Oval speedo reset button

Brian T

Well-known member
The reset button on my speedometer is stuck, can this be freed up without removeing the speedo, I am also not familiar as to how it works, is it normally pushed in or pulled out and turned to reset?.
Also the trip meter and odometer numbers have also stopped rolling over but the speed indicator works OK although a little shaky.
Thanks Brian T.
 
Sounds like the speedometer needs to come out and apart. It's not that much work. I'm not sure if restting the trip while the car is in motion will do any harm, but I always do it while parked. When you get the cover off you can remove the insides and lube the moving parts. It sounds like the trip knob is stuck part way out, so the gears aren't engaged to turn the numbers. Just pull out and turn the rod to reset the numbers for the trip.
 
Thank you Tom,
I do intend to remove the speedo, but the 3rd and last time I took the dash plate off I swore I would never do it again until I found an original, the truck came with a junk re pop that doesn't fit, I now have an original that needs replating, it was with your help that identified it as such.
Thanks again, Brian.
 
There is an article on disassembly of the Model "A" speedometer, with an exploded diagram of both the oval and round speedometers, on pages 113-114 of Volume 7 of "How to Restore Your Model A" that might be of help.
 
I never think about setting the tripmeter till I'm already driving. I never tried to see if the darned thing even works properly. Next time out.
 
How are you trying to reset the trip meter? It is not a button, like newer cars, it is a shaft that must be pulled out, then turned to reset the numbers back to zero, in numerical order, that is to say, not in one quick movement. When the numbers are back to zero, then the shaft must be pushed back in to engage the gear set again.
 
Same prob when i bought my car back in time.
I took speedo out and found an axle to be slided sideways out of the speedo.
I pushed in the bearing and the axle again and it worked for a while and came out again. I took it apart, lubed everything and glued in the bearing this time.
No probs ever since.

Just take it out of the car and have a look !
(I fixed it, but i still have no idea how it works).

good luck
Christoph

btw : Good advise by "2many" .
 
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