs.

Thanks to the OP, and to everyone else who contributed!

 

[dasgeek]

Thanks to OP for this detailed procedure. I followed it and got my odometer working again. Unfortunately now I know my gas mileage. While I was in the cluster I also repainted my needles with Fluorescent Red Speedo & Gauge Needle Restoration Paint from HiProParts and added EL wire to light it up. It looks great now.

 

[sggoat]

This definitely belongs in FAQ--great job and write up.

 

[theoii]

Has anyone looked into whether the early pickups has the same mechanicals as the FJ? I need the shaft that runs across the back and was wondering if those pieces are the same.

 

[HJ Pete]

G'day all.

I disassembled and cleaned my speedo following this thread. Thank you to the authors ... great writeup. My stuck odometer now spins ...... HOWEVER ... I have obviously stuffed something up!

My odometer is turning in reverse! Now while this is awesome as I wind the kilometres off my HJ, it is obviously not ideal. An additional problem I now have is that my previously working speedo now does not work.

I am about to go and do more research but does anyone know what I have done wrong!? Obviously I have put something back together the wrong way!

Cheers.

Peter

 

[Weber Sarge]

If you took the internal gears apart , only thing I can think of is something is installed backwards or upside down ...
Sarge

 

[HJ Pete]

Thanks Sarge. I've checked that and no, not the problem. I should clarify is a hj47 1984. I have reversed polarity or something somehow (I am NOT a sparky) because the speedo wants to rotate anticlockwise (prevented by stop obviously) and odometer going backwards. Both are driven off speedo cable. Not sure what I've done .....

Cheers

 

[HJ Pete]

So the speedo problem turned out to be that I had somehow managed to have the end of the coil spring BELOW instead of ABOVE the stop. This meant that the needle could not rotate clockwise because the coil spring was extending straight into the stop instead of away from it. Now I don't understand why but when I road tested it, the odometer was also now advancing instead of decreasing kilometres.

Cheers.

 

[Dagha Boy]

The gift that keeps on giving....

Thanks Gary. My Boet! Sorted out the mechanicals on mine today, thanks entirely to your thread. I would never even have attempted it without that.

Did the disassembly of the cluster and the electrical part riding on the back of Rudi's work and advice.

Tomorrow to Nelspruit to get some paint for the needles and then it can all go back together.

If you don't mind, some things I found that made it easier to do the assembly work with shaky hands and big fingers.

1. I stuck the shaft vertically (drive side down) onto the table with a gob of prestik (tic tac) and dropped everything down from the top.
2. I did mine at zero setting, so used a piece of wire through the holes in the number wheels and the little plates to keep them lined up and most importantly to hold them in position. (The hole I used was right at no 7 on the wheels.
3. I further wedged a match into the locating tabs on the plates. That holds them all nice and still and even better aligned.
4. I left the match and wire in until after I had reassembled and then only pulled them out.

Thanks again Boet! Let me know when you back this side and I'll feed you some dops.

 

[cruiserkreutz]

HELLLLLP! I am trying to take apart snd clean my odometer off a '74 Fj40. Seem's to have an unremovable piece not allowing me to completely dissemble and clean (see picture, pointing to it with a screw driver). I have done this on my '73 and this part was not on there, just a c clip like in the instructions above... What am I missing?