Tachometer dial face loose, how do I tighten the screws

[nezzer]

I have an annoying problem. The face plate on my tach, the part with all the numbers on it, is loose. There are two screws that are supposed to hose the gauge face in place. My two screws managed to work their way loose. The problem is that the screws are under the plastic gauge cover and there does not seem to be any way take the cover off. I have the gauge removed from the chrome pod it sits in. This would allow me to change the lightbulbs if I wanted.

I feel I must be missing something simple. Has anyone ever remove the clear cover off their tachometer?

 

[Earz]

Tada

http://www.xs650chopper.com/2009/11/how-to-refresh-an-old-speedometer/

 

[nezzer]

Thanks. I will give that a shot.

 

[gentlemanjim]

I'd send it here for a professional repair. Does beautiful work.

http://www.joellevinecompany.com/default.asp

 

[Sundie]

Tada

http://www.xs650chopper.com/2009/11/how-to-refresh-an-old-speedometer/

Looking at that - i think you're going to have *much* larger issues.

I took a speedo that was totally ruined by those screws coming loose, and tried to get the bezel off. The ruination of the metal around the rim was a total fail. Plus, it's still glued on - that metal ring is *mostly* decorative.

On my second speedo that started doing that, because i just wanted to fix it (not caring what the bezel looked like) i ended up drilling two holes with a die grinder (it *is* glass, not plastic, thus you can't drill it like you could plastic) and a 45 degree stone, right over the screw tops. I then took out one screw at a time with a magnetic screwdriver, then a tiny bit of blue loctite, and back in. Repeat for other side.

Then (and here's the really ghetto part, but whatever) just clear taped over it to keep the weather out. I've been meaning to find tiny rubber plugs to seal the holes, but keep forgetting. My bike's not in such show quality (in fact, pretty damned far away) that i care that much right now - bigger fish to fry.

 

[pumps]

nezzer- the removal of the bezel I did with a screwdriver as shown in the pictures in that link above. Uncrimp it just enough to get it apart. Clean everything up and locktite the screws when you put it back together. Carefully recrimp it.
Some guys have cut the band on theirs and epoxied it back together at the bottom . They used a dremel with a cutting wheel I think.
Last fall after I rebuilt the front end on mine I was coming back from a vintage bike show and my screws on my speedo finally fell out and the face spun around. They had been loose every since I had the bike. It was one of those things I hadn't gotten to but then I HAD to.
I think I looked at this beforehand.
http://www.salocal.com/sohc/tech/speedo/spedo1.htm
http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/black-side-down-replacing-Honda-CB-face-plates.aspx

 

[Grinder]

I've heard of people using large diameter shrink tubing to hold everything together and not using the metal band at all. I think it was 4" shrink tube about an inch wide.

 

[pamcopete]

1. Use a hack saw and cut the bezel in two places, 180 degrees apart.
2. Remove the two resulting pieces of the bezel.
3. Throw them away.
4. Fix the screws.
5. Then replace the bezel using 4" heat shrink tubing.

Here's the sequence:


Get a Pimento Jar Lid (upside down):

1. Buy a one foot section of 4" heat shrink tubing.
2. Cut a 15/16 in strip of tubing from the one foot section.
3. Prop the Speedo / Tach face down on a .31 in high round "thing". I used a lid from a small jar of "Dromedary Diced Pimientos" (upside down to accommodate the slight curve in the glass)
4. Place the 15/16 in strip of heat shrink around the bezel.
5. Apply heat from a heat gun evenly all the way around.

Notes: The .31 dimension is from the front edge of the bezel to the work surface, with the tach / speedo face down on a suitable prop. You have to allow for the slight curve of the glass. If done exactly, there is no trimming required. A lid from a small jar of "Dromedary Diced Pimientos" works perfectly because it forms a cup to keep the glass curve from wobbling when you apply the heat.

"Drape" the tubing around the speedo:

Apply heat carefully and evenly around the circumference of the speedo. If you don't have a heat gun, use a hair dryer on high. If you don't have a hair dryer, get a girl friend, she's got one.

The tubing will "curl" around both edges of the bezel.

Ignore that glass of wine in the background... :..it's not part of the process...neither is the mug with the "Golden" on it...that's just her dog food measuring cup.... ..the Tums are there for all the stress that the dog and drinking create.


Here is the final product:

Here is a pic of my '81/H with both the speedo and tach repaired. The speedo had a broken needle, which I repaired with a small piece of heat shrink tubing. The tach had a dirty glass inside.

 

[nezzer]

Well I was able to get the glass cover off my tach. Unfortunately I cracked the glass in the process.

I contacted Joel to see what he would charge to fix it. I wont quote his price here since it probably changes over time. It was a little rich for my blood since this is a daily driver rather than a full restore. I checked ebay and could not find a cheap replacement xs650 tach. I did however find an extremely low priced xs750 tach. I looks similar but goes up to 12k rpms instead of just 10k.

I bought it, dismantled it, and used the glass on my xs650 gauge. Perfect fit. Here is the gauge all put back together.

I did dent the black bezel while dissembling and reassembling the gauge. Only time will tell if this annoys me enough to pay Joel to rebuild the gauge or to pull it all apart and try the shrink wrap method. For now, I am going to try it out and see if I notice the dents.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[pumps]

Another thing I have done is to get some metal filler and fill in the dent in the bezel. Sand smooth, mask and repaint. Seems like the stuff I used was called Liquid Metal. Interesting they don't sell it on Catalina Island?
http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-25909-Liquid-Metal-Filler/dp/B000ALDYJI

 

[cafeguy]

alternator fail indicator? haha what?

 

[xjwmx]

^There's an easy mod to turn the headlight failure light into a nothing on the yellow wire light. I've done it. Comes on when you turn the key and goes off when the motor starts, like an ignition light. Disconnect a brush to kill the generator for test and it comes back on, There's a way to do it and keep the headlight indicator too, if you want.

 

[650Skull]

70-83 Gauge bezel removal, Do it your self rubber damper replacement and gauge repairs......
http://www.xs650.com/threads/70-83-...damper-replacement-replace-face-decals.52013/

The 78SE or the 79Sf or both, not sure, but Yamaha had an alternator fail circuit built into these models and it was linked up to the red brake fail light in the tower between the gauges. The light would come on when the key was turned on the went out once the engine was running. Assuming of course the charging system was in good working order