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Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: Spitting Bull on May 05, 2008, 10:37:31 pm

Title: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 05, 2008, 10:37:31 pm
Good weather has come at last, so my speedo decided to seize up at about 13,500 km.  The speedo drive on the front wheel, of course, was still trying to turn the cable, and the upshot of this was a stripped gear in the speedo drive.

So that's a new speedo and a new speedo gearbox.  While the wheel's out I might as well change the brake shoes and fit a new front tyre.  Ah, well - it's only money!

Tom
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: cochi on May 06, 2008, 05:02:25 pm
Tom, sorry to hear about  your speedo. You may want to look at the CMW catalogue. They have a Smiths reproduction speedo that's really nice.It's about $75.00. It looks great and I think it's cheaper than the original. I installed one on my 03 Bullet and like it very much. cochi:)
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: dogbone on May 06, 2008, 05:27:50 pm
 ::) Is it possible to get a speeding ticket on an Enfield ???  !!!
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Foggy_Auggie on May 06, 2008, 05:57:43 pm
::) Is it possible to get a speeding ticket on an Enfield ???  !!!

Only in a school zone!  ;)
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: t120rbullet on May 06, 2008, 06:19:57 pm
::) Is it possible to get a speeding ticket on an Enfield ???  !!!

Yes, 20 over in a construction zone on the wrong side of a barricade.
CJ
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 06, 2008, 10:31:45 pm
Cochi - that's the very speedo I plan to get, but from a supplier here in the UK.  In fact - I was planning to go and get it this afternoon, but ran out of time.  Glad to hear that you have one fitted and that you rate it.

Tom
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: cochi on May 07, 2008, 08:22:59 pm
Spittingbull, I did not realize that you are from "across the pond" . It must be incredible to ride the Bullet in the country of its ancestors!  I have been wanting to tour England on  a motorcycle since I began riding. I'm a fan of English television and have been watching   " Last of the Summer Wine" for years here in the States. The village where it is filmed is simply wonderful . I hope to take a meandering tour of many of those enchanted villages.  Anyway, as for the  Smiths speedometer, it was very easy to install. However, the turn signal , neutral and high beam indicator lights had to be moved. I was thinking of just leaving them  off, but unfortunately, I'm a bit forgetful with the turn signals. I ended up placing them on the cowl right in front of the speedometer housing. I purchased three plastic lenses , green, yellow and red, (couldn't find a blue one for the high beam) and drilled holes to match. I then rigged the  lights that were in the old speedo directly under the lenses. It didn't come out too bad. The Smiths speedometer as the youngsters say here "is da bomb" . It really looks great.  :) cochi     
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 08, 2008, 08:42:34 pm
Cochi - one of the pleasures of riding the bullet for me is riding on the "old roads" with bends, bridges and villages - just the kind of scenery you mention.  Those are the kind of road I always head for.

Smith Speedo copies - I have a question for you, please.  When you turn your lights on, and the speedo is illuminated by (presumably) the two bulbs left in the housing after you've removed the main beam and turn signal bulbs, can you see the red and green markings of an original speedo dial through the black, Smiths copy dial?  I got one today, and that's what I see. It looks as if the new Smith's dial is not a replacement, but a stick-on, and the illuminated dial looks terrible as a result.

What about yours?

Tom

Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: cochi on May 09, 2008, 04:37:05 pm
Spittingbull, sorry I took so long in getting back to you. The repro speedometer I received from CMV has only one bulb in it. I have not ridden the bike at night as of yet. However,  the other night I turned the lights out in the storage area and turned the Bullet lights on. The speedometer light was very dim.  The numbers do  not shine through. The light comes through the periphery of the speedometer.  It was a bit disappointing . However, to be fair,  I think the add for the speedo mentioned this.  I don't ride at night very much so I can live with it. It's still a great looking piece.  Good luck. cocchi :-\
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 09, 2008, 05:44:09 pm
I agree - the one I have just bought looks spendid on the bike (but now I have to get an ammeter to match) and the fact that the new dial is screen-printed over the original one, allowing the original markings to shine through at night, isn't much of a hardship to bear.

Incidentally - if anyone has to remove the spindle nut to change a speedo drive unit, be warned - they tighten them up rather enthusiastically at the factory.......   :P

Tom
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: cochi on May 09, 2008, 08:49:56 pm
Tom, you read my mind. The next time I have a few extra  dollars I am going to order the Lucas ammeter!  cochi ;D 
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: LotusSevenMan on May 11, 2008, 12:39:59 am
"the fact that the new dial is screen-printed over the original one, allowing the original markings to shine through at night, isn't much of a hardship to bear."

Easy rectification. Don't ride at night!!!!!
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: SRL790 on May 11, 2008, 03:00:11 pm
"the fact that the new dial is screen-printed over the original one, allowing the original markings to shine through at night, isn't much of a hardship to bear."

Easy rectification. Don't ride at night!!!!!

To quote Joseph Lucas, after someone questioned the reliability of his lighting systems;

"A gentleman does not motor about after dark".
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 12, 2008, 10:12:54 pm
Ah - good old Joe Lucas - "The Prince of Darkness!"

Tom
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 15, 2008, 07:45:45 pm
Well, the new Smith's replica speedo is fitted, along with a new speedo drive gearbox.  Fitting went reasonably well, with just a couple of hiccups.  Firstly the spindle nut which holds the speedo gearbox against the hub was REALLY tight and nothing I could think of would shift it.  It looked as if I was going to have to knock out the spindle and the wheel-bearings so I could put the nut in a vice and use a Stilson on the spindle.   In the end I was able to cut off the nut using a little cutting-disc on my Dremel.   Fortunately this was possible as the original (seized) speedo drive is made of plastic so it was possible to cut down into it and then sideways into the nut.  Needless to say I had to get a replacement nut and I didn't tighten it up half so much as they do at the factory.

The new speedo drive was a genuine Indian part, and so was the new speedo cable so it came as no surprise to find that the square end of the cable was too wide to fit into the square drive-socket on the speedo drive and I had to file it down to fit.  I think the RE must be the only bike in the world which has standard parts which don't actually fit each other. Ah well,you know what they say about the RE - if you don't have a sense of humour, you shouldn't have bought one.

Tom
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: cochi on May 15, 2008, 08:35:09 pm
Spittingbull,  the computer in my office was down for a couple of days. Glad you got the speedo sorted out. As for Mr Lucas, I hear that his company also makes cardiac pace makers !!!! I wonder if they have a positive ground? cochi :-[
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Old thunder on May 15, 2008, 09:11:52 pm
Good weather has come at last, so my speedo decided to seize up at about 13,500 km.  The speedo drive on the front wheel, of course, was still trying to turn the cable, and the upshot of this was a stripped gear in the speedo drive.

So that's a new speedo and a new speedo gearbox.  While the wheel's out I might as well change the brake shoes and fit a new front tyre.  Ah, well - it's only money!

Tom
::)
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: bobblehead76 on May 19, 2008, 05:20:09 pm
I to just had a speedo problem today. it goes to 25mph and no higher.When i slow down and stop it goes back to zero. Any clue what would be causing this?
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: Spitting Bull on May 22, 2008, 08:19:37 pm
Bobblehead, it may be the cable or the speedo head itself.  The cable is the cheaper of the two to replace if you want to try a process of elimination!  My original speedo started to behave erratically a year or so ago, and a replacement cable cured this.  (The speedo has since siezed up so this may have been a return of the original problem or something completely different.)

Tom
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: bobblehead76 on June 16, 2008, 05:38:47 pm
i found the problem . the cable came out of the speedo. I pulled out the head light and put the cable back on. I've gone over 200 miles and no more problem.
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: cochi on June 16, 2008, 06:28:20 pm
Bobble, isn't  it great when problems are simple? cochi :D
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: LotusSevenMan on June 16, 2008, 11:54:16 pm
I thought the 'problem' was going to be even simpler; just the fact you weren't travelling above 25MPH !!!   ::)
Title: Re: Just as the good weather arrives - speedo seizes solid - expensive!
Post by: bobblehead76 on June 17, 2008, 12:39:11 pm
My scooter is still going good I'm up to 1084 miles now. And i put up a new pic today if you want to take a look.