John / et al -

I will be attempting to find a replacement needle at a junkyard.  I will let
everyone know my results once I've completed the search and performed the
surgery.

Thanks to everyone for the responses!  It was a big relief realizing I
hadn't done irreversible damage.

-Luke

On 3/29/06, John Bange <jbange@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 3/29/06, Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com> wrote:
> >
> > If I recall, the needle is a press fit on the shaft and should pull
> > straight off.
> >   You might want to try it on a junk/donor speedo first.
>
>
> It does indeed press on. When I fixed/rebuilt my speedo I had to remove
> it,
> which was the hardest part of the whole job. I put two strips of
> electrical
> tape on each side so I wouldn't mark up the face. I have a pair of
> right-angle circlip pliers I used as a sort of adjustable prybar to get
> underneath the needle hub and put even upward pressure on it. I imagine
> small wire cutters, needlenose pliers, or anything two-pronged and small
> enough could be made to work. When you press the new needle on, it needs
> to
> be positioned such that it has enough preload on the spring when it's at
> rest on the needle stop. VDO was kind enough to put a little mark on the
> edge of the speedo face below/counterclockwise of the needle stop pin.
> Press
> the needle on (carefully!) with the needle pointing at this mark, then
> GENTLY flex the needle upward just enough to get it up and over the stop
> pin
> to its normal resting place. As for a new needle-- somebody correct me if
> I'm wrong, but can't you just cannibalize one from any late 80's VW
> speedo?
> I had a late 80's Jetta speedo with a broken needle I was practicing on,
> and
> I could swear the hub was the same...
>
> --
> John Bange
> '90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"
>

--
1985 Brown Vanagon GL 4spd "Compost"