1948 panhead speedometer tripmeter

[CAP'N BOB]

Good afternoon.

I am working on a customer 1948 Panhead. The trip reset on the speedometer was frozen. I put some lubricant in and can move it with difficulty, now. I am trying to find out how to make this work easily/properly. May need a new reset mechanism, though he tells me he had the speedometer rebuilt. Could be the issue is that it has been sitting in a box for a long time before he brought me all the boxes, but I would like to make it work easily. The photos will indicate the lack of a spring, I took it off to try to make it easier to lubricate the reset. I cannot find out what the part number is for the reset mechanism. The 1936-48 Big Twin Models, pages 116-117 does not show the reset mechanism that is on this speedometer.

Maybe with use and more lubricant it will free up, but right now, it is very hard to move, but as you can see in the three photos, I can move the trip meter dial.

s 20220222_143948[1].jpg20220222_143955[1].jpg20220222_144002[1].jpg

The number on the unit appears to be 90369. 20220222_144052[1].jpg

Thank you.

[Rubone]

H-D never sold repair parts for speedometers, the parts were only available from Stewart Warner, so you will never find them in any H-D catalog.

[CAP'N BOB]

I guess the lubricant will have to do! :-) Not that I have ever opened a speedometer nor would I on this, I guess.

Thank you, Rubone!

[Rubone]

It probably isn't the reset shaft so much as the number rollers on the shaft inside, if they are stiff from petrified lube or the like it could be hard to free them and they will likely strip under use if not free. Who rebuilt the speedo and how long ago. Everything should be free in it if it was done right and pre-lubed.

[CAP'N BOB]

He did not tell me who rebuilt it, just that it had been. I can ask, of course.

[ammorest]

You might consider leaving that job to a professional. I have had good service from John Bordas.
Dave

[CAP'N BOB]

Thank you. I have sent a message to my customer to ask him who rebuilt it, so I should know in a day or two. In the meanwhile, it can sit, cold here and I am a beginner with the tank shift/foot clutch, so in no real hurry to put any more "miles" on it, not that I have even one mile, yet! My 50 plus years of riding with hand clutch foot shift is making my body's muscle memory ask me what is wrong with me!