Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: jor on September 18, 2016, 06:49:24 pm

Title: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on September 18, 2016, 06:49:24 pm
Our odometer went nuts and eventually quit. The speedometer followed suit. Both are now lifeless. In reading old posts I see that the replacement is VDO 437152. This model measures to 80 mph. The speedo in our rig was replaced with a model manufactured in 2001 and measures to 120 mph. It also has a very different VDO number (M211 012 073 and 01 112 261). I plan on replacing it with the 437-152. Any reason not to? Thanks.
jor

Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: wolfe10 on September 18, 2016, 06:57:24 pm
jor,

Perhaps there is someone here who has done this.  Don't know.

My advice would be to call VDO on Monday and ask. 
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: John Haygarth on September 18, 2016, 07:08:09 pm
my VDO odometer has quit and shows something like 999999 or so but speedo works fine. I also have a bum water temp gauge but as I use silverleaf I have not bothered with either so far but will. Let me know what you do with your speedo (and do not mean shorts!!)
JohnH
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Dave and Nancy Abel on September 18, 2016, 07:19:57 pm
Howdy Jor,  I replaced both my VDO speedometer and tach.  They set odometer and hours.  I used these guys.  Great service:
Part Number Collection (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=11472.msg228057#msg228057)
Good Luck, Dave A
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Barry & Cindy on September 18, 2016, 07:55:33 pm
John, ours are:

Speedometer: VDO Vision,  3-3/8,  VDO YS437-152D 85mph Tachometer:    VDO Vision,  3-3/8,  VDO TP333 162D 3000RP We also fine-tuned the speedometer setting with a GPS.
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on September 19, 2016, 08:29:10 pm
Thanks to all. I'm adding this to my list of projects to be completed when we get back home. For now, the GPS will have to do.
jor
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Caflashbob on September 19, 2016, 08:34:03 pm
At 60 mph you are 1/2 the 120's speedo range. Needle verticlel

On the 80mph one at 60 you are 3/4 of the scale. 

Your brain says you are gong faster

Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: krush on September 19, 2016, 10:03:14 pm
FT has many of these RV's wired so that full 12v goes to the light bulbs in the Tach and Speedo. This makes a lot of heat and I think leads to their failure (lots of people have had failures). I disconnected the mod when I installed new speedo and tach.
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on November 03, 2016, 07:30:01 pm
OP here. Ended up installing a new VDO 437152. The rig is up on the blocks so I can't test it but it does the needle sweep and displays the mileage (guessed at it). The other one sometimes displayed the last mileage and at other times only an error. I'm betting I'll have a speedometer next time.
jor
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Barry & Cindy on November 03, 2016, 08:52:42 pm
John, how did you set the odometer to your 'guessed' mileage?  Your new spedo looks just like our original and our replacement.
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on November 03, 2016, 09:12:30 pm
Quote
how did you set the odometer to your 'guessed' mileage?

I had the vendor do it.
jor
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: D.J. Osborn on November 04, 2016, 07:27:21 am

What vendor did you use for the speedometer?
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on November 04, 2016, 11:01:57 am
Quote
What vendor did you use for the speedometer?

Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: RRadio on November 04, 2016, 11:17:34 am
My speedometer failed intermittently so I messed with the wires on the back of it and the ground wire until it started working reliably again. It must have been a dirty connection or something. I just drove my coach 3,000 miles from Grand Canyon all the way to Maine with no speedometer issues. Have you checked the electrical connections?
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: krush on November 04, 2016, 01:10:23 pm
I bought a tach and speedo from these guys and they programmed both (mileage and hours) Nichols Speedometer & Instruments - Speedometers, Tachographs, Service and... (http://nsifleet.com/contact.php)

My post info here: VDO Speedometer Replacement (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=25313.msg200169#msg200169)
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on November 04, 2016, 05:48:40 pm
Quote
Have you checked the electrical connections?
Yea, that's the first thing I did. Matter of fact, I pulled and cleaned about every connection in the dash as well in an attempt to stop a beeping issue. Still working on that. I took krush's advice on the vendor and they have the best price. $109 for the speedo.
jor
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: kenhat on November 04, 2016, 09:33:39 pm
Howdy Jor,  I replaced both my VDO speedometer and tach.  They set odometer and hours.  I used these guys.  Great service:
Part Number Collection (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=11472.msg228057#msg228057)
Good Luck, Dave A
Thanks Dave! I'm been looking for a Tach and that's he best price I've seen. May have to get off my wallet and get one. :)

see ya
ken
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Lance Camper on May 31, 2017, 12:24:14 pm
FT has many of these RV's wired so that full 12v goes to the light bulbs in the Tach and Speedo. This makes a lot of heat and I think leads to their failure (lots of people have had failures). I disconnected the mod when I installed new speedo and tach.

I am about to repair/replace a second VDO speedometer (that I know of, PO replaced one). Speedometer still works, it is the odometer that went south.  looks like it has a date code of 2011. The tach has a date code of 2009 so it was replaced also in my 2000 U295. Mileage and engine hours are incorrect.

Krush if you read this could you give more information and the possible fix you found.

thanks
Ed
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on May 31, 2017, 02:24:45 pm
Our odometer went nuts and eventually quit. The speedometer followed suit. Both are now lifeless. In reading old posts I see that the replacement is VDO 437152. This model measures to 80 mph. The speedo in our rig was replaced with a model manufactured in 2001 and measures to 120 mph. It also has a very different VDO number (M211 012 073 and 01 112 261). I plan on replacing it with the 437-152. Any reason not to? Thanks.
jor
Send it in to the closest VDO facility. Not too expensive and quick turnaround. I used these guys at least a hundred times in my grey market business. Excellent Yelp reviews: North Hollywood Speedometer & Clock - Auto Parts & Supplies - 6111 Lankershim... (https://www.yelp.com/biz/north-hollywood-speedometer-and-clock-north-hollywood)

Pierce
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: jor on May 31, 2017, 03:12:02 pm
Quote
Send it in to the closest VDO facility.

This is an old post, Pierce. I ended up just buying a new one. They aren't very expensive. Worked great (once I understood that it needed to be calibrated!) Thanks.
jor
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Caflashbob on May 31, 2017, 03:15:56 pm
Jor I have a problem with 120 mph speedos.  This use is barely over half scale.

The 80 mph one LOOKS like you are going faster. 
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Dave and Nancy Abel on May 31, 2017, 03:16:24 pm
Howdy Lance,
 I replaced both my VDO speedometer and tach.  They set odometer and hours.  I used these guys.  Great service:
Part Number Collection (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=11472.msg228057#msg228057)
I believe they will repair units as well
Good Luck, Dave A
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Lance Camper on May 31, 2017, 04:18:05 pm
Since this is the second speedometer to expire in this coach. I want to see if I can keep the new one from having the same fate. Would anyone else know what Krush was alluding to in his previous post. "Disconnecting the mod"

Thanks Dave, I'm only 3.5 hours from Greensboro NC. Nichols Speedometer mentioned earlier in this thread is a VDO dealer there.

Ed
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: RRadio on June 03, 2017, 09:44:24 am
My speedometer quit again, then it worked, then it quit, then it worked... (sigh)... I think I'll contact a couple of these speedometer rebuilders before I buy a new one. I'll also ask them about the modification mentioned on this thread.
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on June 03, 2017, 10:40:45 am
Remember, It may be the sender or sender connections that are bad. Crawl under and check.

Pierce
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: John Morales on June 03, 2017, 12:23:08 pm
Pierce,
Where is the sender located on the transmission?  My speedometer works, but my odometer flickers
Thanks, John M
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on June 03, 2017, 01:31:06 pm
John,

Picture is worth a thousand words. See PDF below.

If your ODO has a problem but not the speedo, it may be in the speedo head assembly.

Pierce
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: John Morales on June 03, 2017, 02:12:32 pm
Pierce,
Big THANK YOU for you help.

John M
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Caflashbob on June 03, 2017, 02:29:30 pm
My original VDO tach hour meter area flickers at times and it's brightness varies.  Works fine otherwise
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on June 03, 2017, 02:38:37 pm
My original VDO tach hour meter area flickers at times and it's brightness varies.  Works fine otherwise
With a digital voltmeter, you might check the voltage coming into the illumination part if not an internal connection. Removable bulb? If so, check for corrosion. Even a little can make a bulb flicker. Otherwise, give VDO a call with the symptoms.

P
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: Caflashbob on June 03, 2017, 03:30:36 pm
I think it's an internally lit area.  Light is fine.  No flicker.  Just the digits themselves
Title: Re: VDO Speedometer
Post by: amos.harrison on June 04, 2017, 07:52:10 am
Both my odometer and hour meter were weak and on/off.  FT told me that was the sign of a failing gauge.  I had them replace both before our Alaskan motorcade.