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Callibrating Sierra Speedo

Tech Talk for Suzuki owners.

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Callibrating Sierra Speedo

Post by Highway-Star »

Mt speedo at the moment is perfect. However I've been spending allot of time on the net lately researching future gearing and tyre options. Anyway I think matching diff ratios and tyres to keep my current ratio 'perfect' is a PITA, and won't get my car where I want it.

I think transfer gears and tyres matched can work how I want it for actual drivetrain gearing. Anyway the problem with this is, the transfer gears do not affect the speedo. So I end up with a too highly geared 'post-speedo' drive train, if you get my drift.

I found this when I searched:
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... ting+speed

Which contains a link to:
http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,6150.0.html


Anyway an important picture is missing, and I can't see what is being talked about in the zuwharrie link. Does anyone know how to ajust the speedo for larger wheels (no bigger than 30, absolute max 31), with my standard 3.7 diffs. I am aware of people discussing getting new speedo faces made, this could be an option; however I havn't finilised what tyre I will eventually go with, and it could be a while before I will get to that point.

Just planning ahead, so I can 'perfect' where I'm heading with things. Thanks for any input.
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Post by MART »

I had to fit a ratio box in the centre of the speedo-cable , it cost $750 with calibration and complete thicker new cable , it is spot on with stage 4 gears , 4.88 diffs and 35 muddies , piece of mind , at least I can drive and not have the concern about wondering whether it is right , there is enough to look at as it is , Cheers Paul.
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Post by Gwagensteve »

Just buy a cheap GPS and use it as a speedo. doesn't matter what you do with gears and tyres it's always right.

I've been doing this for years.

Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
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Post by Highway-Star »

$750 is a tad more than I want to spend on fixing a speedo. I'm sort of hoping someone will enlitghen me on the method mentioned in the link I put above.

Ive been considering using a GPS, as long as I can set one up in the car that doesn't rattle or clutter the cab. The advantage with the GPS is it can be usefull for other things too. It would not be my first choice if there is another method that will work for less cost.
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Post by MART »

Just in regard to speedo , didn't really have a choice , no speedo check , no engineering or rego , just something to think about , Cheers Paul.
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Speedo Correction

Post by vk5hks »

My Speedo used to out with stock tyres by about 10kms..

Now with my 30's it is spot on....

My cable broke and i changed today....
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Post by built4thrashing »

im suprised more people havn't done what i did. if you have a spare dash to play with pull it apatr and you will find there are two adjustment arms that control the tension on the spring that regulate the speedo arm. All ya need to do is adjust the arms and then put it back together and test drive to check if it is adjusted enough. If its not pull it apart again and adjust it some more. then test drive again. Keep doing this untill you get it right then glue the adjustment arms in place. Its very time consuming and you will need to know either revs at a set speed or have access to a gps to get accurate speed when testing.


Mine is adjusted this way and it is accurate to a few kms at 100kmh with 31s even tho it hardly ever gets that fast.

dont ask me what way to adjust them as it was about 6yrs ago that i did mine.
1999 SQ625 Manual Grand Vitara. Lifted, Twin Locked, 31' Extremes, dual Batteries, Winch.
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Re: Callibrating Sierra Speedo

Post by BenT »

Highway-Star wrote: Anyway an important picture is missing
I think this is the pic you are looking for.

Image

I haven't tried it myself, but sounds like it works.

Ben
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Post by hyzook »

MART wrote:I had to fit a ratio box in the centre of the speedo-cable , it cost $750 with calibration and complete thicker new cable , it is spot on with stage 4 gears , 4.88 diffs and 35 muddies , piece of mind , at least I can drive and not have the concern about wondering whether it is right , there is enough to look at as it is , Cheers Paul.
I also had to do this to get mine engineered with 33's although I thought I the $450 I paid at Airco in Marrickville was a bit high :shock: I'm happy now :lol:
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Post by built4thrashing »

thats the arm i adjusted to do mine. wish i had that pic when i did it as i had to figure it all out for my self.. now its easy .
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Post by Highway-Star »

BRILLIANT!

Thanks Ben and Built4thrashing!!!

You say use a spare one; is there a significant risk of irreversible damage, or you just playing it safe?

I have access to dads GPS, thats how I know my current setup is only 1km/h out at 100km/h :) .

This now opens the door for me to mod my car via transfer gears not diff ratios, giving me better low range :D . Now I just need to get my car going again, then save enough money for the gears lift and wheels :cry: .

Thanks again, this is the best news I've had for a few days!
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Post by alien »

keep in mind this adjuster will not make the odometer read correctly with larger tyres though... so you cant use road markers or highway signage anymore =) haha youll overshoot every turn!

If you can - to test your adjustment - get someone with a brand new car to tow your zuk at speeds (use a radio between cars to communicate)... this way you're using their speedo and your GPS to check the zuks speedo... and towing is OK on back streets =)

I adjusted mine once for my 215/75s (stock is 205/70) - i moved it just a nudge (the amount of one of those ripples on the lever) and it was accurate to 50km/hr and slowly went out of whack until 90km/hr was actually 97km/hr... 100 was like 109ish.

but for city driving it was fine =)
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Post by Gwagensteve »

That confirms what I thought - the arm adjustment will only solve for one speed accurately. It's better than not knowing at all, but I still vote with a GPS. Most people change their tyre size or gearing a fair bit over the life of a car. A GPS is now pretty cheap and will always be 100% right.

One you know the error (and have the GPS on the dash with you) you tend to still use the sierra speedo because you know that 85=100kph for example.

I know not everyone can afford a GPS, but not everyone can afford speeding fines either.

Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
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Post by Highway-Star »

Yeah I figured it wouldn't fix the odo. I dont use them signs anyway. Biggest prob is I'll get inaccurate fuel efficiency figures because of the trip meter reading wrong. I consider my navigational skills quite good and have never relied on my odo for finding something. Its only when I have some useless tool navigating for me that I get lost.

I wont change my car unless I can get a good speed reading, Whether that means playing with that lever all day then testing it against dads GPS; or buying my own GPS, I want my car safely usable on road as well as off. I just dont like clutter in my car, and having a GPS in there will add to the already overcrouded standard wiring loom (next car will have no electrics, I meen none, hand start the lot!!!). I've still got to solve current electrical problems before I go after modifying anyway.
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Post by Gwagensteve »

Run it on batteries of you're that wire-o-phobic.

I have a 12v power socket on my dash on the same circuit as the cigarette lighter. There are a couple of unused plugs in behind a sierra dash too - one will be demister, which will be ignition on, but acc switched would be better for a GPS.

It doesn't rattle.

I hate clutter on dashes too, and would much rather a norskog GPS speedo, but the GPS is useful in the bush too.

I will be adding a boost gauge and a check engine light, but that's it.

Hand crank start? No electrics? What car? That's really suffering for your art! Have you ever hand cranked a car to start it? There's a reason why electric start was one of the first electrical additions in cars! Better hope you don't stall at the lights!

A better solution might be a diesel with an an air starter.

Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
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Post by Danzo »

hey guys, I am currently looking into this and if there is anyone that can do it under $400,
We did this years ago to a mates 4x4 and it only cost him $160. but the guy that did it isnt there anymore.
I was told there is a guy in springwood brisbane that does the correction gears on the cable and aparently its a little box of gears that can be changed to suit your needs. he uses a gps unit for accurate distance not speed, aparently he gets it within 2kmh of what it should be.
I was told it might cost around $200

Will post it here if I find him.
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Post by built4thrashing »

mines adjusted with the lever and its pretty damb close. its about spot on at 100km/h and is only out at lower speeds but its out on the legal side of the limit.
1999 SQ625 Manual Grand Vitara. Lifted, Twin Locked, 31' Extremes, dual Batteries, Winch.
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Post by Gwagensteve »

Danzo wrote:hey guys, I am currently looking into this and if there is anyone that can do it under $400,
We did this years ago to a mates 4x4 and it only cost him $160. but the guy that did it isnt there anymore.
I was told there is a guy in springwood brisbane that does the correction gears on the cable and aparently its a little box of gears that can be changed to suit your needs. he uses a gps unit for accurate distance not speed, aparently he gets it within 2kmh of what it should be.
I was told it might cost around $200

Will post it here if I find him.
I'm not arguing with anything except that distance vs speed on a GPS - The error should be exactly the same. I have found them very accurate at speed.

Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
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