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How do I take Speedometer out, apart?
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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

An observation regarding calibration:

Early and late model speedometers with the W0.80 calibration mark are comparable, but I noted that the MPH numbers are not in the same locations on the face between early and late models. I find that odd.
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Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


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glutamodo Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The W0.80 refers to the odometer gearing...
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reded68
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=549955&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Just in case anyone is interested, this is me restoring my 68 speedo a couple of weeks ago
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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

glutamodo wrote:
The W0.80 refers to the odometer gearing...
Interesting, but still odd. Both are using the same odometer gearing but don't match speeds at the same points on the speedometer face. About the only place they match up is at the 90mph point, even the stop pins are located in a different place on the faces. I find it difficult to understand how odometers can match if speeds don't. Do you think a simple matter of a slight adjustment to the spring pre-tension would account for that and make up for it?
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1969 Frankenbug
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:2gunfire: F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


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glutamodo Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The odometer is a direct count of rotations of the speedometer cable. The W0.80 is a description of that gear ratio. This implies a certain diameter tire of course, in order for that ratio to be valid. But no matter what, it's directly coupled, a physical counter

The speedometer is not directly coupled at all. It's a magnet and a cup that do not touch each other. Of course, tire size matters here too, but since nothing touches, it does not "count up" in any way - the tension of the spring around the needle determines how resistant the needle is to the motion of the speedometer cable.

You can have a speedometer that the needle position has been changed, the spring has been messed with, or a spring that has "gone flat" over time, or has developed some other extra resistance to rotation, that will read off. If the bushings around the magnetic cup wear and there is a bit of wobble, then the magnet and cup can get too close and then your speed may vary, bounce or just read higher than it should. But through all of those scenarios, the odometer will still plug away, still counting actual rotations of the cable. (assuming the gears are in good shape)

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I assume that on those different year speedometers you are comparing they have slightly different amounts of tension applied by the "brake" spring, as VW called it.

Now, you can use that W (or faceplate) number to "calculate" the tire diameter the odometer is keyed to. However, that calculated diameter is still a little lower than the actual tire diameter needed for it to be accurate. I drew this up a couple of years ago:


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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for that unintentional slap in the face, Andy. Of course, I didn't think that there's no direct connection between the odometer and speedometer, so just forget my lapse in intelligence there. I should've spent less time staring at face plates and more thinking about the mechanics of it all. Rolling Eyes

I'm still just a bit confused in general though how and why the only place speeds match up between the two is at the 90mph mark... Maybe it's beyond me to understand how any variation in spring tension or variation in the magnet can have the effect where from 0-89mph there is no commonality.
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1969 Frankenbug
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:2gunfire: F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


www.endlesscustomz.com
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propguy
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK,
So I got my speedo apart- Thanks Andy for the step by step. Unfortunately I scratched the face. I am pretty sure that there isn't any way to fix that nicely. Any thoughts?
Thanks
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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

propguy wrote:
OK,
So I got my speedo apart- Thanks Andy for the step by step. Unfortunately I scratched the face. I am pretty sure that there isn't any way to fix that nicely. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Post a picture so we can take a look at the damage.

Worse case scenario, start checking the classifieds here and on eBay. Chances are good you'll find a non-functional speedometer for sale you can pick up for $20 or less, that you can borrow a face plate from.
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1969 Frankenbug
1965 Ford Mustang
:2gunfire: F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


www.endlesscustomz.com
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KOMBI NIKO
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just pulled my 60 kombi speedo apart fixed the miles but now I need to repaint the face, any ideas? I thought of using model decal paper to print on using a good quality scan.
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glutamodo Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like you're in the same boat as "propguy" above, with a less-than-perfect face.

A home-printed decal might work OK - not sure how well it would hold up over time. I've painted clear acrylic over inkjet decals (NOT VW related) that I've printed in the past to make them weatherproof and usually they look better for it as well.

-Andy
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KOMBI NIKO
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Might be worth a go, I'll start looking for a pic to scan from.
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thomas.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since this thread is active I thought I would ask. Does anyone know the correct color spray paint to paint the inside face of the speedometer. I cleaned this one up the other day and used what was handy. In this case it was a color I use for gas heaters -silver hammertone. I don't like it and want the original. Or close to it.

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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's a shame. I think that looks pretty nice! I see you went blue for your turn signal indicator also.

I'm not positive, but I believe that Rustoleum's metallic nickel finish is fairly close to the stock color. Years of sunlight and UV exposure do make an impression.
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1969 Frankenbug
1965 Ford Mustang
:2gunfire: F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


www.endlesscustomz.com
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thomas.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that Tim. I was heading out and figured I get the paint so that's real cool. I wanted to see what the blue looked like for the signals but I don't care for it.Going back to green although I think the original was red for this year. '59. I 'll probably sell but wanted to make sure it worked . It's off a couple of mph in some places but right on in others so close enough.Got it in a pile of parts I bought.Had rust spots on the face and it wouldn't clean off without mucking it up. Here's the before

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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I understand that. I'm doing a complete restoration on one right now. No one can complain about your result given what you started with. I haven't seen a clear needle look that good in a long time. It's just too bad you don't have the disc still in its original color to take out shopping with you.
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1969 Frankenbug
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:2gunfire: F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


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barry cox
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:43 am    Post subject: speedometer interchange Reply with quote

Can someone explain to me why a pre 68 speedometer will not work on 68 and later beetles. Is it because they have a smaller radius or mount different?
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think they'll fit just fine, they just don't have a gas gauge.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:42 pm    Post subject: speedometers Reply with quote

Thanks Eric, I have a 73 Beetle that I have already installed a 66 tank and gauge in. I like the older look on the 68 and earlier, and I wanted to go with an earlier speedo if it is the same size. I know super beetle speedo"s are larger. I just need to know about the standard Beetle speedo.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's only on the 73-79 Super Beetles that you can't use the older speedometers. True, the ratio for the odometer gearing did change slightly, a couple of times in the 70s, but the fitment was the same on non-Supers all the way back to the oval window era.
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'69Custom
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:43 pm    Post subject: Re: speedometers Reply with quote

barry cox wrote:
Thanks Eric, I have a 73 Beetle that I have already installed a 66 tank and gauge in. I like the older look on the 68 and earlier, and I wanted to go with an earlier speedo if it is the same size. I know super beetle speedo"s are larger. I just need to know about the standard Beetle speedo.
If you went with a '68 speedometer, youd have the advantage of the classy, early graphics with the benefit of the incorporated fuel gauge. It's a one year only option that would likely meet your goals if you haven't already installed a seperate early fuel gauge.
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-Tim

1969 Frankenbug
1965 Ford Mustang
:2gunfire: F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well. 
tham64 wrote:
Why tune a big round again and again????? For me.... 1 hour will solve the case Cool


www.endlesscustomz.com
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