Slat grill speedo bezel

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Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Bad Dad » Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:08 pm

Hi all,

I hope someone can help. I finished my slat after four and a half years of exacting work. I restored a correct original speedo with help from members on this forum with a few missing parts. I gave the whole thing to a restorer of vehicle instruments, it all came together really well but still reads wildly inaccurately, it has been back twice for adjustment, he has offered to adjust it again. The problem is that the bezel is starting to crack from being bent open and closed again several times. If it comes off again I think it will be beyond salvage sadly, so I'm looking for another, it doesn't have to be perfect as that's not the look I want, so if it's a bit pitted etc.. that's OK.
If anyone has one please let me know.

Also if anyone can recommend someone to go through the speedo and get it reading correctly I'd be interested. Preferably in Britain but not essential.
Many thanks in advance.


Douglas.


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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Ian Fawbert » Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:55 am

Hi Doug,

From memory, Sean Elliot when he was doing gauges posted on this site (whether general MB/GPW or slat I cant remember) about reproduction bezels. I am certain you will struggle to contact him as many have and doubt he would have any left if you could, this was going back easily 8-10 years, but it might give an option of where to look, who else to ask or even about making new ones as a few guys have asked over the years about them. From memory, Sean was offering them as an option to make another make of speedo (motometer?) look like a non incrememental (slat) speedo.

Hope this helps,
Ian.
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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Bad Dad » Wed Oct 25, 2017 1:00 am

Thanks Ian,
D.

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Gerben Faber » Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:11 am

Hi Doug,

You might reconsider trying to contact Sean. I'm still waiting for my original GPA speedo and oil pressure gauge which I send to him to have them rebuilt 12 years ago.......

Gerben :x

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Bad Dad » Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:57 am

Jesus, that makes my problem look very minor. Thanks for the warning. Sending it to the other side of the world seemed a bit extreme, it was bad enough sending it the other side of London.

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Mark Jesic » Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:12 pm

Doug, my slattie speedo is about 5mph faster than it actually reads, although this isnt a problem as the jeep never goes above 40mph. This leaves me with two questions, how accurate are wartime speedos ? and has any ww2 jeep owner ever been done for speeding in their jeep ?

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Bad Dad » Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:16 pm

Hi Mark,
I could live with 5mph out but mine reads 20mph when I'm at 40mph and with all the speed cameras it's a matter of time, apart from which I like things to work properly especially after all the time and expense I've gone to get it right.
Best,
D.

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:41 am

I see your point Doug, 20 mph variance is a bit excessive, as for speed cameras AAARRRGGHH, ON A LIGHTER NOTE I HAVE OVERTOOK A RELIANT ROBIN IN MY JEEP, not too much credibility there though. :lol: An afterthought, would it be worth contacting Steve Rivers at Dallas Autoparts, he may be able to help you. I would love to see a picture of your jeep, and what is your D.O.D. on the slattie ?

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by David » Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:46 am

Mark Jesic wrote:
Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:41 am
ON A LIGHTER NOTE I HAVE OVERTOOK A RELIANT ROBIN IN MY JEEP...
Was it actually moving or in its natural resting position (on its side)?

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:04 am

It was hard to tell, there is not a lot of difference in them moving or being on the side of the road. :lol: :lol: .Sadly there is a guy round the corner from me who actually owns TWO OF THEM. :( :oops:

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by m3bobby » Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:00 am

Have you got the correct drive gear in the transfer box?
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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Bad Dad » Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:11 am

Hi Bobby,

That's funny you should mention that, only yesterday did I check that. When I was accumulating parts over several years I acquired a number of NOS gearbox parts and amongst them was a new driven gear to go on the end of the cable. I fitted it totally unaware that there were any variations, so yesterday I pulled it out, counted the teeth, 15. The original has 14 as you probably know. So I put the old one back in and now my repro speedo registers closer than it did but still not accurate, and the rebuilt original is still way off so still needs to be stripped again.
But clearly, there's a lesson here for anyone, who like me didn't know there were variations, I think what I fitted with 15 teeth was a CJ2 gear.
Thanks for your help.
D.

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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Bruce W » Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:50 pm

I am not a speedometer repairman, nor do I play one on TV, but I have known and worked with a couple of guys who were.
One tooth difference on the driven gear in this case is about 6%, or 3mph @ 50mph. A long ways from your problem.
All speedo's read the same at X number of revolutions, and every speedo repairman I have known tested them at that speed before they closed them up. 20 mph off @ 40 is a LOT to try to adjust out inside. I wonder about your speedo repairman.
There have been cases on the CJ2A Page of the same problem, and some were traced down to the drive gear (the one on the output shaft of the transfer case) being loose on the shaft. Another common cause is the square hole in the driven gear (the one the cable connects to) being worn round.
Good Luck. BW
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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Adam » Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:14 am

counted the teeth, 15. The original has 14 as you probably know.

What about the drive gear, that worm type gear on the output shaft of the tranny. I believe they are different too and not really interchangable.


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Re: Slat grill speedo bezel

Post by Chuck Lutz » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:11 am

Sorry, but the obvious need addressing:
1) What size tires/rims do you have?
2) is there a chance you can borrow a different speedo to see what's what after you install the correct 14-toothed drive (SW 448033 marked) in the T/C?
3) If it is a repop slat grill it might have been rebuilt with KM internals which would read like that I think.
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