OT Odometer Question

Sam from WA · Feb 5, 2011

I know it's illegal to reset the odometers in rigs, but I'm gonna be putting a new (used) instrument cluster in my '89 F150 (the printed circuit board on the back burned up). But I want the odometer to read the correct number of miles the truck has on it. Is there an easy way of setting it to what the old one read? I was thinking of just sticking a drill in the drive end and spinning it till it matches the old one.

Old Roy · Feb 5, 2011

Are you talking about the digital odometer ?

If you notice when you back up it still registers the speed and adds miles. a drill may make it move 3 MPH so I'd think it wouldn't be feasible to do that way.

I believe a shop that calibrates them could change the numbers and they could verify the mileage.

Ask A state trooper where they get them done .

Bob · Feb 5, 2011

OMFG, you are worrying about the odometer reading on a 323 year old vehicle???

SIMPLY record the mileage of the old cluster vs. the new one and move on with life!

Goose · Feb 5, 2011

Most digital odometers simply display the miles that are stored in the vehicle's computer.

In other words, the computer records the miles and the digital odometer displays whatever the computer tells it to.

Why worry about it on an '89 pickup? I have an '89 Chevy pickup that showed 259,000 miles when I bought it on an auction. When I drove it home from the auction, I found the odometer was stuck on 259K. I have no idea how many miles it actually has on it.

I put a different odometer in it. It now shows 97,000. It's healthy mechanically, looks good, and does what I want it to, so I have no plans to get rid of it, but when I do I'll sell it TMU, at least 275K. I only put 3K to 5K miles per year on a pickup anyway.

Sam from WA · Feb 5, 2011

The truck has less than 70,000 original miles on it, I know this to be true because it was my grandpa's truck before he died in 1993. Grandma never drove it, but to go out to the barn every once in a while. I'd just like the odometer to read out what its supposed to. It's not an electronic digital odometer, so there is no computer whatsoever. The speedo is all mechanical.

Old Roy · Feb 6, 2011

Thx goose I really didn't know how the digital ones worked.
I know the Big International tractor I ran the mechanic had the dash apart and I remember a series of micro switches on the back of it .
Don't know what they were for I just assumed it was to change numbers or to calibrate it for different size tires .

Bob · Feb 6, 2011

Not that I've ever DONE this, you understand, but typically it's pretty easy to pop the little wheels out of place and clock 'em anyway you want 'em.

Practice on a spare first, you'll quickly "get the hang of it".

John M · Feb 6, 2011

Theres only 5 numbers and the 10ths, so you dont have to worry about it showing anything over 99999, if its like my 89. Id say if its close to your mileage and hasnt gone over, run it up with the drill. OR you could do like in SC, go to hwy dept and request a sticker for unrecorded mileage, I think its called. You record the current mileage on the truck, the mileage on your replacement and put the sticker they give you in the door. Another option, Ive heard LMC truck will set them on new ones, you have to send the old one first.

GordoSD · Feb 6, 2011

Set the Odo in a jig on your drill press. Set the press to highest speed. It's going to take hours but you can get it done. At 100 mph it will take 10 hours to add 1000 miles.
They do work backwards also.

Gordo

John M · Feb 6, 2011

Someone told me that once, and to prove them wrong I drove backwards for at least 1/4 mile. Odomenter never changed.

OT Odometer Question

Sam from WA

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Old Roy

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Bob

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Goose

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Sam from WA

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Old Roy

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Bob

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John M

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GordoSD

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John M

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