Speedometer Woes (Continued)

[ArizonaKid]

Okay, I need some help here!  My previously reported speedometer problem has finally culminated with the demise of said instrument. It's dead, dead, dead.  The odometer and trip meter are displaying, but not recording miles.  I opened up the patient last evening and the wiring that runs from the front wheel (generates an electrical impulse that makes the analoge guage record speed) is easy enough to get at - remove the front wheel and unplug the connector just under the headlights - but the speedo itself (should that be the culprit) is harder to get at and it appears that you need to dismantle the entire guage cluster and separate the wiring harness to get it out.  So, two pieces, generally, the speedometer "cable" assembly and the speedometer itself.  On the back of the speedo (the Tiger is an 02 version) a couple of the wires are hard wired and there appears to be two at the bottom that are attached with screw connectors - no "plug in" connectcors as someone has suggested previously.



The quesitons:

1)  Is there a fuse (I'll start there) somewhere that's in the power loop to the speedometer?

2)  How do I test either/both components to see which one is busted?

3)  Any idea how much either/both would cost to replace (USD)?

4)  Why is this happening on a 3 year old motorcycle with less than 20K on the clock?  Crap!

[ArizonaKid]

Since I didn't get any response here and based on some research I've done since posting my basic questions I'll answer my them myself so if anyone has the same problems in the future the info will be here.



1) The fuze box under the seat does NOT have a fuze just for the speedometer/odometer, so no help there.

2) You can test both the speedo and the sprague assembly ("cable") that comes off the front wheel with a multimeter, chances are it's the sprague unit, which generates a current when the wheel goes around and tickles the speedometer. According to several technicians I've talked to this is what fails 9 times out of 10.

3) The sprague "cable" assembly is about $140 USD and the Speedo itself is almost $350 smackers (ouch!).

4) Why this happens?  The Triumph tech I contacted said that he's seen it on the 955's with some regularity (the sprague assembly).  Maybe a bad design from the start(?), who knows.



So as a result, I've ordered the sprague assemble and will post the results when it comes in and I swap it out. It appears to be an easy fix - remove the front wheel, disconnect the cable assembly in a couple places, disconnect the electrical connection behind the fairing and work backwards with the new one.  Hope that's it.

[steveb]

If it turns out to be the speedo head, there is one on ebay, item number 7981397399, no bids so far.



Steve.

[ArizonaKid]

Just an update and to close the loop. I got the replacement speedo cable assembly yesterday (thanks to Sean Hicks at SouthBay Triumph in Lomita, CA) and swapped it out last evening and the Tiger is now well. It's about an hour job and actually very easy to do, so if any of you every develop the "dancing speedo needle", it's probably the speedo cable/sprague assembly and it can be easily changed out for $130 USD and an hour of your time.

[NortonCharlie]

Good to know, thanks for the update.