perfectly good speedo cable trashed

[Kim Burke]

Here is what I got when half assing a speedo cable into the speedometer head.

Where's the best place to order a new cable. This truck has a two piece (upper/lower) housing w/ a 65" core.

Thanks in advance, you guys are making this fun again.

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[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Okay, yeah. **** new speedometer cables. They don’t fit right, and they don’t work right. None of them, at least for me. The only way that it can’t fit right at the head is if it didn’t click in, but still... Unless, of course, it was already damaged like that. AC Delco is the superior one, but even it’s not been up to snuff with the original design. I also noticed that when it worked well at first, it was super noisy. The noise eventually went away, but it also got sloppier when that happened. The OEM cables had a really big bushing on the speedo side to keep the cable from flopping around like a fish in the sheathing and making the needle bounce. The new ones have a pea sized or smaller nylon bushing that does almost nothing. The cables also couldn’t move in or out of the sheathing in the originals. I saved the old one from my car because it’s saveable if I spend enough time with it. It spins truer as it, but it’s pretty gunky in there. Either that or I’ll switch to Intellitronix. I hate the fancy digital gauges, but I hate sloppy and/or noisy and/or inaccurate speedometers even more. Rant over. I ordered mine from Amazon, but check eBay and RockAuto. Amazon does have a more legit return policy. The latter two are pretty flaky in my experience.

 

[Kim Burke]

Replaced the inner core in the old housing. Seems to be working fine but not terribly confident since Jesse hasn't had any luck.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Well, I’m big enough to be happy for someone when it works out. Mine just started working better out of the blue, but it got noisy again. If anything changes, let us know. I’m very interested to see how things work out.

 

[Kim Burke]

Well, the spedometer is working but it gets noisey then goes quiet and this morning it was noisey again. The faster I go the more flaky it gets(noisey, WAY off calibration, and shaky). I think I'm going to have to buy a new complete speedo cable.

My cable measures an honest 65" point to point. It is a two piece w/o cruise cable w/ a TH400 originally. However, I can't find a speedometer cable in LMC, Brothers, or Classic Industries that measures exactly that length.
LMC has a one piece(w/o cruise) part#36-2026 and a two piece(w/cruise) part#'s 36--2031 & 36-2021, but no measurements.
Brothers has a one piece for my 79 (2wd A/T w/o cruise) but no measurements, part#PLCBL22.
NAPA has a 63" one piece I know shorter isn't going to work. It's also $9.99 (CAN NOT BE RIGHT).
Classic Industries has Lokar "cut to fit" as about everybody else.
SUMMIT goes from 1969 to 1982 and skips 70-81 Squares altogether.

Online chat with Jim @ PATC produced the name of an outfit in Colorado Springs, CO that makes "to order" cable assemblies.

[email protected]
SPEEDOMETER REPAIR SERVICES
449 E Kiowa Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 632-3165

Called and discussed my issues with my truck. He assured me I would be happy happy.
<$35 plus frt. He's shipping it tomorrow.

Will let you all know how it goes.

 

[Kim Burke]

Cable arrived Christmas eve! I just got back from a family hootinanny in Nevada to find it today in the mailbox!
The housing is very flexible with an oversized inner cable(he says its better than OE). Won't get to install it this week, a few yeahoo's followed me home.

This week is shot but I'll stick it in and update soon.

 

[Rusty Nail]

*with bated breath we wait*

 

[chengny]

*with bated breath we wait*

Dry, dry, dry - but that's GD funny, I don't care who you are. I spit out a little beer on that one.

 

[Kim Burke]

Installed the brand new speedometer cable. Replacement was easier than I had planned and the cable is smooth and quiet. I'm going to get the head rebuilt because it's way off past 50mph.

Thanks for the responses, you may now allow your breath to go unabated.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Whew!
Thanks.

 

[Rusty Nail]

How mush did he git ya fir?
Will this "Rusty" imposter repair my speed-o-meter also?

 

[Kim Burke]

How mush did he git ya fir?
Will this "Rusty" imposter repair my speed-o-meter also?

cable was $30ish+frt
my speedo head rebuilt $98 +frt

everything is smooth as butter

BTW: he's a nice Rusty,

 

[Rusty Nail]

Cool, thanks for that reply. I'd like to have mine repaired and think i'll get in touch with him based SOLELY on your recommendation.

No pressure!

 

[Kim Burke]

Cool, thanks for that reply. I'd like to have mine repaired and think i'll get in touch with him based SOLELY on your recommendation.

No pressure!

Tell him Kim Burke was bragging on him. He's a straight shooter.