Simple broken odometer reset knob hack! Pure win.

Well, the missing/broken odometer problem I had with my '82 heritage special is finally solved. I haven't been able to source a replacement and I was pretty sure that the metal end of the shaft inside the gauge housing was threaded. The pictures tell the rest. Note use of gaffa tape for aesthetics. Pure win, those masonry plastic inserts are DESIGNED to grip threads and not let go. I love it when a plan comes together...

Final shot of my latest micro-repair. A minor detail, but better looking than the gaffa tape I used earlier.

Oooooh. A gnarly knurled knob! I like. Valve stem cap?

Yep, shoved a nylon 'ramset' star plug/masonry plug onto the threaded end of the odometer reset shaft. Grips so hard I am unable to remove it, the knurled cap is off a bicycle. All held in place by some loctite thread repair goop. Kinda chuffed about the way it turned out. Cheers,

OdysseusXS said:

Well, the missing/broken odometer problem I had with my '82 heritage special is finally solved. I haven't been able to source a replacement and I was pretty sure that the metal end of the shaft inside the gauge housing was threaded. The pictures tell the rest. Note use of gaffa tape for aesthetics. Pure win, those masonry plastic inserts are DESIGNED to grip threads and not let go. I love it when a plan comes together...

Click to expand...

Great fix. I used your idea to fix a broken trip meter reset knob on a 1974-1975 speedometer.


These green plastic masonary anchors probably were free left-overs from some fixture that I bought. I use an extremely small Dremel bit to grind away two of the three internal "teeth" on the left anchor.


The intact third tooth engages the keyed shaft on the reset mechanism. I trimmed the anchor to length, and epoxied on a black plastic tire valve stem cap.


I used SEM color coat to change the green anchor to black. This is the best spray-paint for plastic, period.


The replacement knob compared to an original knob.


The new knob is a very tight push-on friction fit, and works great.