was siting at a light on my way to work the other day radio playing freebird laud and no baffels in the pips so i never heard any thing snap but when the light changed i looked down and no speeometer gessing its the cable (one that came on the bike in 84 i'm gessing )my ? is do i have to pull the front wheel to chang it and how hard is it get it back on strait

1984 FLHTC

 

No speedo is likely the speedo cable or the sender, but I can say with certainty, not the clutch cable. I've gone through a lot of both the speedo cable and sender, so I consider myself somewhat of an expert on it. It's really the only recurring problem I've had, so I'm not complaining.

I would consider replacing both at the same time. Replacing the sender isn't a big deal. I've done it at campgrounds, at a bike oil change place (Sturgis), at the dealer parking lot, and more. Get the weight off the front wheel, but without necessarily pulling the tire off the ground. One of those bike jacks, etc., works well, but I've used a milk crate, blocks of wood, regular bike lift, etc. Undo the axle nut and the bottom fork nuts on the other side. Take a 1/2" socket extension and push the axle through. When the axle clears it (and I'm assuming your sender is on the right, like mine is and not on the left, like 87-up's had) pull the sender off. Unscrew the sender from the cable. Pull on the end of the speedo cable. If 3" of it comes out the sheath, then you're problem was the cable, which quite possibly took out the sender too. Put the busted end in the sender and spin the ring. If the cable doesn't spin, the sender is shot also. If the cable doesn't come out, then spin the end in the sheath while you look at the speedo and odometer and see if the speedo is moving. Try spinning both ways. If it isn't moving, it might be broken or disconnected somehere up, but mine always breaks down at the fork. If it is moving, then your cable is probably OK and the sender is shot. Put a new sender on, push the axle back in (pushing the socket extension out the other side), snug the 1/2" nuts on the bottom, torque the big nut to 50-55 ft lbs, tighten the 1/2" nuts.

On the sender itself, the little hook thing fits into a slot on the wheel. That hook thing will break off too right at the bend, sometimes by itself, sometimes when the cable goes. You can sometimes get it working again if that's the only problem by taking a small punch and bending what's left of the arm into the slot.

Oh, and only buy a Genuine H.D. speedo cable. The aftermarket ones are junk. I'm not convinced a Genuine H.D. sender is any different from the aftermarket ones, though.

 

thanks doc
going to Carlisle this morning will see what i need when i get back hoping to find some bagger apes at the swop if i gotta take the fairing off mite as well do the bars wile i.m in there

 

just saw that i said clutch when i meant speedometer cable but don.t know how to change title sorry

anyway i got my bagger apes today and ordered my speedo cable and sender unit they told me they will be in wed so gess i'll work on it thur