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Best Speedometer Cable Lube?

'84 Bronco II

'84 Bronco II

El Chingón
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
293
Messages
2,397
Loc
NM
Not really 4x4 related so I'm posting this in GCC :flipoff2:

Ever since I put the doubler in my Bronco II, I have had bad luck with speedometer cables. The first one I bought from ATP was too long, so I'll chalk that one up to installer error. The second one from ATP was just about perfect length, but was loud and bouncing the needle. I found out the cables don't come lubed, so I shot a bunch of B'laster graphite lube down the cable, but that didn't seem to improve anything. Maybe the damage had already been done? :confused:

Anyway, I just bought a Pioneer brand replacement cable of the appropriate length and I want to avoid fucking up a third cable, so what do you guys use to lube speedo cables?
 
Very thin grease. More like oil than grease

Screenshot_20241005-084449_Google.jpg
 
From the old school. My grandpa had this contraption that was meant for lubing the cable itself in graphite as you put it into housing.

You don’t want anything that’s going to dry out and go from being a nice viscous lubricant to a sticky gummy glue inside the cable housing. Graphite starts out dry and can’t dry out more. As long as the end inside the t-case can’t let gear oil try to travel up the housing because oil and graphite make glue.

Grandpas thing kind of looks like a turkey baster. You start with dry, clean cable housing and cable. If there’s any mfg oils or anything sticky wash it all off/out with starting fluid. You put the skinny end of the turkey Baster onto the one end of the cable housing and put just the tip of the cable into the ball end of the baster. Then dump a little pile of graphite into the ball. Push the cable all the way through while you rotate it a little and it will cover the whole length of the cable with graphite on its way into the housing. Once all the cable is fed into the housing you dump any remaining graphite back into the tin and pull the baster off. Install and run it for however long it lasts. The old tractor mechanics on this board might have this contraption as well because the tac on old diesel tractors is driven off the engine via a speedometer cable.
 
I've used DuPont Chain Saver on bike clutch cables and would trust it on speedo cables. The solvent goes away and leaves wax w/ Teflon, no oils or dust attractants.

That being said, a good cleaning and graphite is a good bet.
 
I’ve got a motorcycle cable lube tool, clamp it on and wd40 or graphite.
 
motor oil is what I've used
dribble it in the top end and it'll make it to the lower end

grease gets stiff in the winter and makes it rattle even worse
 
Whatever was used in the day is nassty shit that about has to wear off.
Least on truck and equipment ones. Lot of trucks had cable driven tachs well into the 90s.
 
JR4X said:
From the old school. My grandpa had this contraption that was meant for lubing the cable itself in graphite as you put it into housing.

You don’t want anything that’s going to dry out and go from being a nice viscous lubricant to a sticky gummy glue inside the cable housing. Graphite starts out dry and can’t dry out more. As long as the end inside the t-case can’t let gear oil try to travel up the housing because oil and graphite make glue.

Grandpas thing kind of looks like a turkey baster. You start with dry, clean cable housing and cable. If there’s any mfg oils or anything sticky wash it all off/out with starting fluid. You put the skinny end of the turkey Baster onto the one end of the cable housing and put just the tip of the cable into the ball end of the baster. Then dump a little pile of graphite into the ball. Push the cable all the way through while you rotate it a little and it will cover the whole length of the cable with graphite on its way into the housing. Once all the cable is fed into the housing you dump any remaining graphite into your buddies welding gloves and pull the baster off. Install and run it for however long it lasts. The old tractor mechanics on this board might have this contraption as well because the tac on old diesel tractors is driven off the engine via a speedometer cable.
Click to expand...
FIFY
 
This is what I use. It flows well, lasts forever, doesn’t get thick and sticky in the winter. Plus you can use it on your food or in the bedroom.
IMG_0267.jpeg
 
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