Yes, I was thinking of going with their bezel kit, as it contains the gasket, glass, and new bezel all for less than $20. And OEM is just a flat piece of un-tinted glass, so no reason to pay some outrageous price for claimed or actual NOS. How would anyone ever confirm that, even for a 'concourse correct' restoration, anyway?

The link I included in an earlier post in this thread shows a couple methods of undoing the crimping. One of the guys made up a wooden block with a hole in it to stabilize the unit while working around the rim--and presumably to use like a die while re-crimping. I didn't take the time to make one up, but instead just worked around the edge with a 3/16" flat blade screwdriver, as I didn't care about the old bezel. However, be really careful where your fingers are holding the unit because the blade is going to slide and skip out from under that narrow crimp numerous times, and you can stab yourself.

Basically, I found it safer and more effective to hold the unit down against the countertop, and experiment with the angle of the screwdriver until I got the ability to work the outer corner of the blade under the crimp. Also, I found that twisting the shaft worked better than lifting like a lever--initially. After walking around the circumference and lifting the inward edge a little, it may work better to start a more traditional lever/lifting action.

You will see the cup flex inward as you work around the crimp, and this worried me but I didn't see any ill effects when done other than minor scratches to the outer surface. Don't care much about that and not sure how you'd avoid it.

I will post whatever I come up with for re-crimping but am anticipating either cutting a hole in a piece of wood or perhaps a semicircle to keep it steady on the bench while I run around with a little drift. The alternative would be to use PVC or some other pipe of the right circumference as a die to push down all at once. But that seems like a lot of trouble over a crimp...? Either way, it seems like I'll need some way of supporting the edge of the stepped bezel when re-crimping so it doesn't distort.

 

On the bezel kits:

VT No.39-0333 - V-Twin indicates it's for the 1948-84 speedos, and per John mine is a '62 and later police special. V-Twin says "the diameter of the glass measures 3-7/8" - but mine is 4-1/4" in diameter. It would appear that they've confused the diameter of the exposed glass as 3-7/8" because that matches my unit's bezel, and Dennis Kirk lists 39-0333 as having glass 4-1/4" in diameter. Just like mine.

Finally, this part number only includes one gasket, whereas mine has a flat, square-section gasket between the bezel and glass, and a beefy O-ring between the glass and the tin ring that reflects light back onto the face.


VT No. 39-0451 - says it's for the EL 1936-40, and "includes the narrow bezel as original for the `1936-47 models." (So, they can't even agree on fitment of their own part.) But no dimensions for the glass are given. On the other hand, the photo (if not the description) appears to indicate it comes with either two gaskets and a new tin reflector ring or three gaskets, in addition to the bezel and glass.


So: does anyone own a '36-47 model, who would be willing to measure: (1) the exposed glass portion to see if it's 3-7/8"; and (2) the O.D. of the step that receives the glass, to see if it's 4-3/8"?

What I suspect is the case, is that the only difference between these part numbers is that 39-0451 includes both gaskets and a new tin reflecting ring, where as 39-0333 just has the bezel, glass, and one flat gasket.

Thanks for the help!

 

P.S. - I asked an eBay seller if the white ring is a new tin reflector, and if possible to measure the glass--but often these guys are merely drop-ship vendors, so don't actually stock the parts in-house...

 

Another option is J&P Cycles branded bezel, lens, and gasket kit, which is supposed to fit 1936-95 models. That fitment list suggests to me that the lens and bezel diameter of all (or most) of these speedos is the same, and that, indeed, the difference between the VT part numbers in post #62 is merely inclusion of the tin ring and second gasket.

Right now, J&P Cycles' kit is $11.00, purportedly with free shipping. For that money, I could refinish my OEM reflector ring and buy an O-ring from McMaster Carr to match the doughnut-style gasket's dimensions, and probably come out ahead of the game.

Tomorrow, I'll check McMaster Carr's specs to see if they've got the right o-ring, and their price plus shipping, and we'll see what's what.

 

Thanks for the reply. I was was off the web for the Holiday.
I assumed the bezel to be a little tougher I guess. I assumed a dremel would be best.
Sounds like I was over thinking it again.

I think I will try the VTwin kit.

 

I should've been off the web. But...

No, I don't think you're overthinking it; the bezel is merely stamped sheet metal but it is hard to get the process started without cutting the bejesus out of your fingertips--and it's disconcerting to watch the cup flex as you pry. Nothing wrong with being cautious, IMHO.

I ended up ordering the J&P kit which I'm guessing is essentially identical to the V-Twin version; I'll post images of the parts when I get them, as the stock image on J&P's page looks just like that on the V-Twin part number and isn't very detailed. Because I did not order the full $42 kit, I didn't get the new tin reflector ring (if that's what is in the photo) or round-section O-ring. But I will have fun refinishing the OEM tin part--and will use brighter paint to help highlight the numerals at night. I'll have to order a round section O-ring separately but no biggie. Even with McMaster Carr's overpriced shipping, I'll come out ahead of the full kit.

Still waiting on the replacement gear & spring from John, but I'm sure it's on the way...

 

Thanks, I will post on how I come out.
Not in a hurry so may wait until my next parts order.
Not sure if I want to try the $10 J&P or the $22 VTwin.
Will probably order the VTwin since JZ recommended it.
I have not found him wrong yet.

 

Yeah, JZ knows his stuff; I just like the idea of refurbishing my OEM reflector ring and liked J&P's deal with free shipping (read that: I'm a cheap a## Social Security pensioner). Look forward to seeing some pics of your speedo, too!

 

Here is the gear John sold me, next to the existing one still installed on the trip odometer barrel. You can see the little arms that snapped off of the existing part. Perhaps you can also make out how the shape and design of the arms allows them to advance the first ring, the tenths of a mile, while allowing the reset **** to click the ring's plastic inner gear teeth past the ends of the metal arms without damaging them.

Also, you can see how forcing the reset **** in the wrong direction would put stress on the arms, bowing them and causing them to snap off. I suspect that's what someone did to this unit. To be clear (if it isn't obvious from the photo) because of the design of these arms, resetting the trip odometer must be done by turning the rings in the same direction as they ordinarily advance--anti-clockwise looking at the **** end-on, or toward the rider while sitting on the bike.

Note: unlike the reproduction speedos, one does not press the reset **** in while turning it; the only end-play in the **** is caused by the minute clearance between the roll pin and recess in the **** (2nd photo). John tells me that the other common fault is the square slot in the end of the **** that grabs the flat end of the reset shaft gets rounded out. I can imagine ways to fix that but mine is okay--and likely won't ever wear out, since there's very little resistance if you turn the reset the right direction.

However, I'll make sure that each ring advances properly before reinstalling the barrel, because otherwise it's possible that the drive gear--which must advance per the design of the speedo's rigid gear mounts--could bend those arms enough to snap them off. They are definitely the weak link in the setup.

I hope to wiggle the ferrule off per John's instructions tomorrow, and then clean up and install the new gear and barrel (need to clean up everything, actually). The only trick is to leave a few thousandths end-play, so that everything rotates freely.

Still waiting on the new bezel, lens, and gasket--and will get around to ordering the round cross-section O-ring today or tomorrow (man oh man, how life gets in the way of hobbies).

 

With the old analog style speedos, I've always been told to never reset the trip meter while moving. Doing so would eventually damage the odometer. So I've always waited until I'm stopped, like when filling the tank etc to reset it. Looking at the small parts involved, I can see why that could be true.

Paul