JBACORN Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Husband's R1150RT speedo started acting up yesterday - just once though. Skipped up to 135 as we were powering up onto the freeway - but we were NOT going this fast, maybe 90, but not 135. Is this a warning of things to come, ya think or what? Link to comment
snod Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 For me that has been an indication that the cable is about to fail. I figure it is caused by the inner square cable binding up, and then letting loose. Hence the jump to 135. I would have a spare on hand. Link to comment
Tony_K Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Yup. On a mechanical drive (cable) lots of things can get bunged up. So in the front wheel is the gear drive. Symptoms tend to be spotty slow responding dial in speedo or it dosen't move at all when totally worn. Cable. Needle jumps around as the cable gets bound usually from being dry or broken somewhere in the spring steel length. And lastly but worstly is the speedo it self. Again mechanical drive gears but if these wear a new speedo is usally needed. Check the first two, those are the usual problem spots. Link to comment
flars Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Do a search on "drive dog", with a time span of 'newer than 6 months' for all the info you could possibly want... Link to comment
casticus Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Yup. On a mechanical drive (cable) lots of things can get bunged up. So in the front wheel is the gear drive. Symptoms tend to be spotty slow responding dial in speedo or it dosen't move at all when totally worn. Cable. Needle jumps around as the cable gets bound usually from being dry or broken somewhere in the spring steel length. And lastly but worstly is the speedo it self. Again mechanical drive gears but if these wear a new speedo is usally needed. Check the first two, those are the usual problem spots. My speedo had the bouncing needle problem beginning of the riding season here (Great White North). Then it just went away...replacement still recommended? Is it possible when doing that to "calibrate" the speedo more accurately? Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 My speedo had the bouncing needle problem beginning of the riding season here (Great White North). Then it just went away...replacement still recommended? Is it possible when doing that to "calibrate" the speedo more accurately? Not so much "replacement", but I would at least investigate to find what the problem is. Mine quite working last month.......it turns out that the cable was just gunked up with a bunch of stuff in the tube. The cable froze and it stripped out the dog drive in the front wheel. I cleaned the tube and cable with some brake cleaner, let it dry, then regreased the cable and reinstalled it. I got lucky and figured out I could bend the little ears in the dog drive enough to still make contact with the nylon fingers in the hub. That at least kept me from having to replace anything. I've since realized that my speedo has never been as smooth as it is now. For 30-45 min worth of work, it was well worth it. Link to comment
casticus Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I'll have to try that. What did you lube it with? Link to comment
Mr. Frank Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Is it possible to replace the speedo cable from the bottom without touching anything up behind the speedo on the RT? I'm thinking of an intact cable being pulled out. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I'll have to try that. What did you lube it with? I just used a tube of white lithium grease I had sitting around. BMW didn't seem to call out anything specific, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with that. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Is it possible to replace the speedo cable from the bottom without touching anything up behind the speedo on the RT? I'm thinking of an intact cable being pulled out. Yes it is, unless you want to clean out the tube that the cable spins inside of. If you disconnect the speedo cable from the hub, you should be able to pull the cable right out of the tube. If you can't pull it out easily, then you should definitly disconnect the tube from the back of the speedo and clean it also. It only takes a few seconds to disconnect it from the speedo anyway......so it might not be a bad idea to check it out regardless. Link to comment
Davis Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Not only can you pull the cable out of the sheath from the bottom, but if you follow the sheath up with you hands, you can unscrew the sheath from the speedo and remove it without removing any of the fairing etc. If you're having problems, it's probably worth pulling the assembly and cleaning both the cable and sheath before relubing and replacing. Link to comment
JBACORN Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 I want to thank you all sincerely for your help. I've printed this up and handed it to hubby. He was amazed that you'al would help 'lit ol us . The brotherhood of beemers...... Thanks again. If you're ever in the neighborhood of Central California and your trailer breaks down or you need a place to rest up a spell, let us know, we owe you all BIG time. P.S. Let me know, I love to ride on the weekends just about anywhere. Link to comment
AndyS Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Only the little gearbox is greased NOT the cable. It is a run dry item Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Only the little gearbox is greased NOT the cable. It is a run dry item Thats not what my manual says Link to comment
Wyn Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 My speedo had the bouncing needle problem beginning of the riding season here (Great White North). Then it just went away...replacement still recommended? Is it possible when doing that to "calibrate" the speedo more accurately? Not so much "replacement", but I would at least investigate to find what the problem is. Mine quite working last month.......it turns out that the cable was just gunked up with a bunch of stuff in the tube. The cable froze and it stripped out the dog drive in the front wheel. I cleaned the tube and cable with some brake cleaner, let it dry, then regreased the cable and reinstalled it. I got lucky and figured out I could bend the little ears in the dog drive enough to still make contact with the nylon fingers in the hub. That at least kept me from having to replace anything. I've since realized that my speedo has never been as smooth as it is now. For 30-45 min worth of work, it was well worth it. Amazing, damn I wish I could get up to Pa.! Link to comment
Ken H. Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Only the little gearbox is greased NOT the cable. It is a run dry item Thats not what my manual says Your BMW manual or one of the aftermarket ones? As far as I know BMW speedo cable has always been a non-lubed cable. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Only the little gearbox is greased NOT the cable. It is a run dry item Thats not what my manual says Your BMW manual or one of the aftermarket ones? As far as I know BMW speedo cable has always been a non-lubed cable. My Clymer or Haynes manual (not sure which I have). I believe it called out for a basic multi-purpose grease. I'll run out to my bike at lunch time and type it exactly as it is written and which manual it is. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Your BMW manual or one of the aftermarket ones? As far as I know BMW speedo cable has always been a non-lubed cable. Ok, here we go. This is loosely quoted from my Clymer manual in the Lubrication, Maintenance, and Tune up section Speedometer Cable Lubrication: Lubricate the speedometer cable every year or if the speedometer needle operation becomes erratic. 1. Yada yada yada, take it apart 2. Remove the cable from the sheath. 3. If the existing grease is contaminated, thoroughly clean off the old grease. Wipe the cable with a cloth dipped in cleaning solvent and thoroughly dry with a lint free cloth. 4. Thoroughly coat the cable with a good grade of multi-purpose grease and reinstall it in the sheath. 5. Yada yada yada, put it back together. Link to comment
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