Looks like they are still available from NAPA for about $20 USD
why do I keep breaking speedo cables in my 40??
- Thread starter land cruiser kid
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Looks like they are still available from NAPA for about $20 USD
matt.mcinnes
2F-ETI
It’s kinking behind the dash as you put the cluster back in.
Pull the excess cable through the fire wall as you place the cluster back in. This will pull the kink out as you refit.
Pull the excess cable through the fire wall as you place the cluster back in. This will pull the kink out as you refit.
Post is old.
In this case, the 25 year cable in a 44 year ulojust broke
In this case, the 25 year cable in a 44 year ulojust broke
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You can also notch the pedal bucket to make life easier forever more.
This tread is pretty old but for anyone having the problem in 2018 here's a link to the one I just bought on Amazon for my '74. It broke in same spot as the opening thread post had. I wasn't having any routing issues or kinks. I'm going to take the gauge cluster apart and clean it all up and lubricate it as best I can before putting the new cable on it.
$15 with Prime shipping. Hard to beat that
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C8RDAA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$15 with Prime shipping. Hard to beat that
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C8RDAA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I do not mean to sound flippant but I have been running the same speedo cable for over 40 years. The housing is stretched and beat to hell but still going. I have had the cluster in and out more than a few times and have wrestled and bent the cable in the proscess.
What Gumby says sounds feasible.
I had a Fiat that was grounding through the clutch cable and it wasn't until the third one broke before I realized what was going on.
If the negative battery cable is connected to the frame then you for sure need a ground strap from the frame to engine block.
If it is to the block then the normal current shouldn't be as high through the speedo cable as it would with the starter grounding through.
Either way the batt cable is connected it is still a good idea to have a frame to engine ground strap.
After saying all that if it is breaking in the same place I am thinking more like a burr or pinch in the housing that is wearing the inner speedo cable.
What Gumby says sounds feasible.
I had a Fiat that was grounding through the clutch cable and it wasn't until the third one broke before I realized what was going on.
If the negative battery cable is connected to the frame then you for sure need a ground strap from the frame to engine block.
If it is to the block then the normal current shouldn't be as high through the speedo cable as it would with the starter grounding through.
Either way the batt cable is connected it is still a good idea to have a frame to engine ground strap.
After saying all that if it is breaking in the same place I am thinking more like a burr or pinch in the housing that is wearing the inner speedo cable.
John McVicker
SILVER Star
This is a great idea, for ease of installation and less damage to the cable.
Captn Conch
Life Begins Above Timberline.
I had the same prob on my '71. Finally after the new speedo cable broke after 3 miles and another dead gauge or two in the dash cluster I went with JT's dash panel and aftermarket gauges with gps speedo and a tach. Yeah no problem now! I can still go back to stock with regular connectors still intact if I ever want to. Sure is nice to have all working gauges, a speedo that is very accurate regardless of tire wear or size. FWI.
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TrailGear makes speedo able extensions that relieve stress on the speedo cable - also useful for transmission upgrades: Speedometer Extension Cable - Trail Gear
Try installing the cable on the Speedo first out of the dash and slide the Speedo and cable into dash knowing that its not kinked then connect it to the trans making sure there is no kinks all the way down.
While we're on this subject, does anyone know how to calibrate the speedometer to be a little more accurate? I run 35" tires in my FJ and the speedo is about 10 mph off what my phone says. Just wondering if anyone has any links to a gizmo that does something to get it a little more in line with how fast I'm really going.
