Looking to Replace Broken Tach Cable

[Nick in Manitou]

I have a broken cable between the port Detroit 8-72TI and the Glendinning synchronizer unit which is in the starboard engine room.

I have read on various threads on the forum that a lot of the cables discussed have square ends, but the ends on the cable I need are round with a key and the end at the synchronizer has a shoulder on it. (see photo, below)

Is this something that I might be able to have made up at a local shop? Do I have to replace both the cable and the housing/sleeve/casing? Would the older trucks with Detroits in them use the same style cable?

The drive housing on the back of the engine does not look like the drive units shown in the Glendinning manual so I am wondering if they are Detroit parts.

Through reading other posts on the forum I figured out how to reposition the drive unit so that the cable will not have to bend so sharply and the cable should not have a problem once I get a replacement.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Glendinnng is just a phone call away.

 

[dsharp]

Any decent sized instrument shop can make you a new cable. The ends come in a kit with a set of crimpers. They should be able to make one while you wait. I think Stewart Warner made the kit. If the outer cable is in good shape you only have to replace the inner cable. Take the inner cable with you. There are several diameters of drive pins

 

[Nick in Manitou]

Robert, in a previous thread about tach cables someone posted that Glendinning sent them to a local speedo shop. I have not reached out to Glendinning myself yet.

Dsharp, thanks for the info. It has been many years since I was working on cars from the 50's and 60's and was assuming that local shops probably didn't do that sort of work anymore.

Nick

 

[dsharp]

Texas industrial Electrics in San Antonio has several diagrams of drive tangs with dimensions.

 

[Scarlett]

If that is the tach drive, which it looks like, I got one from Acadian Transmission in Louisiana.

 

[Nick in Manitou]

dsharp and Scarlet,

Thanks for the suggested sources.

I will remove the cable housing tomorrow so that I can measure it carefully and on Monday I will make calls to see if I can purchase the correct cable once I know the length.

Nick

 

[Nick in Manitou]

As the boat is on the market and there is some active interest, I decided to call Glendinning first to ensure that I got the correct cable and to eliminate, as much as possible, the opportunity for me to wait for delivery - just to find out that I had ordered the incorrect item.

So, just as others had said in previous posts, the folks at Glendinning were very responsive and knowledgeable. AND, contrary to what I thought I had read, they do carry the cables.

They convinced me that it made the most sense to order the inner and outer components because the failure of the flexible drive cable may have damaged the old housing.

The part should be shipped tomorrow.

By the way, they call the model of cable that I have, an "X -Drive" cable. The tips are both .187" (3/16") in diameter.

Nick