Speedo install. Where should this part fit?

[Tipidave]

I have a metal ring that I am guessing is used to prevent the speedometer clamps from damaging the back of the wooden dash… but it is already a tight fit to get the instrument back in… can anyone suggest how and where this is fitted? 

[Pete Lewis]

looks like the rim that sits under to space the glass from the dial 

Pete

[johny]

Mine are rings and you put it up under the dash and then feed all cables etc through it so they can be attached to the instrument. Then once the instrument is in place slide the ring over it up against the rear of the dash before doing up the clamps...

[Tipidave]

Thanks Jonny, I will have a fiddle and see how it works. When I get back from a trip with the car at the end of the month I am planning to replace the wooden dash and intend to fit the speedo on the bench which should be much easier than grovelling around with hands and wrists contorted

[Josef]

You’re right it goes over the speedo body and the clamps push up against it. It spreads the clamping around the rim of the instrument rather than concentrating it completely where the clamps contact the dash.

[Tipidave]

thanks Josef. It makes sense … I think I am going to assemble it on the bench when I install a new dash. Should be able to get it good and secure and then just take care not to bend/ stress the dash as it goes in. 😀👍

Edited June 11, 2023 by Tipidave

[Peter Truman]

interesting this ring is split, my Vitesse one's are a sealed circles, has it just broken or designed to avoid having to feed wires cables through? 

[Chris A]

I recently bought a second hand unit in kilometres to replace my miles one and it came with that ring, a complete circle. I didn't see one fitted when I removed the unit, although I must admit I wasn't looking for it. As I didn't know what it was for I haven't fitted it. NO, I'm not going to dismantle it to fit it.

[Colin Lindsay]

10 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

interesting this ring is split, my Vitesse one's are a sealed circles, has it just broken or designed to avoid having to feed wires cables through? 

It's split on the Herald so as to clamp on either side of the fuel gauge, which sits lower on the gauge and would make fitting more difficult up behind the dash if it was a circle. 

[Chris A]

8 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

It's split on the Herald so as to clamp on either side of the fuel gauge, which sits lower on the gauge and would make fitting more difficult up behind the dash if it was a circle. 

Do you mean on Heralds pre 13/60? The speedometer I bought is from a French 13/60. Whatever version should be fitted to a 13/60 I am definitely not going to go through the grief to fit it!

 

[Colin Lindsay]

1200s have the split ring but the speedo size is unique to that model so if it's smaller then as you say it's probably 13/60. 13/60s have two types, one a closed ring and one split; I suspect the closed ring may have been replaced with the split ring so that the gauge can be prewired when pulled out from the dash, then pushed back into place and secured from behind. You can do it with the closed ring but the wires have to be fed through first and it's a faff if you forget. Just a guess, but might be right. 

[Chris A]

51 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

. 13/60s have two types, one a closed ring and one split

That's good news, thanks Colin. I can now claim it is the wrong type therefore I shouldn't fit it 😁