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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Speedo cable - over or under?

OK here is a simple question - TF-1500 LHD should the speedo drive cable go over or under the frame stiffener under dash tube?
Thanks

Rick
R.T. Walsh

Hi Rick,

Mine is over, but as you know I can't say that my TF is just the way it left the factory. I'll be interested in seeing what others have to say.
David Werblow

Mine is routed under the stiffener, but there seems to be quite a bit of slack. Lately I have been having erratic speedo readings. I greased it up last summer, but placed it back the way it was.
I too am keen to find out what Abingdon did.

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

erratic speedo is usually a sign of the inner cable having been stretched. A new inner cable will usually cure that problem. Greasing alone is not the answer. A new inner cable is not that expensive. Mine and others in our club were all doing that and the innner cable cured it.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

I brought this up to the top again, as Rick and I would still like to hear from one of you guys with an original unmolested TF. Cable over the top or under the stiffener??
Also, to Tom Maine, where do you get an inner cable only? Moss and AS do not list the inner cable.

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

wouldn't the inner cable be availabe at a bike shop ???
STEVE WINCZE

I got an inner cable a cupla mo.s ago from an auto parts store, Car Quest I think.
Al
A W Parker

Hi guys;
Would one of you fellows up above on this thread please explain in more detail how I can use bicycle shop cable to replace my inner speedo cable? I could not find anything specific in the archives. Or, Al's suggestion of a generic Car Quest cable. Do they come with the proper ends? If not, how does one set it all up? Thanks.

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

Hi Tom,
The mind is a terrible thing to lose. It's only been maybe 3 mo.s, but I'm not sure just what was done to fit the new "universal" cable to the TF. It cost less than $10, I'm quite sure, and must have required cutting. I may have salvaged (I'm pretty sure I did, now) one end fitting and had to solder it on to the new cable, after cutting. I think the new cable was smaller in dia., which worried me on how it'd work, and I had to wind some small dia. wire around it's end to fit the end fitting on. Solder, of course, didn't stick well to the inner cable, but with crimping the fitting, it held OK. My speedo now varies +- 2-3 mph at above 50, vs wild swings before.
A W Parker

Rich,

They sort of hijacked this thread; the question remains,
does the TF speedo cable go over or under the "roll" bar?
David Werblow

Yes! That question needs an answer too. I didn't want to be a pest with too many repeat questions. One of you "original TF" guys must know about the cable route.
And Al, thanks.

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

Well, Let's see - since I started this thread and the answer is still out there, I was thinking perhaps our friend from Melborne, Matthew Magilton, might be persuaded to look under the dash and take a look and/or a photo. Thanks in advance!
Rick
R.T. Walsh

Hi, In reference to erratic speedometers, I visited an instrument repair business last week with a group of MG restorers. They strongly advised against greasing the inner cable as the grease can migrate up the cable and into the speedo and do a lot of damage. They also said that the speedo reading pulsing can be caused by a kinked inner cable. A simple test for this is to remove the inner, lay it in a coil on a clean flat surface and turn one end with your hand. The coil should turn smoothly. If it is kinked it will 'jump' while rotating.
They had a lot of other advice on cables too long for me to note here.
Max Irvine

Back to the original question, not sure which way it goes, under or over, but the cable must go straight in and not be kinked.
Max Irvine

I think the bodies were dropped on with everthing in place, see fig R2 page R4 in the manual.
When I did my first rebuild in 1975 I ran the cables and harness under the frame as it was easier.
In 2000 I did another part rebuild and forgot.Did you know you can lift the chassis off the ground on the wiring harness!!!!!.
Ray
TF 2884
Ray Lee

My cable goes under. (RHD car with the speedo on the left). Cant guarrantee it has never been dismantled.

Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

Tom Norby: I know the answer you asked of Tom Maine. The company is APT Instruments in Minneapolis. They will make up nearly any kind of cable as long as they know the size and end types. www.gaugeguys.com

Lew Palmer
Lew Palmer

Lew P.
Thank you! It is nice to get a direct answer one time.
I will contact APT about my needs.

All the best.

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

This thread was discussed between 26/07/2011 and 04/08/2011

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