PointedThree - Odometer Repair

Welcome Guest. ( logon | register )

FAQ

Member List

Albums

Today's Posts

PointedThree : Vans, Trucks, SUVs and Other Forums : G-Class : Odometer Repair

Page 1 of 1

Odometer Repair

Topic Tools

Message Format

Author

Posted 8/11/2008 2:51 PM

PolskiG
Veteran

Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Seattle
Vehicle(s): W460 300GD LWB
Posts: 185
100

Odometer Repair

I'm repairing a worn out odometer on my 460. The only problem I have is removing the speedometer needle. I'm afraid of pulling the needle off and breaking it but I can't remove the faceplate without taking the needle off.

#128996

Author

Posted 8/11/2008 3:14 PM

DesertStar
Expert

Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Vehicle(s): 85-280GE/95-G320/08-G500
Posts: 2156
2000

RE: Odometer Repair

No first hand experience here, but I have frequented the following links to learn about other things, speedometer related:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Mult_gauge_repair/mult_gauge_repair.htm

http://members.aceweb.com/jkcaplan/Speedofaq/speedo.htm

You will find the VDO odometer in the G was a very basic and shared amongst many manufacturers...so it seems.

Mike

#128997 - in reply to #128996

Author

Posted 8/12/2008 11:19 PM

elevatorbernie
Expert

Date registered: Aug 2006
Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada
Vehicle(s): 1989 280GE
Posts: 1347
1000

RE: Odometer Repair

I sent mine to United Speedometer Service 951-684-0292 with good results, cost about 150$us. A word of warning about the odometer for those of you who's odometers still work.......is never push the reset button when your moving.....it may never work again.

#129142 - in reply to #128997

Author

Posted 8/13/2008 5:32 PM

Razon

Date registered: Jul 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Vehicle(s): 1986 280ge Cabrio, 617A, 5sp manual
500

RE: Odometer Repair

You have to pull it out. Mine came of hard as well. You have to find a way to pull it evenly... like a set of needle nose pliers or something else if you have a better ideea.
If you have problems with the metal gear spinning on the shaft, you have to make the shaft out of round (I used a small hammer). The first time I tried I just made it a hard fit, and 2 weeks later it was spinning again.

#129211 - in reply to #128996

Author

Posted 8/20/2008 12:24 PM

oskar
Elite Veteran

Date registered: Sep 2006
Location: Lyons, CO
Vehicle(s): 1981 280GE, 2002 G500, 280SE 4.5, Audi A4 1.8T
Posts: 708
500

RE: Odometer Repair

Razon-G280 - 8/13/2008 2:32 PM

You have to pull it out. Mine came of hard as well. You have to find a way to pull it evenly... like a set of needle nose pliers or something else if you have a better ideea.
If you have problems with the metal gear spinning on the shaft, you have to make the shaft out of round (I used a small hammer). The first time I tried I just made it a hard fit, and 2 weeks later it was spinning again.

I just repaired the odometer of my 280SE. Same problem. If the metal wheel is spinning, drill a .8mm hole thru the wheel and the axle and fit a tiny bolt. Will never spin again

Another way is to get an electronic speedo from VDO. VDO has a electronic one with the same diameter as the old mechanical one.
Downside: Had to get that beast from Gerrmany ..

Oskar

#129586 - in reply to #129211

Author

Posted 8/20/2008 11:54 PM

elevatorbernie
Expert

Date registered: Aug 2006
Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada
Vehicle(s): 1989 280GE
Posts: 1347
1000

RE: Odometer Repair

oskar - 8/20/2008 9:24 AM
Another way is to get an electronic speedo from VDO. VDO has a electronic one with the same diameter as the old mechanical one.
Downside: Had to get that beast from Gerrmany ..

Oskar

A few questions....how does that electronic speedo work on the G, does it still use the cable for an input source? Do you have the VDO part#? Thanks

#129637 - in reply to #129586

Author

Posted 4/29/2009 4:30 PM

bram_r
Expert

Date registered: Apr 2007
Location: the Netherlands
Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD
Posts: 1659
1000

RE: Odometer Repair

I noticed a not working odometer in my 300GD as well (speedo working properly) so I took the steps as described in the links posted by Desertstar to take the speedo apart.

At first I thought the plastic gear was just slipping, but only after closer inspection and a test run using a drill spinning the input axle, I noticed the plastic gear was broken. The worm-wheel would bend the gear 'open' and the gear would snap back instead of making another turn.

When looking for a replacement: the plastic gear is a 10 teeth, Module 1 gearwheel, inside diameter is 3mm.
From an online shop I bought a metal replacement. Only thing I had to make is a bushing to adapt the 6mm hole to the 3mm shaft.
I loctited the gear to the bushing (which is 7mm in length and sits in the front section of the gear) and used the M3-hex-screw to lock it down to the shaft. Using a Dremel, I made a flat spot on the shaft where the M3 locking bolt would screw in to.

Anyway, the crack in the plastic gear was barely visible upon first inspection, but for those with a broken odometer, check the plastic gear for this too!

Bram

(g2.jpg)

(g1.jpg)

(g3.jpg)

Attachments
----------------

g2.jpg (31KB - 2 downloads)
Attachments

g1.jpg (24KB - 2 downloads)
Attachments

g3.jpg (40KB - 2 downloads)

#149761 - in reply to #128996

Author

Posted 1/10/2015 3:46 PM

Jean
Veteran

Date registered: May 2006
Location: Belgium
Vehicle(s): 1980 SWB 300GD
Posts: 103
100

RE: Odometer Repair

I exactly had the same issue as Bram on my 1980 300GD.

My speedometer was working but the odometer did not function well; sometimes the kilometers driven were counting, sometimes not... So I searched the forum, came to this post, opened up the odometer and found the same gear wheel cracked and slipping its axle.

In the search for a new gear wheel - thanks Bram for pointing me in the good direction! -, I came across a set of plastic Module 1 gear wheels (of which the smallest one has 10 teeth as needed) with an inner bore of 2.9mm for less than 2 euro and it appears to be a perfect fit!

So this seems to be an OK alternative to Bram's solution.

In the mean time, I also took the opportunity to follow Hipine / Dave's advice and oil-up the odometer cable so hopefully I'm good to go for another 35 years!

Jean