1974 Super Beetle Speedometer Seal

[LeeFred]

I probably need to replace the rubber seal that goes around the speedometer in our 74 SB. The speedometer assembly slowly pushes out towards the driver as the vehicle is being driven. I can't seem to locate this piece of rubber from the usual places - is it reproduced?

[67rustavenger]

This?
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111957375
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!
Don't let your bad ideas remain, ideas!

[LeeFred]

[Cusser]

Take the speedometer head to Ace Hardware, and see if one of the big O-rings in the little drawers fits.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[baldessariclan]

Don't know of any new production for these, but they sell original used ones here: https://www.bugcity.com/shop/shop.lasso?pquery=speedometer+seal
_________________
1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver

baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt...

[LeeFred]

[bsairhead]

Electrical rubber tape.

[viiking]

It doesn't have to be a complete "O", like an o-ring.

Just get a flat piece of rubber of the correct thickness and cut it to width and length and just glue it round the speedometer so the ends meet. It's only there to take up the slack between the OD of the speedometer and the ID of the hole in the dash.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[my3bugs]

never seen the band your showing but im also not familiar with SB's at all but for most of us we use this ring in the grove around the speedo , shows it fits your year

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111957375

[glutamodo]

It is not a seal or gasket. It is a ring made out of rubber, ribbed for your dashboard's pleasure. It is only for the 73-79 1303 series Super Beetle, the part linked just above is not it... that one is for models where it mounts to the flat steel dashboard. Not the molded curved dashboard found in a late Super.

I don't know what you call it precisely. Myself, I've called it a mounting or retaining ring. Looking in the old VW parts book they show the speedometer with the ring already on it and not as a separate part.

I've got one around here somewhere, but I don't think it has any kind of number on it. If there was I would have pictured it when I made up this photo of it a few years ago:

_________________
Andy T.

"What is Glutamodo, Horror of Toyko, besides total, fiendish, quality-a-you brain!"

[LeeFred]

FIXED!

I had to pull the speedometer this last weekend to do some wiring work. When I put the speedometer back in, I made sure there was no excess speedometer cable jammed between the speedometer itself and the bulkhead. That was the issue - too much cable was putting pressure on the speedometer and forcing it out.

[vamram]

Ah the simple things! Glad you found the issue and posted your fix!
_________________
"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition
to put moral chains upon their own appetites. -Edmund Burke
“If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”
Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...languishing since 2022.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!