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Speedometer Calibration ?? Painted Housing??

here are three pics.

the front: is the needle in the right place for zero mph?

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The back with screws removed:

picture.php



A cool tool i found that helped with bezel removal:

picture.php
 
I've worked on several sets of those speedometers. Remove the bezel by wrapping several layers of masking tape around the plastic housing next to the bezel, you can slowly start prying it open in stages, say a third of the way open per each revolution. As someone said, there is a small screw in the center of the odometer knob, but more importantly there is a brass extension between speedometer and that knob, which is removable by holding the small stub sticking out of the speedometer and unscrewing it. In order to do that, you must first remove the speed indicator needle by CAREFULLY removing it using two levers resting on the two screws and prying the needle off it's shaft, then it's a simple matter to remove the two small screws and lifting off the face. http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1569952&postcount=1

End of part one.

Part two I will help you add a bit of tension to the hair spring and hopefully that will bring down the error rate in your indicated reading.
http://thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1570322&postcount=142
 
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As someone said, there is a small screw in the center of the odometer knob, but more importantly there is a brass extension between speedometer and that knob, which is removable by holding the small stub sticking out of the speedometer and unscrewing it.
Much appreciated. I have the needle off. actually used two small flathead screwdrivers.

I guess I am not able to comprehend how to get the brass odometer shaft out. I tried holding the rod that it comes out from with needle nose pliers, but it just still rolls the odometer numbers around and does not come loose.

I do notice that there is a cotter pin on the opposite side...but I am skeered to remove it because it involves the numbers & gears.

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Hold the metal shaft in the speedometer and turn the brass shaft and knob the opposite way used to reset the odometer. It WILL unscrew.
 
Part two...

After you have the internals removed you will notice a 'hair' spring attached to the pivot shaft. If it has surface rust on it, more than likely it has been weakened by it- allowing the needle to read higher. All you can do at that point is to take a small artist brush, lightly dip in an oil such as 3-in-1 and LIGHTLY touch the brush on the hair spring - making sure the complete spring is LIGHTLY coated with oil. All you are trying to accomplish is to protect the spring from further rusting and add a bit of resistance in the form of surface tension. If the spring is very rusty, then all you can do is replace the speedometer. Hopefully it's still in good shape.

Next, the only two methods I can see, other than reducing the strength of the magnet, is to add a bit of tension to the hairspring. That can be accomplished by either changing the internal stop for the needle - making the needle (pointer) rest below zero and reinstalling the needle on zero, or bending the point where the outer end of the hair spring is retained in place, adding a little tension to the spring. That's going to take a bit of trial and error to get right. If it doesn't bring perfection, at least it should reduce the amount of the error.

Let me know if I can help you any further.
 
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Part two...

After you have the internals removed you will notice a 'hair' spring attached to the pivot shaft. If it has surface rust on it, more than likely it has been weakened by it- allowing the needle to read higher. All you can do at that point is to take a small artist brush, lightly dip in an oil such as 3-in-1 and LIGHTLY touch the brush on the hair spring - making sure the complete spring is LIGHTLY coated with oil. All you are trying to accomplish is to protect the spring from further rusting and add a bit of resistance in the form of surface tension. If the spring is very rusty, then all you can do is replace the speedometer. Hopefully it's still in good shape.

Next, the only two methods I can see, other than reducing the strength of the magnet, is to add a bit of tension to the hairspring. That can be accomplished by either changing the internal stop for the needle - making the needle (pointer) rest below zero and reinstalling the needle on zero, or bending the point where the outer end of the hair spring is retained in place, adding a little tension to the spring. That's going to take a bit of trial and error to get right. If it doesn't bring perfection, at least it should reduce the amount of the error.

Let me know if I can help you any further.

By "internals removed" do you mean just getting it out of the orange housing...or do i unscrew the 4 screws holding the cable shaft housing on?

I dont see a spring?

Also...see post and pic above. Where does the needle normally rest when at zero mph?

picture.php
 
The easiest solution to an inaccurate speedo is to add a bicycle 'computer". I have done this to 3 bikes now and for around $40, when set up correctly, you will have a speedo that is within 1 or 2% as accurate as a GPS unit. I have used the Catseye brand and they are good to over 120kmph, plenty for a street bike.

Good luck with it.
Spyug
 
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I wish I would have paid attention to where my needle was before taking the bezel off.... because after it was off youit was way below the first mark.
We'll work on that issue when the time comes.
 
Thanks for all the help Rusty. I really do appreciate it.

I oiled up the coil spring and cable port with 3in1.

The bike is down with fork rebuild right now...so the testing will have to continue at a later date.

From what I have learned from you so far.... should I just stop at this stage and put it back together then run it to see if it helped? Or should I go ahead and try "tensioning" the hair spring coil now also?

I guess I will be putting it back on without the bezel for the testing phase.
 
From what I have learned from you so far.... should I just stop at this stage and put it back together then run it to see if it helped? Or should I go ahead and try "tensioning" the hair spring coil now also?


I guess I will be putting it back on without the bezel for the testing phase.
Personally I would tension the spring, by bending the stop (rest) on the bracket that 'bell' rests against, and leave the lens off until you get the speedo error under control.
 
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Personally I would tension the spring, by bending the stop (rest) on the bracket that 'bell' rests against, and leave the lens off until you get the speedo error under control.

the bell?

Just so I dont screw it up. Are you saying to bend the thing that the coil spring is attached to? Away from the spring?...and about how much?

 
Do you see the bell shaped piece that the indicator needle is attached to? notice it has a tab and that tab rests against a stop. First try moving that stop so the indicator needle, if attached, would rest at a ***higher*** position, then reinstall the needle back at zero or slightly below zero. That should require more force to overcome the potential energy stored in the hair spring. The second thing to visit is the other end of the hair spring. You would bend that attachment point so as to increase the springs strength as well.

Your problem, as I see it, is not enough spring pressure to resist the force imparted by the spinning magnet directed against the force of the hair spring. It could be a pivot resistance issue as well, but lets try this method first.
 
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First try moving that stop so the indicator needle, if attached, would rest at a ***higher*** position, then reinstall the needle back at zero or slightly below zero. That should require more force to overcome the potential energy stored in the hair spring.
Please note the correction I have made.

Basically what you are trying to achieve is to to increase the springs strength.
 
I put everything back together and unfortunately it is worse than before. When I have a little time I will take it off and try again. I saw a set on ebay for $75 but it's not worth that much to me....and i dont know how accurate that one is.

Does anyone know whether, if i get a 79 to 82 speedo, can I use the 140mph faceplate off of mine and have everything accurate?
 
Does anyone know whether, if i get a 79 to 82 speedo, can I use the 140mph faceplate off of mine and have everything accurate?
If all you change is the faceplate, you will wish for the "accuracy" that you have now.

Just changing the faceplate will not change how far the needle deflects, only the numbers under the needle.



What size tire are you running on the front? If you are using a 90/90-19, it will run fast. Switch to a 100/90-19, you will remove at least half of your speedo error.

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the speedos are not very accurate anyway, i doubt you will get them much closer than that, a 10% innacuracy is usual.

I must agree, an overly optimistic reading for the GS1000e, both ones I owned. Even mentioned in the bike reviews for it.
Maybe a bigger tire on the front would help.
 
Let me re-state that. I wasnt saying I could fix my error with a different faceplate. I was saying that if I found a speedo on ebay that only goes to 80mph, could I put the 140mph face plate on it and have it work. Do they just have extra numbers on the plate, or are they spaced diffferently?

Tire is 100/90/19
 
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