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Long, long ago (in this galaxy, not one far, far away ) when my car was a daily driver, the speedometer often had a bouncy needle. I tried graphite lube, but it didn't really help. I ordered a replacement inner cable that needed to be cut to fit. However, I never installed it since it didn't come with a tip for the gauge end and I wanted to ensure I made the cut precisely at the proper length.
Years later in the midst of my restoration, it's now on my radar again. I found a vendor that sells the tip I need, but now I wonder if there is also supposed to be a plastic spacer/collar put on the cable before it's inserted into the outer sheath?
This is the old cable. For the new cable, should there also be a plastic collar/spacer/bushing where the arrow indicates?
Evidently, that plastic part would be considered "sacrificial". Easy to replace.
Some cable ends had a spring designed to snap in the event of a seized cable.
Far better to have those pieces snap, as opposed to a stripped gear in the trans.
Worst case scenario would be damage to the speedometer / odometer gears in the instrument cluster.
Does your cable need the plastic tip? IDK
Lube: I used graphite products on cables, door locks, etc back-in-the-day. But once that product gets moisture (and it will eventually) you are back to square one.
The inner speedo cable should never get oiled, too thin.
But gun grease works really well. Repels moisture, never dries out, handles heat / cold.
Speedometer cable tip
) when my car was a daily driver, the speedometer often had a bouncy needle. I tried graphite lube, but it didn't really help. I ordered a replacement inner cable that needed to be cut to fit. However, I never installed it since it didn't come with a tip for the gauge end and I wanted to ensure I made the cut precisely at the proper length.
