How to fix speedometer issues

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

I just purchased 8 Dorman inner cable kits on Amazon for $3.45 with zero shipping and no sales tax:



If anyone wants one, let me know. They don't have an expiration date, so I don't mind keeping them on the shelf for a while.

All you really need from the Dorman kit is the crimp on end (you could reuse the inner cable that comes with outer sheath you cut shorter). Dorman supplies a pretty nice cable, however -- you might want to use it instead. I used one on one of my church's school buses to make a replacement oil level dipstick (filler tube makes two wicked bends on the way to the oil pan -- cable snakes through perfectly).

I have no idea how to use the little crimp tool that comes with the kit, and have doubts how well it would work anyway. I crimp the ends on with my electrical staking tool.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

I just measured the diameter and thread pitch of the angle drive lower cable nut. Replacements may not be as hard to find as originally thought. It's a European size, so they will likely need to be sourced from across the pond.

If I can find 8 of them reasonably priced I will make some complete single piece speedometer cables (versus reusing the old lower nut).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[stevedmc]

I just measured the diameter and thread pitch of the angle drive lower cable nut. Replacements may not be as hard to find as originally thought. It's a European size, so they will likely need to be sourced from across the pond.

If I can find 8 of them reasonably priced I will make some complete single piece speedometer cables (versus reusing the old lower nut).

Bill Robertson
#5939

That sounds pretty sweet. I was going to offer to start making them for people but it looks like Bill beat me to it. I promised to make an assembly video for Ryan King weeks ago and just haven't had the time. I'm not even sure I have any old cables laying around I can take the connector from.

Bill, do you have a camera you can film the assembly with? I would hate to travel all the way out there just to film you making a silly little (long) cable.

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

I've been searching online for a couple hours with negative results. I can find suitable sized/shaped nuts, but they are all too heavy (thick walled steel).

I am willing to buy a tap and make my own, most likely out of brass, demand permitting. Wonder how many people actually want a single piece cable? Obviously not enough for John Hervey to keep selling them. A tap would be $32, or $4 pro rated per cable if I could sell 8.

So, anybody want a ready made single piece speedometer cable? Cost would be somewhere between $16 and $43 (the more nuts I make, the cheaper each one becomes).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

I have something that looks like a speedometer cable, or part of one, that came with my car when I bought it. I'll take a picture and post it here tomorrow, if I have time. Maybe it would be useful to you guys here.

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

By far the fastest and easiest solution is to reuse lower cable nuts (which also happens to match the lower nut on the upper speedometer cable BTW).

Houston is selling newly manufactured lower cables, so those nuts are available somewhere (I may try NAPA), but I had no luck online.

What would be ideal would be if each person I make a single piece cable for sends me a lower nut afterwards, which I then pay forward to the next person, who then sends me a lower nut for the next person, etc. All I need is one nut to start the sequence.

Paying nuts forward also keeps the cost down.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

All I need is one nut to start the sequence.

I think I might have what you need! I'll check when I get home today.

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

Just looked through NAPA's speedometer parts book and struck out on the nut.

Why don't we try the nut exchange route. If anyone wants a single piece speedometer cable, I am more than happy to make one at cost, provided you then send me a good condition lower nut (can be the lower nut from your upper cable) for the next person.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

This is what I have. Would it work to get the ball rolling?

SANY0861.jpg
SANY0862.jpg
SANY0863.jpg

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

That could well be a lower speedo cable. Angle drive nut is about 3/4" inside diameter (Lambda box nut is smaller).

Bill Robertson
#5939