Jumpy Tach

[treybrad]

So, I've read up on all the old posts about people's speedo/tach needles 'floating' or 'jumping' or whatever you want to call it... but it's annoying and I can't fix it.

First I just lubed up my old cable, kinda sorta maybe helped, but it could've just been my imagination. Next I bought a brand-new cable. Not quite as bad, but it STILL does it.

So now what? Can I take apart my tach and clean something? Everything is screwed in tight... FWIW, my speedo does it too, but since the changes in position are much less rapid, it isn't quite as big a nuisance. I can take a short video if needed... maybe it's just a GS quirk?? Surely not...

As kind of an aside, while we're on the topic... How many of you have taken apart your speedo or tach and managed to put it back together in one piece?? I'd like to print out new gauge faces as well, but I'm not sure how easy the needles will come off and what not... I know car clusters can be quite a trick to dismantle and reassemble...

Anyway, any help appreciated. I keep watching new clusters go for close to $200 on eBay... but it's not that big of a problem  

trey

[starwalt]

There is a thread about this and I touch on it in my thread "Just picked up my GS500 project" here. The thread is getting quite long and pertinent part is page 4. Accessing the works by taking off the front retention ring is the first step.

I permanently remove the back of the retention ring. Others pry it off enough to get it to slip over the housing. Once inside, only two screws hold the mechanism in on the tach. The same two AND the trip meter knob get the speedo out. There is a very small screw holding the knob on the shaft.

I don't think your problem is the instrument. The tack and speedo have the same design but get input from different sources. The speedo could be slipping at the connection to the front wheel. The tach output gear in the engine could have an issue (this is assuming you have 2002 and older - the 2003 + has an electronic tach).

One of the GStwinners has made whiteface dials and I have been experimenting with them. I believe he also had another member load LEDs for backlighting. This is another topic addressed in my post and one I intend to pursue later.

Without a second instrument to compare, you really have a tough time troubleshooting a problem like this. Hopefully someone else has seen those symptoms.

[dgyver]

Maybe it is a quirk with cable drive gauges.  :dunno:

FWIW...electronic tachs don't jump.

[JeffD]

This is how I took mine apart.
And the LED's installed.

http://www.gstwin.com/led_gague_lights.htm

Well the needle is driven by a magnet spinning inside of a drum, so if any part of the magnet gets "stuck" when the force exceeds the stick it will quickly unwind spining it pretty quickly until it catches up, and then sticks again.  So if your cable is new, I would try squrting some OIL into the gauge where the cable goes into.

1.  Take off gauge.
2.  Turn gauge upside down.
3.  Two or 3 drops of oil into the threaded guide for the cable
4.  insert something to spin the gauge (small screwdriver)  just to help get the oil around inside.
5.  Replace and hopefully have it fixed.