Short lower speedometer cable rubbing against tire

[axh174]

Can anyone with the short lower speedometer cable show me their setup? Mine appears to be rubbing against the tire.

When I bought 2234, it still had the longer lower speedometer cable. The speedometer really only started registering your speed when you got above 7mph, but functioned well enough that I didn't label it a high priority concern. I was aware of the stories of the longer lower cable possibly binding and causing things to snap, so I finally sprung for the shorter lower speedometer cable and installed it.

However, a short while after I installed it, I started hearing a "tire squealing" sound, almost like I was taking a turn too fast. I wasn't quite sure what it was, and thought maybe I had hit something and needed an alignment. When I went took the front tires off to do some other work up front, I found out the outer jackets of the cable had been worn through and exposed the metal tube core of the speedometer cable.

I'm going to guess this isn't supposed to happen.

To protect the cable, I wrapped it in electrical tape, then applied liquid electrical tape on top to seal it, and finally tied the cable away with a zip tie. But it doesn't seem to be doing the job entirely, I still hear a slight squeal when I make a hard left.

Is there a different cable bracket for the shorter lower speedometer cable I should be using, or do I need to just be more aggressive with my zip ties?

I wish I had a better picture, but this is the best I have at the moment. The slightly wet-looking area on the cable is where I applied liquid electrical tape to cover up the exposed metal core.

IMG_3873.jpg

[David T]

You don't have the bracket that attaches to the brake caliper and holds the speedometer cable away from the tire and takes some of the stress off of the angle drive. Looks like a bent up piece of wire. Ge the bracket.

[axh174]

Hi David,

I went looking around on the DMCH site. Just want to confirm, is this the bracket you're referring to?

110528.JPG

Thanks!

[Jonathan]

That's the one. If I'm not mistaken, they had a tendency to break, out on the thin loop portion, not the base. I believe they used them on early cars and then went to the little plastic clip style for simplicity. That's a bit of a guess though. I have one of those loop brackets also, but have still not installed it, as it needs to have the flexible brake line disconnected on that wheel to allow it to go through the bracket when putting it in.

Have you ever used the little plastic clip version? This one: http://store.delorean.com/p-7329-pipe-clip.aspx

I never had any trouble with the cable rubbing on the wheel, or maybe I did and didn't realize it. I did have speedo problems galore early on and maybe that lower cable coming out of the angle drive at a bad angle was the cause. I went with the one piece speedo cable a while ago and it's been good since.

Have you tried to pull some of the slack inside the car, through the wall where the grommet is and keep it hidden under the footwell behind the carpeting in some way?

[dn010]

I have the version with the plastic clip and I still needed to tie-wrap the cable out of the way. It seems the only thing the clip does is support the cable where it connects to the angle drive. The cable rubbing the tire wouldn't cause a squeal sound so if you hear something loud you might investigate further. Do you have the original tire size installed?

[axh174]

I believe they used them on early cars and then went to the little plastic clip style for simplicity. That's a bit of a guess though.

Have you ever used the little plastic clip version? This one: http://store.delorean.com/p-7329-pipe-clip.aspx

Have you tried to pull some of the slack inside the car, through the wall where the grommet is and keep it hidden under the footwell behind the carpeting in some way?

Hi Jonathan,

The little plastic clip is what I currently have. That was the setup with the longer lower speedometer cable when I bought 2234. 2234 was mostly stock when I got it, and it had a lot of the earlier VIN characteristics. So when I saw the loop-bracket on the DMCH site, I assumed they were for the later VINs with shorter cables and not the earlier ones?

I briefly tried pulling some of the slack inside the car, but admittedly didn't give it my all. Since I'm still making use of the Lambda counter, I was concerned the angling of the cable through the wall, under the carpet, and up to the counter would be too great. I can try again to pull more in.

The cable rubbing the tire wouldn't cause a squeal sound so if you hear something loud you might investigate further. Do you have the original tire size installed?

Hi dn010!

I have the original tire size installed, yes. I assumed the squeal was from the cable because when I started investigating, the lower speedometer cable jacket had been worn through and was now showing the metal core. Looking at the inside wall of the tire, I notice a rub mark all around the rim. I figured metal-on-rubber might make the sound. Perhaps I still need an alignment or maybe the tire pressure is low. Definitely something I will look into further, though. Thanks for the heads up!

As for the rub-mark, I'm not terribly upset at it because the tires are at their end-of-life and need to be replaced. Obviously, I'd like to get this sorted out before I put new tires on.

[Rich]

.....
I have the original tire size installed, yes. I assumed the squeal was from the cable because when I started investigating, the lower speedometer cable jacket had been worn through and was now showing the metal core. Looking at the inside wall of the tire, I notice a rub mark all around the rim. I figured metal-on-rubber might make the sound. Perhaps I still need an alignment or maybe the tire pressure is low. Definitely something I will look into further, though. Thanks for the heads up!

As for the rub-mark, I'm not terribly upset at it because the tires are at their end-of-life and need to be replaced. Obviously, I'd like to get this sorted out before I put new tires on.

The other way a front tire can show some rubbing on the inner sidewall is if either of them interfere with the front sway bar at full steering lock.

You may have both a cable interference situation (which you see as cable jacket wear), as well as tire-swaybar interference.

Easily checked - see if the sway bar finish is shiny/worn where either of the tire sidewalls would rub against it. Am not sure that would make any sound - it may depend on the texture of the sidewall.

[David T]

You really should have that bracket with the wire loop, not that plastic clip. Not sure about the short vs long cable re the bracket. Check with your favorite vendor as to which way to go. You do not want to see any stress on that angle drive and you don't want the cable to rub on the tire. It should be checked with the wheel all the way up and all the way down and all the way to the left and all the way to the right. The brackets do break and I believe in part because the cable is too short on some cars. With repeated bending (because the cable is too short) eventually the flexing breaks the bracket. Not because of a faulty bracket, the problem is the cable.

[axh174]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll grab one of the wire brackets and also check for tire/sway bar interference and let everyone know what I find.

[jackb]

Can someone share a picture of what a properly routed cable looks like going through an unbroken bracket?