I'm in the middle of cleaning and repairing my Instrument cluster. I'm at the point of rebuilding the Speedometer/Odometer.

Is there a special way to remove the speedometer needle, or does it just pull off?

Car is a 64.

Thanks.

 

It pulls off. It would not hurt to hold back on the shaft, and gently rock the needle's hub while pulling it from the shaft. Some hubs are split, and if you look very closely, you'll be able to see it.

 

Got it. Thanks.

Second odometer worm gear was stripped where it meshes with the speedometer input hub.

It was a steel gear. I replaced it with a nylon one. Everything else has been cleaned and lubed. There was a lot of dried up grease in there.

This cluster has been apart before. There was one "non-standard" screw holding on the back cover.

Someone wrote on the back of the speedometer in pencil: "LE 6/19/1978 Zero".

The manufacture date/part number stamp had been cleaned off the rear of the cluster also.

 

For future referance, in case anyone does a search and ends up at this thread, you don't just pull it off. Here is how it is done. Same goes for the tach needle.






65 - 67 SPEEDOMETER RESTORATION .... Grasp the round part of the pointer between your thumb and forefinger. Turn the pointer counterclockwise while gently lifting and the pointer will come off. If the pointer and shaft assembly should turn freely together the speed cup is broken. Grip the shaft with pliers then follow the above removal procedure.
Remove the two screws holding the face in place.
Remove the two additional screws holding the speedometer head to the odometer frame.
Spin the gear assembly on the odometer frame to be sure the odometers spin FREELY. If not, the problem is usually with the trip odometer. Remove the two 1/4" cap screws holding the black trip odometer cover in place. Lift out the trip odometer. Now try spinning the gear assembly. If the remaining total odometer now spins free, the problem is with the trip odometer. If not, the problem is with the total odometer or both. Replace the total odometer first, then recheck.
Do necessary cosmetics.
Lift the worm gear from the old speedometer head. When the head was seperated from the odometer frame this gear became free for easy removal. This gear should be steel for proper operation, and must be clean and damage free. Put the gear in the new assembly. Worm end of gear (smaller diameter) goes into the odometer frame.
Reassemble odometer frame to speedometer head. When reassembling you must insure that
there is adequate clearance (a few thousandths up to 1/64" inch is OK) between the copper colored cup in the odometer frame and the small thrust washer on the shaft that the pointer goes on. Push on the back of the speedo where the cable goes in to take up any slack in the assembly. Try moving the pointer shaft in and out to check the clearance. If the proper clearance does not exist the copper cup must be moved slightly. This is done with a small punch or round object that is near the same diameter as the cup. This insures that the cup is not distorted.
Install the face with the trip odometer to the right.
Install the pointer by placing it at about the 12 o'clock position on the shaft. Push down while turning the pointer counterclockwise to the 0 position. Increase pressure gradually while turning and the pointer will be locked to the shaft.

 

The Steel worm gear mentioned in the instructions above is called the "Third Worm Gear". The "Second Worm Gear" is behind the spinning magnet in the speedometer head. It rides at a 45 degree angle at the back of the speedometer head. It is held in place by a pressed in retainer.

 

Photo's of the speedometer head.

This pic shows the Second Worm gear installed. It's the Black gear shaft behind the spinning magnet.



This view shows the steel Third Worm gear installed into the head and meshing with the Second Worm gear and First Reduction gear.



This view shows the pressed in retainer for the Second worm gear. This is looking from the top of the assembled Speedometer Head.



Again from the top of the speedometer head. This is where the Third Worm gear is supported at the back of the Speedometer face.



From the First reduction gear, there is an idler gear, then the drive gears for the odometers. Here's a view from the bottom of the Speedometer head showing the First reduction gear, the idler gear and part of the Odometer drive gear set.



Finally, here's a view of the Odometer drive gear set. There is a common shaft that turns both the Total Odometer and the Trip Odometer. The Trip Odometer is shown. The gear at the left of the picture that is meshed with the idler gear turns the Total Odometer.