58 Cj5 Speedometer Buy New Or Find Old One?

Hi, I got to drive my 58 Jeep this weekend and put about 15 miles on it, I put in a new speedo cable when I got it, but this was the first time driving it, and well it started making this god awful noise, figured out it was coming from the speedo. I can feel the vibration by putting my hand on the face and as I slow down it goes away, stops then once going again it starts up.

So the question is to I just buy the new one that Kaiser Willy's has Speedometer Cluster & Bulb Socket Kit (without turn signals) Fits 55-71 Willys & Jeep
Or do I look for an original one and hope that it works is anyone rebuilding these speedos? Also should I get another cable?

Thanks Chris

 

maybe lubricate the old one...maybe just a bunch of old dried up grease in there

 

Yes.

The length of the inner core is critical. Try loosening the attachment nut slightly, see if that helps.

Also check that the inside of the cable is lightly lubricated.

 

X4 on the cable being the issue. Do you have it routed correctly with long gentle bends? Did you pick the correct hole in the firewall?
-Donny

 

I will check the cable, but the needle in the speedo is just kinda hanging there I can see it touching the glass like it is ready to fall off.

In the mean time I got a speedometer app for my phone, so I know how far I have gone.

 

You might take the bezel and glass off and try puching the needle back on. Sounds like you don't have much to loose.
The speedos are pretty much the same from '57 through '71, so used might be an option.
-Donny

 

If the pointer is still on the shaft and it's touching the glass then it is toast.

 

If you decide to go with a used speedometer, here's (what appears to be) one in decent condition on eBay: WILLYS JEEP CJ PICKUP WAGON JEEPSTER ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER | eBay

 

Just a few years ago a seller on eBay had many! They were NOS! His name was bluemoonscooter. I know a few of us on ecj5 have bought one from him. He also had the temp and fuel gauges!

 

Hey Roy, that seller is still around, and so are the NOS speedometers, though I'm not sure how many he has left at this point:

Original Jeep CJ3B CJ4 CJ5 CJ6 90Mph speedometer NOS Made in USA | eBay

I think DeBella may still have some NOS speedometers as well.

 

Wow Maury! That’s amazing! I knew when I got mine, he then had around 7 to choose from.

 

As a better match to the original than a plastic-cased cable, I recently bought a new speedometer cable with a metal casing from these same guys, and they were great to deal with.

 

I checked on DeBella,
CJ5 Speedometer Clusters are $600.00 plus shipping.

Too rich for my blood....

 

I bought one from bluemoonscooter 5 or so years ago and it’s still working. Shortly afterwards, I bought a backup just in case. That was back when he was selling them for $200 as I recall, maybe even $175 on the first one. They were a buy up he did from Vietnam. No telling how many he bought or has left, but I’d suggest you get while the getting is available.

 

X2....I did the same thing, and agree completely with Mickey....get one while you can.

Incidentally, I was told several years ago was that this eBay seller, bluemoonscooter11, bought a bunch of Jeep parts that had been stocked in a former US Army warehouse in Vietnam. This haul included a number of NOS speedometers and gauges. Since the same speedometer on the CJ-5/6 was also used on the M606 (the 1960's military version of the CJ3b), and maybe some other military models as well, it seems like this story could be plausible.

 

I should of bought a few fuel gauges when he had them!

 

Here’s the one I bought from bluemoonscooter years ago.

 

Does anyone have any pictures showing how these are attached to the dash?