Refurbishing meters

For this speedo, I've decided to leave the face plate well enough alone as it's in pretty good condition (photo above). As already mentioned, I just wiped it with a clean damp micro-fiber cloth, then wiped again with a dry one.

Here's a pic comparing a stock meter to the liner & housing I painted >> the aquamarine color is a pretty good match.

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Looks good.
Steve

Moved from Wanted Section. OK here is the way "I've" done it for Years. I'm sure there is a better way/fancier way but it's worked for me. To remove crimp ring use a piece of PVC 4" Drain pipe milled-out to accommodate instrument. Modify a set of you least favorite needle-nose pliers, as seen in photo. Dremel works wonders. I also modified an old flat screwdriver to raise the ring a bit so I can get started with the needle-nose. Set gauge upside down and work Your way around lifting ring. Remove and check how easy the ring wants to slip past the housing. If it's a bit difficult then sit it back in jig and keep making passes pulling on now raised ring until it comes off with a bit of interference, more on that later. Now once removed, in one reusable piece, flip the gauge back up and see how tight the seal between upper and lower can is. Sometimes they are tight sometimes can be just twisted a bit to remove. BE Careful though removing. Nothing stopping the upper can from smacking the face. I have found a utility blade slipped between the sealing rubber and lower can will loosen it but of course don't start in the middle of the rubber. The other photos are of damper re-filling and a Neat trick. Why is a woman's hair care product in the photo You are asking i'm sure. This stuff works Great on re-whitening the numerals on the faceplate and takes the discoloration out/lessens the yellowing on speedo 1/10 register wheels, without removing the fonts. If This all makes sense, more to come.

asphalt900 wrote: ..................Modify a set of you least favorite needle-nose pliers, as seen in photo. ...............

Which photo? Thanks. Ed

Files were too big I guess, here ya go.

@asphalt900 Nice work, looks like it works well.

@martin_csr I think the Sea Glass color looks great, will keep in mind when I get to mine.

Here's a pic comparing the Krylon satin sea glass to the plastic bottom housing. Satin sea glass is a tad lighter than the stock liner color which is about the same color as the aquamarine plastic housing. no biggie.



ps: as a side note, if a guy hates the 85 mph speedo and was industrious enough, he could move the rubber needle stopper further around the face plate. just drill a new hole & plug the old hole. he might also come up with a way to add the extra mph numbers. This wouldn't make it a 120+ speedo, but 105 or 110 might be doable.
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Thanks Jay. Technique works on others also. Norton and 69-71 Speedo Tach assy I did for a friend when restoring his 69 H1. Just have to make a different jig for holding.

Thanks for the how-to info. I like the 4" pvc pipe idea, but my meters are larger than that. Maybe I could glue the pipe into a coupling, but next problem is that I don't have a way to mill it. doh. Access to a machine shop would be handy for making housing jigs. Lacking that, I'm thinking of getting an adjustable hole saw circle cutter for making jigs out of wood.


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Cool, I think I may try to do a set. What do you use to renew/repaint the tip of the needles and the "reed line" on the Kawasaki speedos (I don't mean the swimwear)

Maybe Krylon Fusion >> it's supposed to bond to difficult surfaces & can be sprayed on various materials, including plastic & hard vinyl. Rustoleum may have a similar product. or use Krylon colormaxx >> both Krylon products are indoor/outdoor. Krylon also has fluorescent paint. Revell or Testors paint might could also be used.

Before just getting after the crimp ring, do what asphalt900 did and make the jig & modify some cirmping tools. New crimp rings are available for the 70s KZ meters, so you have a fallback solution. Replacement crimp rings aren't available for my meters.

Here's another topic >> it has a couple of good how-to photos from a magazine article >> KZR >> how to remove trip reset knob
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Martin, did you try calling Z-Resto Gauge Restoration for some ideas?