Odometer running backwards?

[bgaller]

Got a really weird issue, I set my odometer to 00000, but after driving it, it's showing 99998.....anyone had this issue before?

 

[serial car restorer]

Stock transmission?

 

[bgaller]

Sorry, that would be helpful info. Yes, it's a C4 with a Dana 20, rebuilt cluster from Tom Carper, but I personally took it apart to adjust the odometer to all zero's. Is it possible to install the speedo gear inside the transfer case backwards? Or is it possible that the speedo gear on the end of the cable is right handed vs left handed or something?

 

[mrdrnac]

Speedometer gears do come in L and R Rotation (Passenger or Driver Side) depending on the application of the Ford. So a wrong driven gear is a possibility in this case.

Speedometer Gears

Speedometer Gears

4speedtoploaders.com

 

[Broncobowsher]

But you would need the gear in the transfer case to have a reverse spiral to match.

Go drive it some more. I'm wondering if the odometer settled in after your doctoring. and landed in the 99999 notches instead of the 00000.

 

[bronco italiano]

Too bad Ferris Bueller wasn't watching this thread before he took out the Ferrari

 

[spap]

Does it go ford when you drive in reverse, not trying to be arse just curious

 

[m_m70]

was the odometer working in the right direction before you messed with resetting it? Or before Tom did the refurb? I would reach out to Tom and see what he says could be the issue.

 

[Broncobowsher]

If the speedometer works correctly, the cable is spinning the right direction.

 

[bgaller]

So people can learn from this in the future, I'll lay out what I discovered.

1. I originally ordered a rebuilt cluster from Tom Carper. I had (incorrectly) assumed that it would come with the odometer zero'd out.
2. Since I have never adjusted the odometer before, I decided to buy one from Northeast here: https://www.northeastclassicfordparts.com/product/gauge-cluster-odometer-with-clip/
   1. As per the description, it was supposed to be zero'd out. It wasn't.
3. I then contacted them, and they shipped a replacement that WAS zero'd out, I installed it into the cluster and into the Bronco.

Obviously after installation, I discovered that while the speedometer worked as expected, the odometer was rolling backwards. I disassembled a used one I had laying around and compared the two. The first image is the one I received from Northeast:

The second image is one I pulled from a stock cluster:

As you can see, the odometer "rollers" from Northeast were installed backwards on the odometer shaft! I ended up grabbing the original odometer they sent me (that wasn't set to zero) and adjusted it to zero's myself. THOSE rollers were installed the right way.

I'm hoping this will help someone searching this in the future, I would highly recommend people check these before installing them to eliminate all this headache.

 

[Qumanchew]

I must be missing something in the pics, they look orientated the same to me.

 

[69_Sport]

Clear as mud...

 

[bgaller]

I must be missing something in the pics, they look orientated the same to me.

Look at both pictures closely, the numbers are going in opposite directions. The incorrect version goes high to low (7, 6, 5, etc) around the roller. The correct version goes low to high (6, 7, 8, etc) around the roller.

 

[bgaller]

Clear as mud...

It's subtle for sure.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I must be missing something in the pics, they look orientated the same to me.

Start at the top and read the numbers on a reel.
One of them is 7-6-5
The other is 7-8-9

One reel is for an odometer that rolls down to advance,
The other is for an odometer that rolls up to advance.

 

[69_Sport]

Ok. I get it now.

But this begs the question - how does one turn them around? I'm having trouble visualizing that...

 

[DirtDonk]

I hope somehow you document the original mileage on the vehicle. Even if you don’t ever intend to sell it, maybe your kids might after you’re gone.
You’re not allowed to misrepresent the actual mileage on a vehicle. Even if you replace most of the parts on it with new.
Or is this a scratch built vehicle with all new VIN and all new parts except for the speedometer?
Otherwise, probably not a great idea to document your changes here on the Internet.
Maybe while it’s in your possession it doesn’t really matter. But if that status ever changes,…

 

[Soylent]

They are the wrong rollers. Not the correct ones installed backwards.

 

[thegreatjustino]

But this begs the question - how does one turn them around? I'm having trouble visualizing that...

Impossible. They are the incorrect rollers for an EB. They would be from a different vehicle that has the odometer going in the opposite direction to track mileage. Some vehicles roll down, others roll up.

 

[Qumanchew]

Look at both pictures closely, the numbers are going in opposite directions. The incorrect version goes high to low (7, 6, 5, etc) around the roller. The correct version goes low to high (6, 7, 8, etc) around the roller.

Ha, I get it now. I stared at the pics for a while and thought you were crazy!