Classic Chevy Speedometer, Cable, and Odometer Repair

The speedometer has been non functional in the 1959 chevy for a long time. We finally took some time to get to the bottom of this issue. This will walk you through our experience removing, rebuilding, cleaning, and most of all FIXING the speedo!
We hope you enjoy!
As always thank you all for your continued support. We are excited to continue to share our love of all things automotive.
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[@stantilton2191]

A very through and well-done repair. I have some work like this to do. You earned a new subscriber and thank you.

[@LowTechGarage]

Thanks for the sub!

[@Burlington_Route]

I got a 1968 C10, for the most part, this was extremely helpful, thank you so much for posting this.

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad it helped!

[@jblackacre2325]

I remember having a similar problem with mine back in 1990 when I was 16. The spring in mine had become a tangled mess and I never had a chance to make the repair before leaving for the military and losing my old green beauty. BTW, fun video series that you have going here. Thanks for pulling it together.

[@LowTechGarage]

Thanks a lot!

[@knockersmctaggart]

His patience with this is wonderful to watch. Very thorough video. Thank you

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Crazyglue22]

Thanks for the video helped me figure out how to solve my problem on my 1960 bel air, you don’t have to post these videos but you do so thanks brother

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad I could help!

[@timmc2452]

Very informative video. I have a 1962 Chevy Suburban and used this to guide me thru the repair. They are very similar. It eliminated the clicking from the dash board. Thanks.

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad it helped!

[@lukemoore5912]

Very helpful. I've realised after working through your steps that my odometer is binding too. Thank you

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad it helped

[@michaelwallace6392]

Excellent video! You broke it down perfectly.

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad you liked it!

[@mehranmaleki2430]

Great job . Very helpful . I use the knowledge gained to fix my c3 speedo

[@LowTechGarage]

Great to hear!

[@1967_RS-SS]

Nice video. I'm going back into my speedo on my car. I had it apart 21 years ago but not since then. This was a good review. I'd forgotten how delicate the paint on the numbers are. Good thing to remember. Thanks for the video.

[@LowTechGarage]

You’re welcome!

[@bradsprung3623]

I had a 59 chevy in 1979 when I was 16 My first car! I had the spedometer problem as well. I spoke with my local chevy dealer about it. I guess I was lucky. The parts manager was old enough to remember these. He told me there was a service bulliten about this. Seems the plastic worm gear often warped! Living in Florida heat, made it worse. The fix was to replace the worm gear of plastic to a new metal one! I knew that in 1979 that gesr was no longer available, but in my local junkyard there were a few 59 chevies available I went to each one, removes the speedometer and was rewarded that one had the replacement gear! I purchased that spedo and repaired mine. I asked the parts manager if I could get a copy of rhe 59 chevy service bulletin information for future reference. He xeroxed it and I checked this before I did any fixes related to problems. I suggest snyone who wants to work on their car to do so. Today I am sure its posted on the internet somewhere. Guys, you need to know, these cars did have unsnticipated errors, and they did know about it and offer solutions.

[@mattchastain1770]

Thanks for posting the video! I’ve been trying to figure out what’s wrong with my ‘62 Chevy C10 since it’s been bouncing/chirping, and stuck between 95339.9 and 95340.0 for years (hasn’t been driven for almost 20 years). Took it apart today, and it made it one mile before it stopped again. Got a good laugh out of that (while test driving), so pulling it again and continuing the quest. Really do appreciate the level of detail in your video!

[@LowTechGarage]

Thank you! I found that lots of cleaning and re lubricating did the trick.

[@denniswolfe3871]

Thank you for this! I have a 1964 Chevy Corvair Monza convertible with a non-working odometer and a jumping speedometer. I'll almost bet this is exactly what's going on with mine. Thank you for posting this helpful video!

[@LowTechGarage]

You are welcome! Let us know how the servicing goes for you! :)

[@dustintart-yg8qw]

Great video. Thank you for the details. Mine had the same problem so hopefully mine will be that simple to fix also!

[@LowTechGarage]

Good luck!

[@DavidLee-vu2bc]

This was really helpful...my speedometer cable broke today on my 56 Merc Montclair. I ordered the parts and living in MN - I'm going to lube with graphite. Wish me luck!

[@LowTechGarage]

Good luck! Hope it helps!

[@jkphoto58]

I'm just wondering if having the face of the dial on the carpeted table is not pressing against the needle keeping the needle from moving while you are moving the gears.

[@OfficialNintendo]

Thank you for this video! I have a reason to believe that my speedo is causing a really loud whirring sound that is coming from the dash of my 1960 Impala. It's missing the needle and I can't seem to figure out the cause but I have a reason to believe the gears may be super worn and grinding or something. Sound is directly from the dash where the speedo is and not the transmission or steering box. It basically is non existent when I'm idle or going like

[@LowTechGarage]

You’re welcome. Time to pull the Speedo out and see what’s going on!

[@OfficialNintendo]

@@LowTechGarage Definitely! Got an extra one for parts off ebay for like $30 so I got the needle finally.

[@robertcampbell5605]

Gonna have to fix my speedometer on a 57 bel air i just bought. hoping i can just change the cable but we shall see. thanks for the video.

[@LowTechGarage]

You’re welcome! I hope it helps

[@joejoelowrider]

I like to mention there are three color lenses that might get mixed up when putting back together, the two turn signals are green and the high beam indicator on top is red . 39:20 thank you for your post

[@LowTechGarage]

Thanks for sharing this information

[@joejoelowrider]

@@LowTechGarage my left turn indicator is red now, to lazy to correct it :)

[@rustedjunkgarage3316]

Nice, going to tackle my speedometer in my 55 Chevy truck. 👍

[@LowTechGarage]

Good luck! We are glad this is useful to you.

[@ThePolaroid669]

Hopefully new headlining is next!

[@fknfreddy5625]

Excellent video, I gave you a much deserved 👍

[@LowTechGarage]

Thank you!

[@buzzbombkirk]

Dealing with the same exact issue on the same exact speedo (59 El Camino). BTW what engine do you have in your car? It sounds so smooth!

[@LowTechGarage]

305! It was originally a 235 L6

[@Mr.JPlays360]

I own a 1973 SS Chevy El Camino and its speedometer is offset by roughly 10mph back would the lubrication process work for it or is my issue covered in a different video.

[@LowTechGarage]

I would check to see if you have a different gear ratio in the rear end.

[@Mr.JPlays360]

@@LowTechGarage Ok thank you

[@jeffgarmel7463]

Excellent video. despite your warning, i tried to pop off the needle - bad move. the thin copper shaft broke. (there was a reason i had to take off the 5" disc that faces the driver, but i've forgotten what it was.) if anyone else breaks that shaft, after many hours of attempts I was able to use silver solder to join the 2 ends of it back up. good luck. with everything apart i got the speedometer head to work, but it turns out that the cable was the wrong. I have a 55 Chevy 3600 pickup and the cable end at the transmission has a special notch.

[@LowTechGarage]

Good luck with your project. Glad you were able to reattach the needle!

[@daemonhill373]

Good job ! Really want to Know in case the belair is beeing towed on neutral , is the miles are still counting ? Thanks !

[@LowTechGarage]

It won’t count in neutral

[@Raycr]

​@@LowTechGarage, anytime the transmission output is turning, the odometer will be counting

[@joejoelowrider]

the milage indicator (Odometer drum) is damages couple of teeth are damaged do you know how to repair or replace the part that is damaged 28:42

[@LowTechGarage]

There is a good chance you can buy a replacement part from a Chevy supplier.

[@joejoelowrider]

@@LowTechGarage by any chance do you know who has one

[@pikemaster84]

Thank you for this video ❤

[@LowTechGarage]

You are so welcome!

[@leahcimthgirw3163]

I just had to switch out my odometer in my 77 Impala because the cable out of rounded the inside of it and all I did was switch the drums from the old one to the new one and now the speedometer is bouncing so I got to take it all apart again and re lubricate everything and confirm nothing is binding up

[@LowTechGarage]

Good luck!

[@AudiophileStooge]

Super informative! Thanks

[@LowTechGarage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@FlipSideGarage]

What type of bulbs are they,.

[@DaveHector-u3y]

Great tutorial; I hope I never have to use it 😂.

[@LowTechGarage]

You’ve got this!

[@briizcustoms9543]

Do you take orders for repair? I’ve got a 1976 Chevy Itasca Winnebago and the instrument cluster went haywire when I got my alternator replaced. It’s on a Chevy p30 chasis.They’re on eBay for $500!

[@LowTechGarage]

We don’t offer a repair service unfortunately. Hopefully the video is helpful though.

[@tm06jre97]

Nice work.

[@LowTechGarage]

Thank you! It was well worth the effort!

[@1marcelfilms]

Maybe they used the same paint for the digits as on my wiper stalks.

[@LowTechGarage]

Ya never know!

[@loboxx337]

It would be nice to see the actual way it is done instead of you telling us what you did.

[@yoshinoyajones8924]

On old metal everything cars when you find corroded hardware just replace with stainless hardware. You will be happy in the long run.

[@LowTechGarage]

That’s a good tip!

[@MyArmHurtsBad]

Ryan?

[@yoshinoyajones8924]

oh yeah, old gauge grease dry's out

[@LowTechGarage]

Big time!