VDO Electronic speedo install

[Hawkeye Pinz]

The original VDO speedo in my '73 710M isn't working all of the time, so I want to install an electronic speedo. How many of you guys have done this mod/upgrade, and is it difficult do do? Let me know of any bumps in the road you may have come across! Thanks in advance for the pointers

[David Dunn]

The installation is fairly straight forward. The easiest way to calibrate it is with a mile already marked off. If you change tire size, you just need to run the mile again. I've done 3 Pinzes and a Haf this way.

Dave Dunn

[Lightningpinz]

I agree with Dave it is straight forward and easy to do. I believe Patrick at CWRI's kit comes with a cable that locates the sending unit behind the dash, and most every other kit you install the sending unit on the top of the speedo drive on the front differential and run a wire to the new speedo unit. I could be wrong on CWRI's since I haven't installed on of their units in a while.

A measured mile works great for calibration, the unit is also set up for using a gps to modify up or the speed setting after you get it set. I LOVE MINE.

[Hawkeye Pinz]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a gps unit so a measured mile should't be a problem

[krick3tt]

I have been thinking about this mod but I have not seen any digitals that have the trip setting like the stock speedo. I may just take mine out and replace the glass and it will look like new. Is it possible to calibrate the stock one for the 33 inch tires I am using. MMMV

Morris,
710M

[David Dunn]

Morris
The VDOs have a tripmeter in them... the display toggles between them
Dave Dunn

[wd8cdh]

The VDO electronic speedo has a trip ODO. The button selects between the regular ODO and the trip ODO. And I had no trouble calibrating it to my 285/75R16 tires. I am using a GM sender but I had to machine an adaptor to fit the front diff.

[David Dunn]

I've had the speedo shop make pigtail adapters for the GM sender, to metric
Dave Dunn

[krick3tt]

Thanks to Dave & Ron for the answer on the trip ODO, that helps the decision process. Does the speedo from SAV just plug and play or will I have to 'adapt' it to the 710M? Does one out there, in that price, range just P&P?
My speedo works ok just taxes the mind to keep translating from kmh to mph. I just take the first number in kph drop the 0 and multiply by 6, real close to reality.
Or....oh, where can I get a stick-on mph decal?

Morris

[David Dunn]

Morris,
Some of the 710/12s did have labels on the speedos for miles.
SAV's kit is a metric sensor. But the last 2 I did on the Pick Cow and my Haffy, I used the pigtail..
As far as P&P, you still need to do the calibration, which is very simple.

As far as I'm concern, none of the original speedos are correct. Some don't give the right speed, odometer are off or broken, tripmeter are broke, or the speedometer doesn't work... not to mention, once you change tire size, well ,you know..

Dave Dunn

[Lightningpinz]

The last SAV speedo's I installed are "P&P" Then calibrate. The speedo adapter/transducer mounts on the speedo drive on the front differential and then run the cable to the speedo head and hook up wires as shown in the installation papers. Wire hookups are 2 lights in the gauge from the old one in the old speedo, an ignition power ( grab from breaker #12) and the wires from the cable supplied in the kit. So the only adaptation is hookup of wires that the original speedo didn't have since it was cable driven.

Best of luck.

[wd8cdh]

Morris,
<snip>
As far as I'm concern, none of the original speedos are correct. Some don't give the right speed, odometer are off or broken, tripmeter are broke, or the speedometer doesn't work... not to mention, once you change tire size, well ,you know..

Dave Dunn

And don't forget, most of the Swiss Pinzgauers have a right angle drive on the back of the speedo that forces an error in speed. At least removing the right angle drive improves the accuracy of the speedo.

By the way, you can have a speedo shop make a reduction drive so the stock speedo actually reads 0 to 100MPH instead of 0 to 100KPH if you want to keep a totally stock look. About a 1:0.61 ratio would work.