Speedometers?

[Bruce Berger]

The odometer display on my VDO speedometer started cutting out about 2 years ago. Now it very rarely shows the mileage. I'm about to get my 710M back on the road after a very long EFI upgrade. Since I just had the engine rebuilt by Jim L. before taking it down for the EFI upgrade I'd like to replace my VDO speedometer to keep track of the mileage.

Does anyone know if VDO has improved their speedometers so they don't go out after a couple of years?

Are the any alternatives?

I frequently noticed condensation inside the speedometer when we got rain or heavy dew. This likely led to its demise. Has anyone who parks their Pinz inside had trouble with their VDO speedometer?

[pcolette]

I've used 2 of the VDO speedometers, 1 for over 4 years now, and haven't had a problem. Both 710M's were garaged and I never noticed any condensation.
They are a bit pricey but so far seem worth the cost.

I'm sure there are other brands available but I think that it's the sender that is the rare part.

[4x4Pinz]

the one in my 712 has been there for a little over 5 years with no issues, the one in my 710 has only been 3 years and it stopped working about 6 months ago. Neither of my trucks see a garage or a lot of rain for that matter.

[krick3tt]

My VDO speedo lasted 2000 miles and just quit. Now it is a very expensive dust magnet in the garage.
Went back to the OEM mechanical one and it has given up its ghost as well. Now I use the GPS.

[kpoling]

Are you trying to keep the truck original? If not, this is an inexpensive alternative.
http://www.aerostich.com/sigma-speedometer.html
You can calibrate it to the exact tire circumference so it is very accurate. Has other useful functions. You would need to lengthen the sensor wire. I have used these on different motorcycles with great success.

[krick3tt]

My pinz ceased to be original shortly after I got it and installed things to make it comfortable and work for me.
I would really like to see this unit mounted on a pinz. The installation directions seem easy enough to understand
but mounting the pick-up sensor might be an issue as the wheels on a motor vehicle turn and bikes and
motorcycles do not.

[kpoling]

I usually epoxy the magnet to one of the disk brake carriers and the encoder to the front fork lower leg of my motorcycles. Looking at a Pinz front wheel, you could run the wire along the brake hose & then tube. Maybe mount (epoxy) the encoder to the "steering lever RH" #7101433391 & epoxy the magnet to the rim?

[undysworld]

epoxy the magnet to the rim?

How would this work when you rotate the tires? (Rotate as in from position to position, not rotate them by driving.) Would you need 7 magnets?

[krick3tt]

I only have 5 but I think the idea is pretty sketchy. Got to be some wonderstick epoxy. Lots of bounce in an off road tire.
I'm sticking with the GPS...already got that.

[totaljoint]

Why not just use a GPS?

[kpoling]

The encoder that is wired to the speedo picks up a pulse when the magnet passes by it every revolution of the wheel. The computer in the speedo converts the pulses into speed/distance based on how you calibrate for your tires circumference. The work great and are very accurate. And they are cheaper than a GPS.

PS: Morris: I have had one on my R1150GS ADV for 45000 miles, with lots of high speed fire roading, never lost a magnet yet. Did knock off the encoder one time when I was not careful removing the front wheel for a tire change. Just epoxied it back on, good to go in a couple of hours.

[undysworld]

Kevin,

I think my son had one of those for his bicycle. I'm still curious how you deal with rotating your tires? Don't you need a sender for each rim?

Paul

[kpoling]

Hey Paul: You mount it so it reads off of one front wheel. If you do burn outs in 4WD, then the mileage will be off! (But so would a stock speedo). All the other features are handy also. The newer units have a chip that does not lose your data when you change batteries. Mine is 7-8 yrs old so I have to reset it every 2 years on my GS.

[undysworld]

Kpoling,

Okay. I'm beginning to get the drift that I'm just stupid here.

epoxy the magnet to the rim?

On my son's bike, the magnet always stayed with the front rim. Since he doesn't rotate bike tires, there has never been a problem.

On my Pinz, I rotate the tires about every 500 miles, when adjusting the brakes. But, it seems to me that if you mount the encoder to the truck and if you epoxy the magnet to the corresponding rim, and you decide after, say, 1000 miles to rotate the tires from one position to the next (ie. you take the R.F. wheel and rotate it to the R.R. position, etc.), you must either need to glue another magnet on the next rim to occupy the position where the encoder is mounted or to move the original magnet. (Unless a person does not rotate their tires?)

It seems easier to just fix the old speedo...

[kpoling]

Paul: If you rotate the tires just glue on another magnet from you can buy at Home Depot. I will try to take a picture of the pickup & magnet mounted on my M/C to post. Very easy & cheap, like what Bruce was asking for. Kevin