Bugeye Speedometer Needle

[David_Doan]

My car came with a later spridget speedometer and a broken Bugeye speedometer. I swapped the faces but I did not have the correct needle.

Anybody have a broken bugeye speedo? I'd love to get the correct needle, and maybe a better looking face.

Thanks,

David

 

[paulsherman]

David;
Which speedo face and or needle are you looking for? I believe I have an extra needle that is like the tacho. on the right. You an email me @montpaul@msn.com.

Paul in Tacoma

 

[David_Doan]

Thanks Paul,

I'm primarily looking for a new needle for the speedo that matches the needle on the tach.

I'd also like to find a speedo face, the same style as mine, just less beat up.

I will send you an email.

Thanks,

David

 

[Boink]

So, David, while you're in there (been meaning to - only opened my the speedo on my old Mini), how easy does it look to mess with the odometer? Oddly, my trip one works but the main one is stuck. I've seen diagrams but I figured I'd ask someone that was in the thick of opening up their speedo.

 

[David_Doan]

So, David, while you're in there (been meaning to - only opened my the speedo on my old Mini), how easy does it look to mess with the odometer? Oddly, my trip one works but the main one is stuck. I've seen diagrams but I figured I'd ask someone that was in the thick of opening up their speedo.

Mark, the odometer stuff is pretty straight forward. The main odo and the trip odo are completely separate mechanisms. So it makes sense that only one of yours has stopped working.

Here's a link to my google photos page from Nov. 2011 that shows lots of disassembly pics:

https://plus.google.com/photos/1157...964394945553?anner=pwa&authkey=CI7ijabzrqLHWw

If the link doesn't work, go to my blog - https://doan.us/blog - then click on gallery and select Nov. 2011.

I have all the parts to my old one in a box. If you need something to fix yours, let me know.

BEFORE YOU PULL THE NEEDLE OFF, MAKE SURE YOU MARK THE POSITION ON THE WHEEL IN THE BACK SO THAT YOUR SPEEDO CALIBRATION WON'T BE LOST.

 

[Boink]

Thanks David! Excellent advice and pics. I guess I'll need to finally get in there and see what's wrong.

 

[dklawson]

For additional information on the odometer, download Anthony Rhodes' 27 page PDF on repairing Smiths and Jaeger speedometers. (link below).
https://home.comcast.net/~rhodes/speedo.pdf
There is a lot of helpful information in the document that will guide you through this repair.

I do wish to offer a cautionary note. The needles used on your two gauges are different not only in appearance but also in weight and balance. If you fit a different needle to the speedometer, be sure to check its calibration (as best you can) before putting everything back together. There are some calibration notes in towards the end of the Rhodes PDF linked above. However, one of the members on the Triumph section of this board has developed a different calibration technique. When/if you decide you want to change he calibration of your speedometer to work with the new needle, look through the thread linked below. It starts off with basic questions and cosmetic work. Mid-way through the pages the topic changes to calibration.
https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?94885-Instrument-Faces

 

[David_Doan]

Doug,


There's some great stuff in both of those links. Rhodes' document is what I used as well. I did basically the same thing as shown in CJD's post for calibration except that I used an optical tachometer (about $30 at Harbor Freight)to get a real time readout of the drill speed to compare with the indicated speed on the speedo.

Here's the chart I made in excel:

Here's my speedo results. Not perfect, but close enough. I did not play with the magnets, I just adjusted the needle position.

Input RPM	Indicated	Actual	Error	Error%
590	20	24	4.0	20%
1006	40	41	1.0	3%
1438	60	59	-1.4	-2%
2075	90	85	-5.4	-6%

 

[Boink]

Excellent stuff. I'd seen the old Smiths/Jeager PDF before but now I've saved it.
As for calibration, I've found that my tires have my speedo reading a solid 10% to high (and resorted to the "DigiHUD" smartphone app). Well, I attribute it to tires... though I might have thought it read too low, so maybe it IS the speedo.
I've fussed with speedo calibration before (with a Mark I Mini) but have generally lost interest in all that. It would be nice, though, to get the main odo working.

Thanks.

 

[paulsherman]

David;
I put the Speedo (with needle) in the mail yesterday. Should be to you early next week.

Paul

 

[David_Doan]

David;
I put the Speedo (with needle) in the mail yesterday. Should be to you early next week.

Paul

THANK YOU.... I will let you know when it arrives

 

[David_Doan]

Paul,

I got the speedo late last week - Thank you. Your want list is very similar to mine. I think I have a working heater switch, it's in the archives I call restoration parts - parts that are original and working, but not being put back on my car. It's in a heavy box up high that is not accessible with my broken leg. What's your time frame? If you need it soon I can make it happen.

Mark,

I'm only using the needle and face from the speedo Paul sent. Let me know if you need the odometer parts.

David

 

[paulsherman]

David;
No hurry with the switch. I have many other fish to fry before I need the switch.

Thank you

 

[David_Doan]

Ok, I will put your name on it.