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Yogie Moderator Custom Title Time!

1,608 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#752187
Take off the hubcap and the cable sticks out through the dust cover. You will have to push off the circlip that holds the cable in place. After you do that, the cable can be slid out of the cover.

Yogie

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#752194
if "everything else works on it except the km/h dial" includes the mileage is still ticking over then you dont have a problem with the cable. If the needle and the odometer arent working then it could be either the cable or speedo. The speedo is just a holder for the lights, so they arent really an indication of its functioning. Usually speedo problems are with the cable though.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#752220
Abp66 wrote:Ok so my speedo stopped working again today...
i know its not the speedo because it was working before fine and everything else works on it except the km/h dial

im sure its the speedo cable so i unscrewed the cable from the back of the speedo. and the inside of the cable was loose (im not sure if it is meant to be like that?) and jacked my car up and had a look under the wheel and it was intact there. can some one tell me how to take the cable out of the left hand wheel and see if the cable is broken?

thanks guys 😀

Hi
You need to pull the LH front hubcap off...
then knock or pull the small circlip off and pull the cable from behind the axle etc...

the inner speedo cable is sort of loose all the time.. but You shouldn't be able to twist it around with the wheel on the ground... with the wheel off the ground, spinning the wheel will turn the inner cable..

Just because the speedo did work last time, doesn't mean it will work next time.. the cable can break at any time..
the circlip may have come off the cable...

BUT- usually the cable snaps off slowly which will make the needle jump up & down before it snaps off completely..

Cables are very inexpensive... I always pour a few drops of oil down from the top to lubricate the cable..

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#752241
Sometimes the square drive hole in the bearing dust cover gets worn and looses grip of the cable. Can be repaired by peening, welding or replacing.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#752419
when you get the new cable attach it to the speedo without threading it through the body first. If you cant turn the wheel end freely without any resistance you probably also have a problem with the speedo.. which could be the cause of the cable breaking. probably not an issue but you dont want to go breaking another cable to find out.

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815385
Did a search to find this, my problem is the speedo stoped working kinda sudden like and now I get a realy loud scraping screeching sound which sounds like the cable is grinding away at something, possibly the outer cable, I have removed the dust cap thingie from the front wheel and undone the end from the speedo but I can't draw the inner cable out of the outer from the wheel end, as it's a buggy I can't get at the speedo end well enough to pull it out from that end. Also the dust cap at the wheel no longer has a square hole in it, seems to be flogged out and when I took the center cap off the rim the dust cap was hanging loose. Am I supposed to be able to remove the inner cable from the outer from either end?
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815386
Hmm, seems a search found this in the wrong section, shoulda been in tech talk I think, maybe a mod can move it?
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#815413


Hi Donn

I believe the inner can be taken out but haven't tried it..

I always buy the complete speedo cable which isn't expensive.

have two spares so don'/t need to buy another one..

I should replace mine as it sways when going slow...
I always oil the cable.. so it probably won't snap...

the cables are made from many pieces of spring steel so they don't snap cleanly...

I do remember seeing the cable end welded to the cap on a beetle.... not sure who's beetle.. lol

I remember many years ago, when the cable snapped, it did it slowly with the needle going everywhere... lol


LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815414
Thanks Lee, my problem is that in the buggy the cable goes between the f/glass body and the steel bracing unit just behind the speedo and that dosn't leave enough room to take the knurled nut out between them, only way I can see to remove the outer is to lift the body shell, trying to avoid that if I can.
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#815439
donn wrote:Thanks Lee,
my problem is that in the buggy the cable goes between the f/glass body and the steel bracing unit just behind the speedo and that doesn't leave enough room to take the knurled nut out between them, only way I can see to remove the outer is to lift the body shell, trying to avoid that if I can.
YIKES...

that sounds bad...



LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815475
Cut it dude, sidecutters are your friend

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815484
Will sidecutters help me get the new one back in?
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815487
No, but your not going to put the new cable in the same dumb place where it needs body removal are you? I'd be re-routing the cable.

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#815516
Not knocking your help amazeer, I'll listen to any comments / suggestions (actualy I'll read em 😀) but in this case there is no option, the reinforcing bar is about 25mm behind the speedo and the top of the bar is about 1.76589 mm below the bottom of the outer cable, I'm tempted to just put the tremendouse forces of my right arm and a pair of vice grips to work and see if I can haul the cable out of the outer but I know that spells potential disaster
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#913687
So 7+ months down the track I'm back at it, as it turned out the square end on the cable was worn so I packed it out to a place that wasn't worn and it did the trick till now, as expected the square end on the cable is now totaly round and wont grip in the square hole in the dust cap so I have no choice but to replace the cable, I know that the cables arn't expensive but I cant get the outer out of the car (see previous posts above) so I have to do only the inner, any clues on how to do this as the inner seems to be caught and I am having trouble removing it from the outer.
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#913771
would some araldite buy some more time?

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#913850
amazeer wrote:would some araldite buy some more time?

Hmm, kinda doubt it, maybe a spot of weld but I reckon there's got to be a way, still working on it, BTW, what happened to the subject? all I've got is a blank spot. 🤪
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

h fractals - an ever changing lifestyle

7,671 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#913853
wow by the thread title I was expecting to see Officer Bar Brady with no pants on, arms in the air moving people along as there was nothing to see here 🤪
fractal geometry; the inner most limits of mind altering abuse

Fantasy http://seventhchronicle.com

Z = Z2 + C1/r = 1/0 = infinity

Barrels www.barrelman.com.au

VW Workshop - aircooledgarage.com.au
allcooled.com.au

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#913856
Ha Ha, now it's got "pages 1,2" 🙄
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 ·

#913899
donn wrote:So 7+ months down the track I'm back at it, as it turned out the square end on the cable was worn so I packed it out to a place that wasn't worn and it did the trick till now, as expected the square end on the cable is now totaly round and wont grip in the square hole in the dust cap so I have no choice but to replace the cable, I know that the cables arn't expensive but I cant get the outer out of the car (see previous posts above) so I have to do only the inner, any clues on how to do this as the inner seems to be caught and I am having trouble removing it from the outer.
From memory, I'm fairly sure the inner can only be removed from the speedo end. The inner should slide freely in and out, so if you can't gently pull it through from the wheel end, that means it is not designed to come out that way.
1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
1968-onwards Beetle panels and glass for sale

Klaus Custom Title Time!

1,439 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#914182
get a rhs cap drill a small hole then file a small square into it , then file the end of the rounded cable into a smaller square too and either small split pin or "r" clip or circlip to hold it or file it off centre and weld fill half the old cap hole

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#914216
Thanks Klaus, that's what I had decided to do (sorta) but my friendly VW mechanic has given me another idea when I went down to see him, he sold me a new cable with a "return if it dosn't work" tag, but for $28 it wouldn't be worth the trip, I'll let you know how it goes.
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#914277
Please delete all mention of how difficult this is, turned out to be easy as, I'm a dope. 😂😵‍💫🤓
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

beetleboyjeff Custom Title Time!

1,790 posts · joined Feb 2009 ·

#914281
After all this time of putting it off & looking for alternatives.................
From your ole' mate Jeff

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#914379
No need to rub it in Jeff 😬
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!