Speedometer needle removal.

[Charles H.]

Does anyone know I get the speedometer needle off a '58 to change the lens? Thanks. Chuck

[Verle R.]

Re: Speedometer needle removal.

Chuck,

I think the needle is a press fit.

It may be hard to pull off so care must be used to avoid breaking it.

Pull only on the center as close as possible to the shaft.

If you cannot pull it off by hand, make a tool by cutting a notch in an old screwdriver for the shaft and pull (not pry) carefully. Be sure to pull in line with the shaft so you don't bend it.

If you cannot get it off look for a speedometer shop, they can get it off for you.

Verle

[Christopher R.]

Re: Speedometer needle removal.

It's a press fit onto the shaft. The needle and the shaft are pretty delicate, so take great care in yanking it off. Yes, you're treading a thin line between getting the needle off or breaking it or the shaft. I got mine off by squeezing the needle at the shaft between my forefinger and thumb. I was better able to modulate the pressure that way. I believe I also twisted counterclockwise too, but am not sure. Twisting the needle backwards is another delicate thing.

When you put it back on, don't seat the needle too hard. You need to be able to adjust it to get it to rest on zero. You usually push it on with a twist. So you can go beyond zero, or not go far enough to hit it exact. My speedo reads 10 mph at rest. I've lived with that for 20 years. When you play with it, you'll see what I mean.

I don't believe you need to take the needle off to change the lens. I assumed that one of your reasons in taking the needle off is to get at the odometer and reset it. That's another story on how to get the digits to line up so that it doesn't look like you reset it.

[Jack H.]

BTW

Our local AC-Delco speedometer shop goes by the Delco 'book' on pointer needle change and does a full speedo calibration afterward... Now, I've known MANY who've removed and replaced their pointer needles without doing an instrument re-cal, but there's probably a reason why Delco taught their licensees to always re-cal when replacing a pointer needle.