Speedometer issue

[Dutch_Jeeper]

So my speedometer quite working while driving. It would stick on a number and climb but not go down immediately. Not jumping around but irritically climb all the way up to hundred km/h lol then stick at 40 when stopped, taking off again it would either pickup the right speed for a moment or add up to what it stood on when i stopped.

First thing i checked was the cable which was fine, not broken, well lubricated and clean. So i turned to the meter itself. The needle moved by hand without a problem. Took it out, lubricated it thoroughly through the oiling hole on the back until it spinned a bit better. Put it back but still the same problem.

Gently opened up the bezel to take a look inside. It was nice and clean on the inside, there was some axial play on the magnetic shaft. Worse was the play on the tiny needle shaft and "cup" that spins inside the magnetic shaft end. I heard a ever so slightly ringing sound when spinning it.

While very slowly and very gently spinning the magnetic shaft it picked up the needle and stuck at 40, when turning ever so slightly further it "disengaged and dropped until another full turn where it stuck again.

When spinning fast by hand it does not get stuck and i just sometimes hear it chaffing the magnetic end.

There is both axial and radial play on de needle shaft. Question is how do i take the needle shaft out to see where that play is located and if i can perhaps shim it?

There are 2 screws holding the dial face and 2 screws underneath that which you cannot reach without taking the dial face off. How is the needle secured? Is it a matter of gently pulling it off or is it locked somewhere? I did not see any obvious point?

There are some topics out there about repairing the dial face with new decals but none tell how to remove the needle!?

[Oilleaker1]

It takes special tools to pull the press fit needle off the shaft. Watchmakers use them to gently pull off the minute and hour hands. Cost wise you are better off buying a good used one since a repair shop will charge close to 250.00 to fix it. They also have to re-calibrate the unit since it will be changed when you pull off the needle. One trick I learned with English speedos was to strip a braided electrical wire and use a strand of copper wire wraped around the needle shaft as a spacer for the slop that was causing the magnetic cup/needle unit to contact each other. Not sure if you can use this with the Jeep speedo. Good used speedos show up on ebay frequently. John

[Dutch_Jeeper]

Thank you John.

I had an idea i can try now that i know it's press fitted. Find some thin wood, make a slot so i can slide it behind the dial face, undo the dial face and use the dial face to support the needle while pessing behind the dial face, the wood should prevent damage to it.

So i guess i can either get it to work and if not i need another unit anyway. There is a limiter on the needle cup so i can get it back in the exact same position as long as the spring is left untouched so it wont need re calibration. I'll try the copperwire trick to try and fix the slop.