The Ford Barn

40larry · 04-25-2022, 07:21 PM

Is there any best choice for lubricant in our early V8 speedometer cables?
Thanks..............40larry

GB SISSON · 04-25-2022, 07:41 PM

To me it kind of depends... Full of old stiff grease, I put one in an old hubcap with a quart of marvel mystery oil over a camp stove on low... I later seperated the inner and outer cables, cleaned well and stuck with the Marvel. Some here like a thicker lube, even STP, but I like to keep it thin. Think the sewing machine oil that came with your mom's Singer.

Flathead Fever · 04-25-2022, 07:57 PM

For years and years at the phone company we used white lithium grease but that was before the synthetic greases. I would be tempted to use disc brake caliper slide grease. You want something that won't eventually rundown the cable. We had 400 vehicles in the fleet and were constantly greasing noisy speedo cables. We even had a bulk roll of speedo shaft cable so we could make our own when they broke. We had a fixture we put the cable ends in, then we smacked it with a big hammer, and it formed the square ends.

40cpe · 04-25-2022, 08:08 PM

Graphite. It is super slick doesn't harden and cake in the housing.

TJ · 04-26-2022, 10:16 AM

I've used white lithium or Syl-Glide synthetic

Tim Ayers · 04-26-2022, 12:11 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I made a home made mix when vendors were out. I used a mix of Super Lube and powered graphite.

https://www.super-lube.com/

ford35lh · 04-26-2022, 11:28 PM

When I built a self storage in 89' the steel curtain doors were just the
bare edge of the door against the inside of the track.
I wanted a grease that would not run down the track when the metal
building got hot in the summer.
I found Castle Muscle Grease. It has the color of lubriplate but it stays put.
It's an aerosol and I believe it is synthetic.

04-25-2022, 07:21 PM	#1
40larry Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 236	Speedometer Cable Lubricant Is there any best choice for lubricant in our early V8 speedometer cables? Thanks..............40larry

04-25-2022, 07:41 PM	#2
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,936	Re: Speedometer Cable Lubricant To me it kind of depends... Full of old stiff grease, I put one in an old hubcap with a quart of marvel mystery oil over a camp stove on low... I later seperated the inner and outer cables, cleaned well and stuck with the Marvel. Some here like a thicker lube, even STP, but I like to keep it thin. Think the sewing machine oil that came with your mom's Singer. __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)

04-25-2022, 07:57 PM	#3
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,095	Re: Speedometer Cable Lubricant For years and years at the phone company we used white lithium grease but that was before the synthetic greases. I would be tempted to use disc brake caliper slide grease. You want something that won't eventually rundown the cable. We had 400 vehicles in the fleet and were constantly greasing noisy speedo cables. We even had a bulk roll of speedo shaft cable so we could make our own when they broke. We had a fixture we put the cable ends in, then we smacked it with a big hammer, and it formed the square ends.

04-25-2022, 08:08 PM	#4
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,024	Re: Speedometer Cable Lubricant Graphite. It is super slick doesn't harden and cake in the housing.

04-26-2022, 10:16 AM	#5
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,037	Re: Speedometer Cable Lubricant I've used white lithium or Syl-Glide synthetic

04-26-2022, 12:11 PM	#6
Tim Ayers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 6,181	Re: Speedometer Cable Lubricant Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I made a home made mix when vendors were out. I used a mix of Super Lube and powered graphite. https://www.super-lube.com/ Last edited by Tim Ayers; 04-26-2022 at 12:36 PM.

04-26-2022, 11:28 PM	#7
ford35lh Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Upstate; The Real New York Posts: 444	Re: Speedometer Cable Lubricant When I built a self storage in 89' the steel curtain doors were just the bare edge of the door against the inside of the track. I wanted a grease that would not run down the track when the metal building got hot in the summer. I found Castle Muscle Grease. It has the color of lubriplate but it stays put. It's an aerosol and I believe it is synthetic.