Speedo Cable

[John042]

Wesley is on the road so beware if you live in N Devon.However no speedo operation, not bad result after 20 years + of non running. So speedo cable, bible says TVR special? Is that correct or is there a alternative? Thanks for any info' J C.

[mrzigazaga]

Whoops...Just edited as i realised i put "THROTTLE" cable...Der......You might have to match the cable to the gauge....

Edited by mrzigazaga on Friday 6th May 22:41

[RCK974X]

I think it depends on which dash gauges you have - Mine has Stewart Warner ones, and speedo cable is special, as it has a Ford clip on style end to fit the gbox, and a screw on speedo end (which I think matches the really early Smiths/Lucas style from 1960's).

The Cortinas and Grannys OE cables had a 'long' clip on end for the Ford speedo, which does fit some Smiths (= clip on) styles, if you cut the end off and mess with it ...

[wooly350i]

The alternative to speedy cables in Wales if you need a new cable is 'Cable-Tec cables & controls ltd at Ellesmere Port , Cheshire, tel: [phone], they did a first class job on mine and also one for the old girl Delilah, any ends and any length you want, turned them around in a week.

[KKson]

wooly350i said:

The alternative to speedy cables in Wales if you need a new cable is 'Cable-Tec cables & controls ltd at Ellesmere Port

My old home town. What a s*&t hole. I won't be rushing back.

[John042]

Thanks all, another invest' of both ends to see what's. what's. I think they are smith's clocks so maybe a call to "Speedy Cables" for a quote. Cheers J C.

[mrzigazaga]

You can still buy Smiths gauge speedo cables but I'm not sure what the end fittings are like for the Wedge...
https://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=L&ai=CJA65xR4...

[John042]

Bu**er just my luck no speedo cable fitted. Obviously the previous owner got scared of his speed? Anyway the gauge is a Smiths and the gearbox a 5 speed Ford "N" type. So can anyone assist please as without a pattern I'm sure Speedy Cables will require the length. Incidentally hows the cable attached to the gearbox? As all I've got is a recess into the box with a protruding plastic shaft with a hole in the end. Thanks in advance. John C.

[wooly350i]

KKson said:

My old home town. What a s*&t hole. I won't be rushing back.

st hole or not the company did a great job on our two cables and they were posted back one with standard ends and the other with bespoke ends within 5 days, have read a number of posts about Speedy not living up to their name, lol

[Nick Brough]

There is someone who does early Wedge cables think I got his details from David Gerald he couldn't supply the snapped speedo cable on my 400SE.

I sent it to Johnson Cables 01926 651470 JJ Cables Hillfields Farm and they repaired it, took around 3 1/2 weeks which I believe is speedier than speedy cables.

Regards

Nick

[John042]

Thanks Nick for the contact. I've included a pic' of what is left of the gearbox speedo drive. Sorry about the quality. As you can see all there is sticking out of the gearbox is about an inch of plastic shaft with a metal sleeve around it. It does rolate with the prop shaft so the gear is hopefully OK. I think there's something missing like a right angled drive which connects to the cable? I would like to get it working as the fuel gauge has decided to go on strike. Any info would be a great help as without an old cable and now the part which connects to the gearbox end I'm a bit in the dark. The gearbox is a 5 speed "N" type. Thanks J C.

[Nick Brough]

John042 said:

Thanks Nick for the contact. I've included a pic' of what is left of the gearbox speedo drive. Sorry about the quality. As you can see all there is sticking out of the gearbox is about an inch of plastic shaft with a metal sleeve around it. It does rolate with the prop shaft so the gear is hopefully OK. I think there's something missing like a right angled drive which connects to the cable? I would like to get it working as the fuel gauge has decided to go on strike. Any info would be a great help as without an old cable and now the part which connects to the gearbox end I'm a bit in the dark. The gearbox is a 5 speed "N" type. Thanks J C.

Hi J.C.

No picture seen but.


Sounds a bit like mine, there was a small metal hollow square at the gearbox end, (which I suspect was on the end of a gear drive), into which the slotted square speedo drive cable went.

The speedo drive had a sleeve with an aluminium round piece on the end held onto the gearbox by a fork clamp, through which went a 10mm bolt to secure the clamp to the gearbox if that makes sense, probably not lol.

Regards

Nick

[John042]

Opps, finger trouble! Sounds has if I have a piece missing Nick? This time with a pic. Cheers John C.

[RCK974X]

John, info to help....

Pic a bit fuzzy, but on the basis it's a type 9......looks about right length.
Speedo drive should turn when you turn propshaft/driveshaft out of gearbox, and it should be roughly 3 turns drive shaft to 1 turn speedo drive
if you want to check. (can vary a bit, different drive gears used for speedo calibration)

The standard Ford setup uses a flat disc type end on the speedo cable, held with a circlip (you should be able to see the circlip groove on gbox). More or less any Ford speedo cable after about 1975 should fit that gearbox, as they were all nearly the same. All the Cortina/Granada/Escort ones I tried seemed to fit at the gearbox end.

There was no angle drive as standard, which does mean wedge has a sharp bend after the gbox....

Then I can remember 4 different speedo ends, small threaded, large threaded, short clip, long clip, and there's probably more.... first three on Smith's, and the long clip-on was on Ford speedos.

[John042]

Thanks Andy. The protruding plastic stub from the gear box does turn so the gear is hopefully intact. It looks a bit chewed up but there is a hole in the end which I managed to push a piece of wire into. Is this where the cable goes? There is also a metal cover over the plastic stub. It will be a tight fit onto the box given the space between the gearbox and chassis tubes. Hence the thought that it might have a right angled drive. I guess there might be circlip groove in the gearbox to hold the cable in. The clock is a Smiths with the large threaded attachment. I'll start making some inquiries, the length being one of the problems. Cheers John.

[John042]

Further investigation on a ramp at work revealed a circlip groove at the bottom of the recess on the gearbox. So I guess it's a standard ford type flat end held into the gearbox by the circlip. TVR Parts do list two types for different gauges and I'm waiting for a call back for confirmation. Pricey though at about £40? J C.

[Adrian@]

Speedo cables that fit a type 9 and Smiths gauges are 23.88. A@

[John042]

Thanks Adrian. That's a better price. Are they the right length? My problem is I don't have the original one. Cheers John C.

[RCK974X]

Yeah, actual drive is 1/8 square (?) - a couple of mm anyway, so drive will have a square profile, which matches the actual speedo end as well
hard to see unless you clean it up nice.....

It is worth cleaning gbox end out if it looks grungy - in case it's got crap in it - a small drill works nicely, the spiral clears out the muck (but with your fingers, NOT with a real electric drill !)

[John042]

Thanks Andy. The piece out of the gearbox is intact, well sort of. The metal sleeve is not good and the plastic drive looks as if someone has been chewing on it. However the hole seem clear so hope the cable end will still mate. I've yet to contact Speedy Cables but hope they have made some up in the past for Wedges. J C.