Lubing the speedo on a 1st gen

[Venturous Randy]

I stopped and pulled the speedo cable on the way home Wednesday night, it was getting a bit ridculous; and found your comment after I got home; thanks for the idea Randy! I pulled the dash, installed spare Tach I had floating around and modified your idea by simply using the tube of white lithium and sticking it inside the speedo cable housing and squeezing hard. Then used the electric drill in reverse with a small square drive to check for result. You know that thing will run 25mph??!! Didn't hear any squealing though, still have to road test it, but I prefer to have the windshield on for that.

 

You have already done the hard part by pulling the dash out. But, it still does not sound like you got grease into the bearing area. If you do it from the outside, it will take high pressure like you would get with a grease gun as you are forcing grease around the bearing, which is a tight fit. If you take the speedometer out and put grease on something that will reach the bearing from the inside, it will work in from the top.

I have fixed at least four 1st gen Ventures with the squeal and all of them were fixed with putting grease in the bearing area. I still don't think you have a cable problem.

RandyA

[nbatchelor]

I did this with my screaming speedo and....silence is golden. I used moly 60 that I have for lubing up the drive shaft on my 1983 1st gen Venture XVZ12TK (in pristine condition too!) and it worked great.

[kf_sk_mccall]

The correct thread is M12 X 1.00 Pitch.

 

NAPA AUTO PARTS

 

I took the "linked" banjo bolt and then drilled and tapped for a grease fitting and then plugged the cross hole.

 

Ken

[Chaplain Dusty]

The 1/4" nut would not work for me, however a 5/16" nut was perfect. It actually is a 12mm nut and the 5/16" is the closest fit. just took the bike out and at last SUCCESS!!!!!!!! No whining from the front or the back (she's a good woman). Praise God!

 

Chaplain Dusty JUST SAYIN' "AMEN"

[garyS-NJ]

I know this thread is old but the speedo on my '84 is squeeling. I understand a zerk in a pipe cap and the pipe cap has a female thread to go on the make speedo thread (I'll verify this later). But the banjo bolt has a male thread? Or are you saying thread the banjo bolt into a nut and the other half of the hex nut threads onto the speedo..

 

 

The correct thread is M12 X 1.00 Pitch.

 

NAPA AUTO PARTS

 

I took the "linked" banjo bolt and then drilled and tapped for a grease fitting and then plugged the cross hole.

 

Ken

[VerntureVet]

Grease is designed to work when it gets warm enough to melt. It will then do its job and cool and lube the bearing. This is why high speed industrial motor bearings are only packed 2/3 full. Ask and good electric motor repair house why you should not over grease bearings and you will get the same story.

 

IMO Grease is not the way to go. The speedo cable friction will not get warm enough to let grease get liquid enough to do its job. Ever since I was a teen working on Hot Rods with Pops there has always only been 1 way per him to take care of a speedo cable. 50% Lucas 50% slick 50. The advanced lubrication of the slick 50 with the stick and climb of the Lucas. To teach me Pops took a speedo cable cleaned it with WD-40 of all the grease. Lubed it up with his magic mixture short about 6 in from the speedo and spun it with a drill. The mix will climb its way UP the cable @ higher speeds and lube the speedo bearings all on its own but you have to get all the nasty grease off.

 

I use this same mix in an oil lube can over any other lube on everything from squeaky door hinges to the chains on the kids bikes. WD-40 is a nice deruster and cleaner. Grease is great for a sealed place that gets warm enough. Stick and Slick is good for low temp lubrication.

[kf_sk_mccall]

I know this thread is old but the speedo on my '84 is squeeling. I understand a zerk in a pipe cap and the pipe cap has a female thread to go on the make speedo thread (I'll verify this later). But the banjo bolt has a male thread? Or are you saying thread the banjo bolt into a nut and the other half of the hex nut threads onto the speedo..

 

The threads of the pipe cap do not match to the threads on the speedometer. At best, you will get 1 - 2 threads of engagement. The banjo bolt (male threads) has the same threads as the speedometer and the gearhead on the front axle. I removed the inner cable and then used the modified banjo bolt and outer sleeve to pump moly grease into the speedometer. Afterwards, I disassembled and then used the inner cable to push the excess grease out of the outer sleeve and then reassembled.

 

No squealing so far after 2600 miles.

 

Ken

[garyS-NJ]

Success. I greased it through the sped drive cable through the connection at the front wheel. To do this I screwed a zero fitting into a plastic cap that fit over the cable end and duct taped it on good.. pumped about 20 pumps of grease into it and then worked the inner drive cable in as far as I could then in and out wiping the cable off to remove the excess grease. It works..