Speedo cable grease?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,701
Likes: 3,559
From: North Central Wisconsin & Shitcago
Speedo cable grease?
I am replacing my speedometer cable. Before I get it done & buttoned up I have one question: Should I use speedometer grease on the new cable before installation?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,915
From: Washington Michigan
I'd recommend it, in view of the hassle involved in doing it later after it's in the car and buried. Pull the flex shaft out of the casing, lube it with graphite-based speedo cable lube, wipe off the excess, put it back in the casing, and install it; that's what I do. 
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,701
Likes: 3,559
From: North Central Wisconsin & Shitcago
I ordered speedo cable grease from LICS and they sent me a tube of lock graphite which is labeled as "Powdered Graphite Lubricant". Is this the correct product?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,701
Likes: 3,559
From: North Central Wisconsin & Shitcago
I live in Chicago and tried to buy Kable Ease at the two largest auto parts dealers in the area. Both not only didn't have Kable Ease, both suggested I try 3 in 1 oil!
So much for warehouse auto parts advice.
So much for warehouse auto parts advice.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,570
Likes: 116
From: Conroe Texas
Note, my shop manual says to only lubricate the first 75% of the cable, so in my 65 I lubed the first 75%, starting at the transmisison end. I suppose, but do not know for sure, this keeps the lube from working up into the speedo.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,976
Likes: 192
From: Putnam Valley, New York. Amateur Radio Operator K2NS
Cable Lube
Originally Posted by 62Jeff
Note, my shop manual says to only lubricate the first 75% of the cable, so in my 65 I lubed the first 75%, starting at the transmisison end. I suppose, but do not know for sure, this keeps the lube from working up into the speedo.
As you push the inner cable into the outer housing from the top, the top 1/4 of the housing gets plenty of lube. That's why they say "only do the bottom 3/4 of the inner cable". If you put too much in there, it will usually start to leak behind your cluster. The cable is spiral wound, and will pump the lube upwards when it spins.
RON
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,915
From: Washington Michigan
Originally Posted by Joemac8
I live in Chicago and tried to buy Kable Ease at the two largest auto parts dealers in the area. Both not only didn't have Kable Ease, both suggested I try 3 in 1 oil!
So much for warehouse auto parts advice.
So much for warehouse auto parts advice.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 272
Likes: 1
From: North Carolina
John, what about the cable to the high presure pump on my fuelie?
I broke the cable last night. I have a new one to install tonight. Is the grafite a better product than, lets say Mil Tech grease, or is the graphite primarily being used because of the back up problem of conventional grease in the cluster area?
I broke the cable last night. I have a new one to install tonight. Is the grafite a better product than, lets say Mil Tech grease, or is the graphite primarily being used because of the back up problem of conventional grease in the cluster area?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 361
From: Smyrna/Vinings, Georgia
Originally Posted by 62Jeff
Note, my shop manual says to only lubricate the first 75% of the cable, so in my 65 I lubed the first 75%, starting at the transmisison end. I suppose, but do not know for sure, this keeps the lube from working up into the speedo.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,586
Likes: 3,611
From: Central Arkansas
Originally Posted by Joemac8
I live in Chicago and tried to buy Kable Ease at the two largest auto parts dealers in the area. Both not only didn't have Kable Ease, both suggested I try 3 in 1 oil!
So much for warehouse auto parts advice.
So much for warehouse auto parts advice.
Yeah, I tied to find speedometer lube in three parts store recently without success. Gave up and used a light coating of white lithium grease.
Dan
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,780
Likes: 442
From: Southwest MI
i removed my cables from the casings, wiped them clean, then soaked them down with Remington Dri-Lube, flushed out the casing with it as well (sprays on as a liquid, then it set's up to a light white wax/dry lube coating, then got some std dry graphite lube from Ace Hardware and brushed it on as i slid them back in the casings....... seems very smooth and quiet.
