Seedometer Clicking

[Jp2]

Hi All, 

 

I appreciate your help about my bezel remmoval. I'm back as my new speedometer cable didn't fix the issue unfortunately. The clicking that it makes is still there and better than ever with the new cable I got from Napa. Everything fit into place nicely but the cable is a little long. 

 

My original problem was that I suddenly heard a clicking coming from my speedometer on the freeway and after a little bit of research I figured it probably is the speedometer cable. Here is a video of the sound in action: 

 

 

If anyone can help me out that'd be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Thomas Perkins]

When I got my 720 in 94,the speedometer dial would go to 35 mph then drop down.Don't remember if it made a noise like yours.Then on the way to work one day,I hit a deer and I noticed the speedometer dial fail off the part it was attached to.After I got it back from the repair shop,I took the bezel off and picked the speedometer dial up and it was cracked at the round part that it attaches to the part that makes it turn.So that means it was cracked before I bought it and it was not tight and that's what made it keep dropping down,Check your's and see if it's cracked.I watched a video back then where a 720 owner found a dial in a junk yard and put in on and it work.My speedo has never worked.I bought another one from a guy on 720 world and he sent me two but I didn't put it on cause I want to keep my original miles.I tried the new dial but mine won't work,also the trip odometer is bad on mine.The thing spins where the dial goes on but won't work,that dial is good,check out the trip odometer.I can't turn the switch either.The oil from it leaked onto the floor board.I thought it was from my clutch,it was a thick oil.It don't leak anymore,guess it all came out.What ever you do,never use a air compressor to clean around the speed o,look what it did to my speedo.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Thomas Perkins

[datzenmike]

Check the exterior of the cable for kinks, sharp bends or damage. If kinked try to straighten it. If damaged as in open replace it. Water and dirt will get in and cause this. 

 

If nothing unscrew at the transmission and slide the inner cable out, that might tell you something if rusty. Lay towels down and a basin to catch it as it's like holding a slippery snake. Graphite or a molybdenum base lubricant and back in it goes.

[Jp2]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

Check the exterior of the cable for kinks, sharp bends or damage. If kinked try to straighten it. If damaged as in open replace it. Water and dirt will get in and cause this. 

 

If nothing unscrew at the transmission and slide the inner cable out, that might tell you something if rusty. Lay towels down and a basin to catch it as it's like holding a slippery snake. Graphite or a molybdenum base lubricant and back in it goes.

So I installed a new cable but it's SUPER long compared to the old one. And this is what happened when I tested it out. I didn't lube it though. The surfaces seemed oily already from the old cable. I'm now wondering if my old cable was even bad and it's something actually wrong with my speedometer itself. I don't think it's drive train related because the sound is coming from inside the truck. I'm afraid to take the speedo apart though in case I mess it all up

[Jp2]

6 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said:

When I got my 720 in 94,the speedometer dial would go to 35 mph then drop down.Don't remember if it made a noise like yours.Then on the way to work one day,I hit a deer and I noticed the speedometer dial fail off the part it was attached to.After I got it back from the repair shop,I took the bezel off and picked the speedometer dial up and it was cracked at the round part that it attaches to the part that makes it turn.So that means it was cracked before I bought it and it was not tight and that's what made it keep dropping down,Check your's and see if it's cracked.I watched a video back then where a 720 owner found a dial in a junk yard and put in on and it work.My speedo has never worked.I bought another one from a guy on 720 world and he sent me two but I didn't put it on cause I want to keep my original miles.I tried the new dial but mine won't work,also the trip odometer is bad on mine.The thing spins where the dial goes on but won't work,that dial is good,check out the trip odometer.I can't turn the switch either.The oil from it leaked onto the floor board.I thought it was from my clutch,it was a thick oil.It don't leak anymore,guess it all came out.What ever you do,never use a air compressor to clean around the speed o,look what it did to my speedo.

Do you reckon you could just glue all the plastic pieces that broke off together again?

[datzenmike]

15 minutes ago, Jp2 said:

So I installed a new cable but it's SUPER long compared to the old one. And this is what happened when I tested it out. I didn't lube it though. The surfaces seemed oily already from the old cable. I'm now wondering if my old cable was even bad and it's something actually wrong with my speedometer itself. I don't think it's drive train related because the sound is coming from inside the truck. I'm afraid to take the speedo apart though in case I mess it all up

 

You probably have a 4x4 cable as it has to run from the transfer case behind the transmission. That's fine it will still work. Well it must be the speedometer head then. Something sticking. Try to find an '83 and up speedometer head and just swap it.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Clicking sounds from a speedo usually mean imminent death. These guys have repaired speedos for me in the past - https://www.dicksspeedotach.com/phoenix-az/

 

Usually around $200 for a completely repaired gauge.

[Jp2]

On 1/22/2022 at 8:49 AM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Clicking sounds from a speedo usually mean imminent death. These guys have repaired speedos for me in the past - https://www.dicksspeedotach.com/phoenix-az/

 

Usually around $200 for a completely repaired gauge.

Woah thanks for the referral! I'll check this out.

[Jp2]

I have an update y'all. The new speedo cable should've fixed it and @Datzenmike got me thinking it's the actual speedo. Simple enough, I took it apart. And then I pretended to be the cable with a square screwdriver bit I had lying around. The clicking is happening at this plastic piece. Because it doesn't allow the gauge to increase in speed without an annoying click. Here's a video of what I'm talking about because this is coming off very incoherent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

If I recall, the noise can be repaired by simple lubrication, if caught early enough.