Can I rotate my speedometer?
 

Due to my height/ driving position and the wheel I put on is smaller than stock I would like to rotate my speedometer a little bit counter-clockwise so I can see more of the useful part.

As I understand it to work with the guages you use something like a putty knife to pry them loose. I would like to do that just so I can rotate a little and pop it back in.

Does anyone know if this would be safe (not pull any connections out)? I would like to do it without having to remove the knee bar and look up under there first if possible.

Thanks for any ideas.

erik

You might not even need the putty knife, try putting your fingertips at the top, push down hard while pulling out. Once you break them loose the first time hand pressure is all that's needed.

The wires have plenty of slack, no worries pulling it out and rotating it.

Worked for me.

Randy Jones
1971 911 "Iris"

If you have skinny arms, you can reach through the trunk and push out the tach or the adjacent gauge easily enough.

I also used a piece of two conductor electrical wire (like from an extension cord) as a strap wrench around the rim of the gauge to loosen before removing and/or rotating.

I was able to prise mine out with my fingers. I started by pulling the clock out, as it's easier, then I used the opening to help push the speedo from behind.

I don't know about 87s, but the early cars have a speedo cable, and you need to be careful not to kink it if it's there by rotating the guage too much, as the cable enters the guage at an angle. Even a minor kink could lead to sketchy speedo operations.

'87's are all electric and there is plenty of room to pull out gauges, rotate, etc. But you need to be careful with the light bulb wires.

Erik - there's never a need to drop the knee pads to remove the gauges.

thanks guys- I'm on it this evening. That 50-70 range comes in quite handy trying to stay near the speed limit.

I did that on one of my racecars. I guess it might look a little goofy, but I needed to know when I hit a certain top speed...I set it so the gauge would point to 12 o'clock.

Doesn't affect the gauge.

Oh, and before using the putty method, try rocking the gauge out slowly. It usually comes out after a little bit of tugging. pushing from the trunk side is a good idea too. I always seem to bugger things up when I pry on them...

Came out nicely but I had to use a smidgen of vaseline on the rubber O ring to make it go back in without bunching up. Looks good now- smooth on all sides. Now I can see the difference between 60, 70, and 80. I had tried to memorize the speeds and corresponding rpm at different gears but that was kind of a pain. Guess that's why they have speedo's.

thanks again for the help

erik