AS luck would have it I replaced the mechanical old VDO speedometer in my dune buggy with the newer electronic version. After calibrating the thing on a true mile distance and getting it to work, the needle movement is worse than the damn gas gauge splashing around. Way to much lag and jump in the way this works. Does anyone have such a beast installed, and if so does it give accurate smooth speed readings. Scott
69' Dune Buggy
No, I haven't used that one. But did you see the post recently (who was it?) about putting a digital speedo in a buggy? The ones used on bicycles are going for $10-20.
Speedy Jim
The second part of this is my dash board has 5 vdo royal cockpit gages installed on a nice chrome panel. This was the previous owners show car. So, not wanting my buggy to look like a mexican chevy monte carlo (I live in texas you see) I replaced the old true mechanical one with this new "MORE ACCURATE" one. The old one was around 5MPH off (according to radar) and I've snapped 2 cables already because of the very tight bend as it comes out of the gage and meets the underside metal cross member behind the dash. Typical, swap one problem for a different one.
LOL I hear you.
Then I guess it's time to re-engineer the VDO design or maybe write/call them.
Speedy Jim
Thanks... This gage as mentioned works from the standard VW cable that mechanically runs through the front left spindle and attached to the dust bearing cover cap. So as the wheel spins so does the cable....and the other end of the cable screws into this "hall effect" sensor unit....from the sensor unit, 3 wires then attach to the gage...the gage has a few more wire attached for ground, panel light, and ignition switch. Pretty simple, very easy to wire. Also, is 2" thick so you just can't attach something across the meter terminals in back. This is a "smart" gage, you program the # of counts in a "mile". Has other features also, but no "damping effect". Naturally I've been to VDO's web page and as normal nothing there to help. Even their email for tech support bounced back....and this the weekend now any help from them will be Monday. As expensive as this gage is, it should work perfectly without having to tweak anything.
Scott wrote: As expensive as this gage is, it should work
Hard to argue with that:-) Thanks for clarifying the other points; this is another beast I haven't encountered yet.
Let us know if/when you get a satisfactory answer from VDO. Jim
Scott, Sound to me like the cable is either loose (or lose if you don't care how to spell it) or the hall effect sensor is no good.
I'd definitely be more likely to suspect something in the installation than the product, from my experience with the VDO products. Start by checking the end of the cable is secured to the hub center cap. then make sure the cable is not dry or lubrication is too thick to allow smoothe operation ( or is it Smooth??? or Smothe? LOL )
Anyway, try and make sure there is absolutely nothing else in your installation that is causing the oscillation first. then send it back for a replacement if you cannot fix fromthese things.
Also, did you put the switching back to the "operation mode" or is it possible that you missed a step in setup? I have seen a couple of different types of setups, and usually there is a final "operation setting" for all of the universal electronic units I have seen.
Good luck.
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MUADIB®
Scott - you said "I've snapped 2 cables already because of the very tight bend as it comes out of the gage and meets the underside metal cross member behind the dash" That makes me think the problem bouncing proble is with the cable handing up momentarily. Try rotating the gauge 45 degrees so the cable doesn't make that sharp bend and see if that corrects it.
Where does the sensor mount? Sounds like the most vulnerable part of the mechanical system is still used by the electronic system. The attachment to the dust cover and routing through the spindle are where I've had dozens of problems over the years, causing the cable to turn in "jumps" because of binding. Same would apply to the electronic device if the cable is still used. You've probably already checked that out a bunch of times, but it sure seems the most likely culprit.
When I added new gauges to Bussy for the new engine, I went to Nordskog gauges. They are electronic, but use stepper motors to run the needles. I have not gotten around to the new speedometer yet - probably will when this current mechanical one starts to bounce! Let us know what you learn. -Bah
Just to reply to everyone here. Thanks for all the input. I replaced the old mechanical VDO because of cable bend under the dash & about
5mph off on the reading. As stated before, I needed to replace with another VDO to maintain the look.Calibration worked perfect...as a few of you mentioned the cable could be spinning and hanging....I'll check on that and hopefully thats the problem. There is no cable twist in the new setup except the way it transfers out of the axle spindle, but then you can't change that.
They thing that really raised a RED FLAG was when I stopped, the pointer when to zero very slowly, took 3-5 seconds. So, I have a day to play before a telephone call to VDO. Thanks everyone for the input.
Scott
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