Speedometer Hub Gear Question...

Has anyone ever dis/reassembled their speedometer gear assembly at the front hub?

I had my front wheel off and noticed that the spinning gear action is not 100% smooth. From all I can tell, I probably just need to pull the oil/grease seal and re-lube inside. If it really is that easy, I can do it...

However, the Kawasaki Service Bible says something to the effect that rebuilding the assembly is not advisable, and I should be a good boy and buy a new one. Fat chance of that...


I searched the archives and found a few threads (mostly wiredgeorge) mentioning about the possibility of expanding seals, etc, but not actual disassembly. Otherwise, this topic just doesn't seem to have been discussed, so perhaps it's not a common concern...

So, any warnings? Things I should watch out for?

Thanks...

I never took one apart, but if you do and run into problems I may have a spare that came along with a speedo cable I picked up, for a 650, probably work for you..Good luck and write back about it.
Kent

OKC_Kent wrote:

I never took one apart, but if you do and run into problems I may have a spare that came along with a speedo cable I picked up, for a 650, probably work for you..Good luck and write back about it.
Kent

Well, I've noticed that my front axle is actually loosening itself. I thought I was going crazy, but I actually put pencil marks and after one day's commute, it actually moved. Mind you, I've got those fork nuts as tight as I can get 'em. If I tighten the outer axle nuts any more, it binds the wheel.

So, I've drawn the conclusion that my speedo gear is foo-bar'd and binding. If anyone draws a different conclusion from the description above, please tell me!

OKC_Kent, I've noticed that there are a few on eBay, and I had figured I'd pick one of those up and attempt a rebuild on my current one. I'm one of those people that just has to know how it's done, since the problem happened to me. But, if you want to sell yours, I'd be glad to give you what is the apparent "going rate" for it (based on the listed ones). Just please check to make sure it spins freely first! I've checked and found that a speedo drive for your 650 is the same as mine.

Thanks, lemmeknow....

Re the speedo sending unit- I found out there are two different units used. They look identical but the male threaded end that the cable screws onto is a different diameter. I bought a cable on Ebay for the 750, too short; got another, wrong sized fitting. I got lucky and bought a $5 junker bike (1978) with the correct size sending unit. I've still got the old one but cant remember if it is the larger or smaller thread. If somebody needs it I could check... or a brand new shorter cable...

I don't understand how the speedo drive could have any effect on the axle, it's driven by a flange on the hub, and kept from turning by a lug on the fork leg, there is no connection to the axle at all. the axle just slides through the speedo drive.

The bottom clamps on the forks are supposed to lock the axle nuts in place, the tightness of the nuts on the axle are just to set bearing preload.

Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/04/20 18:25