Bouncy speedo and seeking MPH

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Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Threads
157
Messages
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Location
Norwich, VT
My speedo needle can be bouncy at times and I've read that its the speedo itself not the cable…..If I'm going to fix that, I'd also like to possibly change to a MPH or KPH/MPH speedo at the same time…..This would be for my '87 JDMBJ74 24 volt RHD drive truck…..

What would I be looking for and where might I source it??

Best,

Rob M
 
I have to periodically tighten cable at the T case. Usually fixes the bouncing for a while.
 
My speedo needle can be bouncy at times and I've read that its the speedo itself not the cable…..If I'm going to fix that, I'd also like to possibly change to a MPH or KPH/MPH speedo at the same time…..This would be for my '87 JDMBJ74 24 volt RHD drive truck…..

What would I be looking for and where might I source it??

Best,

Rob M

I just used the face off of a 1985 BJ70 speedo. No need to swap out the speedo. But if bad, maybe an 86 or 87 BJ70 will be the same, they are 24V
 
A Canadian BJ70 speedo head (or just it's face if you can remove the pointers without jacking things up) would keep the vehicle racking up kilometers but add a subset indicating MPH. The JDM speedo head has some extra "baggage" associated with the speed reminder chime but a Canadian speedo head will fit in the JDM cluster just fine. You end up losing the speed chime but you probably already zapped that thing anyway.
 
it used to happen ( bouncy thing ) in Tencha when the stock one was dying .. I replace with a non Toyota one and only got worse .. then the OEM Toyota, problem solved ..
 
I'm gonna bump an old post on bouncing speedos since this title is most fitting.
(My question has nothing to do with MPH, I've given up on that line of thinking).

My Speedo bounced a year ago occasionally, and then it stopped for quite a while.
Now the bounce returned last week and it is back with a vengenace.

Reading through older and other forums "bouncing" on Toyota Speedos is most likely a dirty magnet at the mechanical drive.

It certainly looks like some electro-magnetic interference to me, but I am too much of a wussy to tear this thing all the way
down without some guidance.

I will just disconnect the darn thing if I can't find a proper solution, since the bounce is quite distracting.

I had mine apart today, and my first question is, has anyone removed the orange needle from the speedo?
If so, did you just pull it off? I tried to pull mine with just a little force and it didn't seem to want to come off.
I really didn't want to go Mongo on it.

I sprayed some electrical contact cleaner in there. Hopefully that helps.
But I'm really curious about the pickup underneath the needle.
I posted some pics.

If anyone else has any guidance on the "nuts&bolt" and "magnets & pickups" on these style speedos, I'm all ears and appreciate any positive input.


R/
Don

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In this photo, you can see the shaft under the orange speed indicator needle.
I loosened the 7mm nut and started backing it off but it eventually drives up to the copper coil above the nut.

I was hoping lossening this nut would allow the speedo needle to come off, but it didn’t seem to affect anything.

I didn’t want to damage that copper coil, so I stopped there.

Has anyone had this completely apart?

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Both times I got speedo bounce it was a prelude to a broken cable
 
Hi, was driving across europe and just saw that.
I had speedo needle bouncing .
basically, would randomly go all the way to max, stay there, then be erratic.

went down your way, the needle comes out if you pinch gently with your fingers and pull it out.

BEWARE: do not touch the gauge black surface with your fingers, or marks will be extremely difficult to remove!!!!

in my case, the culprit was old dried grease bits interfearing with the disc.

I did it two years ago, so my memory is fading.
but I think you take apart the needle, then the fascia (very carefully for fingerprints).
then maybe mark both copper and alu discs witha marker pen, take out the screws on the side and separate the discs.

do not touch anything at the small spring.
once thats exposed, ear cotton buds and very carefull cleaning follows.

again, with mine, I could see the dirt in it (between the white and copper discs).

Reassembly all, then put back the needle last.

now, as with anything on our cruisers, can be more then one cause.
If you allready checked the speedo cable and thats fine then maybe tear it down.

fingers crossed.

PS the exhaust barely fitted inside the truck, its a replica of oem apart from the front pipe which is different then oem. will get fitted by a garage in end of march-april. Third segment is long! can give u ebay company to ask for quota.
 
Alexy, Thanks for all of that.
Not on Mud, but most of the other Toyo Forums indicate exactly what you are saying.
Dirty Magnet & Pickup interface is the culprit of the bouncing needle.
What's lacking are the detailed directions with pics to get the speedo apart without damaging it.

When you say, "pinch", are we actually depressing anything on the plastic needle hub? Or are we just carefully "pulling"

Look forward to seeing any pics of that exhaust.
You can send them to my personal email if you still have it.
Thanks, Alexy!
 
hi, sorry for my english.
u just pull the orange plastic needle out of the axis.
its gentle, but firm pull.
on my speedo it came without much fuss.

next unscrew the two screws for the dial (use the right screwdriver to leave no marks again).

then I guess (not sure anymore) you take out the large screws holding the metal plate to the plastic base and thats it.

mind that metal limitor next to "9" in your pic, you need to assembly same position.

make sure u leave no foreign material to interfere with the discs.

assembly all back.
put needle last, first just lightly in position so you set it at 0. then press all way in.


for exhaust , I left it with the mechanic, 150km away. when I take the truck Ill try some pics.
 
grab needle from the round circle where it goes into axis. and pull along axis.
wont brake. and if it brakes, might have another one in uk....:)
but be very gentle with anything else around that mechanism!
 
since you guys are talking about this. I have a speedo issue in cold temperatures. When cold (And I mean below -10) the needle starts to go to a higher speed than the truck is going for example cruising at low rps in 2nd or 3rd it will be up to 70 or 80 kph. Once warm the needle acts normally. This is never an issue unless it's really cold out, and once warm it acts normally, any ideas?
 
I’m gonna stick with the theory that there is build up of gunk between the magnet and pick up.

But, I guess there could be other causes, like the cable may not be moving freely, or the gear teeth in the transfer case have a problem.

I am sure there is some lubricant on the cable and as well as the gears in the plastic speedo housing. Possibly when this lube gets warmer, your condition goes away. Just a guess though.
 
I’m gonna stick with the theory that there is build up of gunk between the magnet and pick up.

But, I guess there could be other causes, like the cable may not be moving freely, or the gear teeth in the transfer case have a problem.

I am sure there is some lubricant on the cable and as well as the gears in the plastic speedo housing. Possibly when this lube gets warmer, your condition goes away. Just a guess though.

It could be; the reason why I don't agree with this lubricant or gunk theory in it's entirety is that the needle appears to have less resistance when cold. It will go to higher speeds when at a lower speed and almost like it's floating. Now if it would be a build up or fluid issue, it would have less resistance when warmer, and more resistance when - 10 (no?). But then maybe I do not understand the way the speedo system works very well.
 
Mine isn’t fixed yet, so I am definitely not the authority on this topic.

Only way to tell for sure is take the dash apart and have a look at things.
And do an inspection on the cable.

If you find anything out, let us know, and keep the information flowing.
 
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