Date:         Wed, 29 Mar 2006 12:56:34 -0800
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Instrument cluster speedometer needle break. #%@#%@#$%@!!!!
In-Reply-To:  <442AADFE.1060606@rcn.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On 3/29/06, Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com> wrote:
>
> If I recall, the needle is a press fit on the shaft and should pull
> straight off.
>   You might want to try it on a junk/donor speedo first.


It does indeed press on. When I fixed/rebuilt my speedo I had to remove it,
which was the hardest part of the whole job. I put two strips of electrical
tape on each side so I wouldn't mark up the face. I have a pair of
right-angle circlip pliers I used as a sort of adjustable prybar to get
underneath the needle hub and put even upward pressure on it. I imagine
small wire cutters, needlenose pliers, or anything two-pronged and small
enough could be made to work. When you press the new needle on, it needs to
be positioned such that it has enough preload on the spring when it's at
rest on the needle stop. VDO was kind enough to put a little mark on the
edge of the speedo face below/counterclockwise of the needle stop pin. Press
the needle on (carefully!) with the needle pointing at this mark, then
GENTLY flex the needle upward just enough to get it up and over the stop pin
to its normal resting place. As for a new needle-- somebody correct me if
I'm wrong, but can't you just cannibalize one from any late 80's VW speedo?
I had a late 80's Jetta speedo with a broken needle I was practicing on, and
I could swear the hub was the same...

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"