Speedometer Cable for 99 BDM Pro Sport

[WildBillNick]

Speedometer quit working but I suspect a bad cable. Removed speedometer and cable from the cable housing going to front wheel Speedometer Drive Unit. I stuck the cable end into the speedometer and spun the cable. Speedometer showed to respond and move. However, cable end that inserts into front wheel Speedo Drive Unit seems buggerd or broken off. Cable may be broken off inside the front Speedo Drive Unit. I cannot tell for sure if that is a pin inside the Drive Unit or a piece of the cable itself. What ever is in there I cannot retrieve it with small needle nose pliers. See Pictures!
the cable itself measures 42 1/2 inches long, or it may suppose to be 43 Inches long if not broken off. Steel Braided Cable Housing screws into the front wheel Speedo Unit.

Question 1: Is there suppose to be a pin in the front wheel Speedo Drive Unit?
Question 2: Does anyone know if the cable is provided separately or is the cable and housing sold as one piece?
I attempted to contact Wild Steel Works, but they are closed until July 15th or maybe longer for relocation.
Question 3: Does anyone know of another supplier? I also checked with J&P Cycles but they do not list anything for a Big Dog and I do not know what would possibly cross reference to a "H a r l e y". I once attempted to ask the partsman at Stokers in Dallas for info for rear brake parts evn though they had a few Big Dogs on their show room floor, but the partsman was kinda shitty then he went into a rant about other bikes that he didn't want to support. So I wont deal with Strokers anymore although Rick Fairless and the girls there were pretty friendly.
I appreciate any help..

Billy

 

[chubs]

I don't believe there is a pin down in there. I think both ends should be "squared off" If I remember correctly, N A P A auto parts used to sell universal repair cables ( just the inner flex shaft) You might try there. Could you super glue a small finish nail head to that "pin" and maybe pull it out?

 

[WildBillNick]

I can give that super glue trick a try tomorrow afternoon. I don't hve a NAPA here in this small Podunk town but will try another source and see if they may have a cable. If that doesn't work, I may have to pull the front wheel off and remove the Speed Unit. Last resort I guess. Thanks Chubs! will get back to ya and let ya know what transpires.

 

[chubs]

I can give that super glue trick a try tomorrow afternoon. I don't hve a NAPA here in this small Podunk town but will try another source and see if they may have a cable. If that doesn't work, I may have to pull the front wheel off and remove the Speed Unit. Last resort I guess. Thanks Chubs! will get back to ya and let ya know what transpires.

Got the fingers crossed, hoping for the best! If I'm right, (every once in a while I get lucky,) IF that's a piece of broken cable I don't believe it'll be in there too awful tight.

 

[byrddog]

I've changed my speedo drive gear out twice. No pin in the gear drive. They are sold individually. The gear drive has to match your speedo ratio, and front wheel diameter. I would pull the gear drive and check operation, the cable broke for reason. I was able to find what I needed at dennis kirk.

 

[WildBillNick]

I've changed my speedo drive gear out twice. No pin in the gear drive. They are sold individually. The gear drive has to match your speedo ratio, and front wheel diameter. I would pull the gear drive and check operation, the cable broke for reason. I was able to find what I needed at dennis kirk.

 

[WildBillNick]

birddog, thanks for providing your info. Yep, the cable is broken off in the Speedo Drive Unit on the wheel. I have attempted to get it out with no luck. I did find a universal cable locally, and I will have to cut it, but still unable to get the piece out of the drive unit. As far as I can imagine now, I will have to remove the wheel and Speedo Drive Unit and replace it. I even attempted using a pair of pointed tweezers and still cant get ahold of the piece of cable enough to remove it.

 

[WildBillNick]

I've changed my speedo drive gear out twice. No pin in the gear drive. They are sold individually. The gear drive has to match your speedo ratio, and front wheel diameter. I would pull the gear drive and check operation, the cable broke for reason. I was able to find what I needed at dennis kirk.

I have called Dennis Kirk twice about the Speedo Drive Gear Unit. First off the Parts person didnt even know what a Big Dog was. Secondly I called their Tech Info Line and It just isnt that easy to explain to a parts person that Harley will interchange with my BDM. I would like to know how you obtained your drive unit from Dennis Kirk. They needed a part number from my old one. However, mine does not have a part number on it. Its been kind of like blowing in the wind and telling them I need a Speedo Drive Unit. Today's parts man doesn't know what interchanges with other bikes. It just like going into a car parts store. They are completely lost if they dont have a computer in front of them and then they still cant find it. It's been a week now and I still have not been able to find the part. Also, they Tech info guy at Dennis Kirk tells me that their is a Big Dog Forum that I can go to on the web and someone will be able to give me the part number. Pretty frustrating!

 

[byrddog]

Hello wildbill, part of owning an older bigdog is doing your own homework. I had to match the built-in spacer dimensions of the speedo drive that existed on my bike, along with speedo ratio, and front tire dia. with speedo drive's available in there catalog. Then give them a Harley part #. I know, sounds like fun, but the bike is well worth it to me.

 

[WildBillNick]

Yeah, Im still having probs with it. Got the Speedo Drive Unit installed and cable. Started riding and it lasted 3 miles and quit working. So, I took it all apart again. I took a drill and used the old Speedo cable with a drill and tested the speedometer. The speedometer checked to be good as the needle responded with the variable speed to the drill. I also pulled the cable out and checked both ends to make sure neither end was stripped. Then I left the cable in the housing hooked up to the front wheel Speedo Drive Unit and I spun the front wheel and I could see the cable spin around. I reinstalled the speedometer and hooked the cable back up to the speedometer and went for a spin and then the speedometer did not respond. So now Im not for sure exactly what the problem is . Maybe the new drive unit only lasted 3 miles, I dont know, but it sure is getting old after taking the speedometer off 4 times now.

 

[WildBillNick]

Finally after a month I fixed my speedometer problems. First, since my Dog is a older model, it has a Front Wheel Speedo Drive Unit. I obtained that from Ft. Worth Harley. Stache, at Ft Worth Harley was good about finding one for me from Drag Specialties. Secondly, I had to replace the Speedometer Cable. This was a little extra trial and error for me. I actually had to buy two universal cables and cut it to the correct length. This is where I admit that I messed up. I cut the first one just a bit too long because the nut wouldn't screw onto the speedometer head. But you only get one chance at it because there is only one drive end that comes with it. So I had to get a second cable and cut it correctly and then crimp the speedometer drive end on it to insert into the speedometer head AND so that the head nut will screw onto the speedometer head. The Drag Specialties Part Number is, DS-243849 ( Front Wheel Speedo Drive Unit) which is a manual drive unit and not electronic such as the newer ones. Mine is a 99 BDM ProSport. One other small but annoyance that I had to deal with was the small black strips that fit onto the bottom of the Dash Trim kept falling off when trying to reinstall the Dash Trim over the Speedometer and gas tanks. I took some black silicon and applied just a small amount and it doesn't take but just a thin layer to the very edge and inside of the Dash Trim to make the vinyl (or plastic) strips stay attached to the dash trim.Took me a little extra time as well because I went to Cali for vacation.