Electric Speedo In Stock Gauge Cluster

[t120r]

Has anyone ever replaced the stock speedo with an electric unit? I have a VSS from my rear end that will be feeding my megasquirt. I could easily output to the speedometer from there. Just want to find one that fits and looks good. I hate cables and messing with tcase gears for driveline changes.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Have a couple ways to do this. There are a few different manufacturers of aftermarket gauge clusters. Some look pretty sweet. You get all the gauges. But ballpark a grand for this route

Another option I looked at about 15 years ago is a motor drive to the stock speedo head. Back then they were not very good. It was a rather basic brushed DC motor that had very poor low RPM properties. Generally known for not working until you got up to about 25 MPH then was OK. I have thought with the availability of good microporcessors and brushless DC motor drives there should be a good electric to cable drive system by now. I have to figure this one out as I want to keep the stock speedo on my '77 F250 but want to run a 6R80 transmission that does not have a cable output.

 

[Steve83]

I'd just take a common '92-96 ('97 >8500GVWR) F-series/Bronco (or certain E-series of similar years) PSOM from the junkyard, unscrew it from its face, and put it behind the eB face. You'll have to relocate the 2 switches for the pushbuttons (since you won't want to drill them through the eB cluster's glass), and you'll have to play with the calibration to get it accurate in the eB's sweep. But that shouldn't be too difficult. Click this & read the caption a few times so you understand it:

(phone app link)


The NEXT several captions have more info. Ballpark cost $100 total, and it'll all be factory Ford parts (except your 2 switches).

 

[t120r]

I'd just take a common '92-96 ('97 >8500GVWR) F-series/Bronco (or certain E-series of similar years) PSOM from the junkyard, unscrew it from its face, and put it behind the eB face. You'll have to relocate the 2 switches for the pushbuttons (since you won't want to drill them through the eB cluster's glass), and you'll have to play with the calibration to get it accurate in the eB's sweep. But that shouldn't be too difficult. Click this & read the caption a few times so you understand it:

(phone app link)


The NEXT several captions have more info. Ballpark cost $100 total, and it'll all be factory Ford parts (except your 2 switches).

That is a great swap, just the odometer is very important to me. Everytime we get new plate stickers we need to enter the new odometer setting. So I was hoping for a new gauge that I could swap in and set the odometer on. Most new gauges let you do a 1 time odometer set.

 

[t120r]

Have a couple ways to do this. There are a few different manufacturers of aftermarket gauge clusters. Some look pretty sweet. You get all the gauges. But ballpark a grand for this route

Another option I looked at about 15 years ago is a motor drive to the stock speedo head. Back then they were not very good. It was a rather basic brushed DC motor that had very poor low RPM properties. Generally known for not working until you got up to about 25 MPH then was OK. I have thought with the availability of good microporcessors and brushless DC motor drives there should be a good electric to cable drive system by now. I have to figure this one out as I want to keep the stock speedo on my '77 F250 but want to run a 6R80 transmission that does not have a cable output.

I looked at a few new gauge clusters, just I was hoping to keep the stock look. I guess I'l pull my stock one out and do some measuring, then hit a speedshop when everything opens up again and compare autometers to see what fits.

 

[t120r]

I have thought with the availability of good microporcessors and brushless DC motor drives there should be a good electric to cable drive system by now. I have to figure this one out as I want to keep the stock speedo on my '77 F250 but want to run a 6R80 transmission that does not have a cable output.

I kept thinking about this since I read it. With a Megasquirt MS3X, you have various PWM outputs as well as a dedicated speedometer output. I wonder if there is a motor available that could be controlled acurately enough to run our speedos.

 

[JB Fab]

All you need is one of the large Autometers, and an air saw.....

 

[Broncobowsher]

I kept thinking about this since I read it. With a Megasquirt MS3X, you have various PWM outputs as well as a dedicated speedometer output. I wonder if there is a motor available that could be controlled acurately enough to run our speedos.

I've been thinking of using a ~2500 RPM gear reduction brushless motor and an Arduino. Might need one with feedback. If I recall correctly the stock speedometer is generally 1000 RPM for 60 MPH. The 2500 RPM would allow running half speed which should be happy for the motor. Between brushless stepping and the gear reduction the low RPM performance should be good. I have seen home made robots use an Arduino and this type of motor. Have not collected parts nor motor specs yet. The higher speed stuff I am comfortable with it working, the low speed stuff is where I might have my issues. Still not sure how to connect the motor to the cable. A few things to think about before I am ready to order parts and build one.