My guages are really a pain anymore bouncing and erratic.can I do anything to help this,buying new guages are interesting,can I get a set with a reasonable price,what are the dimensions I need to look for?
The tachometer is electric driven off the signal from the #2/3 coil (right side) IIRC it's a grey color wire that goes to the coil terminal that is the signal wire to the tach. Clean your coil connections, including the grounds.
Check the ground at the instrument cluster. The bouncing needle most commonly comes from dodgy connections.
You have options on the speedo.
1) clean and lube the speedo cable and grease the speedo drive on the axle.
See if that helps...if not,
2) take your gauge cluster out, box it up (entire cluster) and send it to Foreign Speedo in San Diego, CA. For ~$125 they will rebuild the speedo and your needle will be rock steady. http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5718.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5718.0)
3) most expensive is to convert over to GPS speedometer from Speed Hut. Aviation Fred, Axiom-r Tim, and a couple others have done this and the install looks straight forward and the results are trick. You can even get a new matching tachometer and custom fuel gauge.
Some folks have taken their speedos apart and injected lube via hypodermic needle into the gear housing. Results are mixed.
Thanks
I have a cluster from a 84 with a MPH speedo in it, but the clear cover is wrecked. Not sure what year yours is. 15000 miles on the clock. I got a deal on a whole cluster with the bodywork I bought, so I would sell it cheap. I would ship from Sumas Wa.
Chris
Quote from: Mike m on July 07, 2017, 07:54:24 PMMy guages are really a pain anymore bouncing and erratic.can I do anything to help this,buying new guages are interesting,can I get a set with a reasonable price,what are the dimensions I need to look for?
Mike,
Just so it does not get lost in the conversation:
A bouncing speedometer needle is almost always a neglected cable. Remove the core, clean, and lube with high-quality petroleum grease. Work to eliminate
any sharp bends in the cable housing, and Ty-Wrap the cable to various places to keep it as straight as possible, with only large curves, no sharp bends in the cable. A new speedometer cable is a great idea, also. They are still available, and not very expensive. If the instrument itself needed maintenance, usually you would hear it howling when you ride.
A jumpy tach needle is often just a matter of flaky ground connections. Best plan: run dedicated new grounds with new wire to the existing ground terminals on the bike and instrument cluster. Cleaning the terminals on the existing wires may fix things, but not if the wire has failed in the middle somewhere.
After getting tired of the bouncing needles, and seeing a couple others buy speed hut gauges
I decided to give it a try. Waiting till there was a 15% sale. The 3 gauges really its 4 cost $600 Canadian
There was a problem and I did send them back twice the remove buttons of the face and install remote cables. Here are the final gauges installed in a second cluster I bought off ebay so I didn't have to cut up my
original. Last night I tested them on the bike with the faring off and everything seems to work.
now Ill put them in the fairing and program the fuel gauge.
Bob
That looks great :good2:
Quote from: Hemi Bob on July 10, 2017, 12:49:31 PM
After getting tired of the bouncing needles, and seeing a couple others buy speed hut gauges
I decided to give it a try. Waiting till there was a 15% sale. The 3 gauges really its 4 cost $600 Canadian
There was a problem and I did send them back twice the remove buttons of the face and install remote cables. Here are the final gauges installed in a second cluster I bought off ebay so I didn't have to cut up my
original. Last night I tested them on the bike with the faring off and everything seems to work.
now Ill put them in the fairing and program the fuel gauge.
Bob
Do you want to make another one for Wizard? Not kidding... once you've done it you'll be much better and faster the second (and third) time around.
Nice little side business here I'd guess.
Frank
Bob,
I will second that. Those gauges look awesome. Well, other than those kph thingys.... :wacko1
Hi Frank,
Your right the 2nd and 3rd would be much cleaner in terms of wiring. I did find out the cost of shipping back and forth
is pricey. I did ask for no buttons all remote cables. So they sent me two with buttons on the face one with button on rear. :wacko1:
So it took two returns for speed hut to get it right. Once I spoke to William at speed hut everything was fine from then on.
Also I took advantage of the right ups by aviationfred & urban legend. It made my install seam like id been there before.
I didn't grind of any thing of the mounting rings just turn the gauges into the rings until they were in the right position.
You do have to remove everything inside the housing to make room. I did keep the rev limiter By extending the wiring and
laying it flat on its side under the tech. Speed hut gives you lots of wire to make connections and there is lots you wont use.
If I was doing it again Id make all the connections inside the housing and making it a lot cleaner looking. Might even do it anyway
but have to replace the clutch and shift detent kit first. and the 16" Avon radials.
Bob
Country Joe
KPH thing ? I thought it was 260 MPH lol :good2:
Let me share another 2 pics
Bob, they look absolutely fantastic!
I like the illumination colour and the clean look. The "FJ1100"and "Hemi Bob" are just the right size and the font just right.
I notice you have a foot in both camps, metric speed and imperial temp. :biggrin:
Yessiree, that is a great FJ mod, well done on the detail.
Noel
Quote from: Yamahahammer1300 on July 10, 2017, 08:05:07 PM
My gauges are illuminated, but with a less than red(orange) needle, ever older eyes, and the glare from all of the Waffle House signs, I thought of upgrading the gauge lights. Any suggestions short of a SpeedHut improvement.
Quote from: Mike m on July 07, 2017, 07:54:24 PM
My guages are really a pain anymore bouncing and erratic.can I do anything to help this,buying new guages are interesting,can I get a set with a reasonable price,what are the dimensions I need to look for?
As Pat says, the tacho is usually a fixable electrical problem.
Another option for the speedo is a dashtop GPS digital unit...
(http://drivingschoolaids.co.uk/shopimages/products/normal/gps1a.jpg)
.......they are cheap, effective, plug and play. Ebay has pages of them for less than $50, and that's AUD, they would be even cheaper in the US.
My speedo needle is rock solid but I still had problems homing in on it at a glance. Where I live you need to
exactly how fast you are going, not somewhere near it.
Another option is this, a GPS/HUD
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3909/14631121138_6af4bf56a8_c.jpg)
They are now about 1/2 the size and half the price from when I bought that.
This remains one of my favourite and most useful (and cheapest) mods. Even if I had the whizzo SpeedHut speedo I'd never look at it, which is a shame because I'd love a set of gauges like Bobs.
Noel
ribbert, just ordered one of those dashtop gps speedo's. Had no idea something like that existed. My cabled speedo doesn't bounce since I replaced the cable and the entire cluster but I know it's off after comparing it to my Garmin Zumo which generally live on another bike. So this is a very cool addition! Thanks!
Quote from: Wedge on July 11, 2017, 11:37:33 PM
ribbert, just ordered one of those dashtop gps speedo's. Had no idea something like that existed. My cabled speedo doesn't bounce since I replaced the cable and the entire cluster but I know it's off after comparing it to my Garmin Zumo which generally live on another bike. So this is a very cool addition! Thanks!
Excellent, you'll love the easy to read display and not having to drop your eyes to the speedo. Then again, if I had Bobs instruments I'd probably ride straight through the first corner while admiring them.
I don't know why folks here are always surprised when they discover their FJ speedo reads fast. So does the speedo on just about everything you've ever ridden or driven in your lifetime. Speedo error has been by design for as long as I can remember.
OMOOC
Noel
Hey Noel,
I like the heads-up display. Would it be large enough to read easily or can the size be increased.
That windshield is a bit large would the display work with
the stock FJ 1100 windshield ? Most days I know where the pointer is for a given speed
reading glasses are a pain in the helmet. I have been reading some websites that advertise
a plastic magnifying sheets the could be put over the cluster or on the bottom of your visor.
Thanks for the positive comments on my new gauges. I was trying to keep thing stock looking
when the bike of off other then the "Hemi Bob" on the fuel gauge.
Bob
Quote from: ribbert on July 12, 2017, 07:42:52 AM
Then again, if I had Bobs instruments I'd probably ride straight through the first corner while admiring them.
Oh great. Now ANOTHER mod to put on the list. Thanks guys. :mocking:
Quote from: ribbert on July 12, 2017, 07:42:52 AM
I don't know why folks here are always surprised when they discover their FJ speedo reads fast. So does the speedo on just about everything you've ever ridden or driven in your lifetime.
It's true! :yes: Cuz it's on the Internet! How accurate is your speedo? (http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/how-accurate-is-your-speedo-20140716-ztmh4.html) My brother told me of a quick way to check. Late model Honda Civics (and I assume Acuras) have a big digital speedo that you can see from outside the car. Pull up beside one on the highway and check your indicated vs the Honda's. I did this last summer. My speed was exactly 120kph. The Honda was 115kph with no deviation, so I'm assuming the cruise control was on. This is all relative as to how accurate the Honda's was as per the article above, but I'm guessing it's probably better than the FJ's. At the very least I know how much of a buffer I have in the known heavilly patrolled areas. :biggrin:
Quote from: Hemi Bob on July 12, 2017, 10:25:15 AM
.....I like the heads-up display. Would it be large enough to read easily or can the size be increased.
That windshield is a bit large would the display work with
the stock FJ 1100 windshield ?
Bob
Bob, the camera has distorted that photo a bit. It is a stock FJ screen (non USA) and not as wide as it looks but is probably steeper than the 1100 one you have.
A stand alone GPS digital speedo might be better for you. You can even get ones that the front cover pops off leaving just the screen slightly proud of the unit so it can be flush mounted from behind through a hole in the dash/trim/fairing/whatever.... for under $50. They can be mounted anywhere, only requiring a power source.
You could also just velcro mount it while riding and take it off at whim. My TPMS, chain oiler control, heated handgrip control and door opener are all only mounted with HD velcro.
Noel
Quote from: ribbert on July 12, 2017, 07:42:52 AM
Quote from: Wedge on July 11, 2017, 11:37:33 PM
ribbert, just ordered one of those dashtop gps speedo's. Had no idea something like that existed. My cabled speedo doesn't bounce since I replaced the cable and the entire cluster but I know it's off after comparing it to my Garmin Zumo which generally live on another bike. So this is a very cool addition! Thanks!
Excellent, you'll love the easy to read display and not having to drop your eyes to the speedo. Then again, if I had Bobs instruments I'd probably ride straight through the first corner while admiring them.
I don't know why folks here are always surprised when they discover their FJ speedo reads fast. So does the speedo on just about everything you've ever ridden or driven in your lifetime. Speedo error has been by design for as long as I can remember.
OMOOC
Noel
Not to mention the faster one travels the higher percentage of speedo runout occurs, I still would like to know if I could hit the 150mph mark but I dont think there is enough steam in the boiler for actual true 150mph, its damm plenty fast though and does not take that long to get there!!!!!
Hey All, i did have a bouncy speedometer, and was able to reduce it by re-tightening the connection behind the gauge, and at the wheel. However, my tach is fine. But ,my fuel gauge likes to bounce, almost a full quarter of a tank. Is that normal, any ideas on that?
Thanks,
Ryan
Quote from: ryanschoebel on August 03, 2017, 07:16:52 PM
Hey All, i did have a bouncy speedometer, and was able to reduce it by re-tightening the connection behind the gauge, and at the wheel. However, my tach is fine. But ,my fuel gauge likes to bounce, almost a full quarter of a tank. Is that normal, any ideas on that?
Thanks,
Ryan
I hide my fuel gauge with my Smartphone/GPS, the bouncing no longer distracts me. The FJ was the first bike I owned with a fuel gauge and I thought that was cool. Till I found it was not very linear with the reading. The only time it was correct was FULL and EMPTY. Having always used the trip meter I found a better use for that spot.
The problem is the damping fluid is long gone. Some have repaired them with mixed results. Finding a used good one is your most likely affordable option to have a working gauge.
A bit expensive, but I believe this is one of the best options for OEM gauge replacement. Speed Hut gauges
Fred
I thought I would throw this out there since I squeak when I walk. I had a Honda V65 vf1100c before acquiring my '89 FJ. I put a 10 dollar handlebar mount for cell phones onto it (actually a darned nice mount!) because I was hoping to use my old cellphone as a GPS speedometer without paying for data service. Guess what ----- IT WORKED! This might be old news to all you guys and gals, but new to me so forgive my exuberance!
I had just gotten a new LG phone to up the size a bit for my daily buzzer. I hated to see my old $29 USD phone get tossed in the trash, so I did a little research and found out if your old phone has wifi capability, you could still use the phone via your home or other wifi! Well viola! I did just that and it worked perfectly. I downloaded a few of the kazillion apps for androids and found one I really liked (DiGi HUD). Free app, large bright green digital display. You can get totally free apps with analog looks, anything.
This set up along with a very cheap USB plug installed on the bar as well to keep it charged was flawless and easy to use. The software gives some great additives as well such as trip odometer, average speed, timing of quarter mile (I think it was this one) and other cool little things. So instead of throwing that cell out, it can be used as a cool little gauge. Not to mention, you can still run and download GPS maps and turn by turn navigation without having cell service and costs related to phone. My two cents .. okay ... maybe three! :smile:
Quote from: timleslie1957 on September 15, 2017, 02:55:50 PM
I thought I would throw this out there since I squeak when I walk. I had a Honda V65 vf1100c before acquiring my '89 FJ. I put a 10 dollar handlebar mount for cell phones onto it (actually a darned nice mount!) because I was hoping to use my old cellphone as a GPS speedometer without paying for data service. Guess what ----- IT WORKED! This might be old news to all you guys and gals, but new to me so forgive my exuberance!
I had just gotten a new LG phone to up the size a bit for my daily buzzer. I hated to see my old $29 USD phone get tossed in the trash, so I did a little research and found out if your old phone has wifi capability, you could still use the phone via your home or other wifi! Well viola! I did just that and it worked perfectly. I downloaded a few of the kazillion apps for androids and found one I really liked (DiGi HUD). Free app, large bright green digital display. You can get totally free apps with analog looks, anything.
This set up along with a very cheap USB plug installed on the bar as well to keep it charged was flawless and easy to use. The software gives some great additives as well such as trip odometer, average speed, timing of quarter mile (I think it was this one) and other cool little things. So instead of throwing that cell out, it can be used as a cool little gauge. Not to mention, you can still run and download GPS maps and turn by turn navigation without having cell service and costs related to phone. My two cents .. okay ... maybe three! :smile:
Did the same with an old iPhone 5s. Take a look at an app called "Car Camera". Fantastic HD looping video for the iPhone. It allows looping segments of video that overwrite themselves, leaving you with a perfect way to record rides, or just to use as a commuter dash cam.