I have a '79 GS1000L (BOTM in June 2017), and had issues from the beginning with the speedo and tach needles looking old and faded and not in keeping with the rest of the bike that was basically brand-new. I finally had an issue with the speedo needle that broke off, so I have designed and 3-D printed new Speedo and Tach needles for it, and they came out pretty damn perfect IMO:
Here's what they look like installed on the bike:
Larger image: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1bi6T61m2qBhnpT87
The process to replace them is kind of tedious, but worth it IMO if your needles are anything like mine were - old, faded and brittle, and my speedo literally broke the end of the needle off, forcing this fix!
When replacing them, you need to crack the cases, which you will do with an oscillating cutter, razor knife of any other method that can saw through plastic. I made a gallery showing how mine came apart: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jAS2o1iTTxpFRb8Z6
Once the cases are split, start by marking the rotating "bell" at the back of each gauge with Sharpie, making a registration mark with the needle at "0" for each gauge so you can put the new needles on in the same place.
Once you've exposed the gauge faces, take two small flatblade screwdrivers and using the screws in the gauge face as fulcrums, pop or lift off the needles. If yours are anything like mine, they both broke when getting them off. This is no big deal, but you MUST save them because they contain counter weights that will be used in the new needle.
WARNING: Do this operation in an area that will allow you to find the part if/when it flies off the post at 200MPH!!! Ask me how I know...
If your needles came off intact, you do not need to remove the gauge faces and can work on the needles themselves. If your needles broke (which is highly likely), you will need to remove the gauge faces to remove the small brass cylinder (which is inside the plastic remains of the needle) that will still be on the gauge post.
To remove the gauge faces, begin by using a NEW #1 Phillips screwdriver to remove the two small Phillips screws. DO NOT USE AN OLD WORN OUT SCREWDRIVER FOR THIS OPERATION! The two screws feel like they were installed using Loctite on assembly, and you will need to use a new driver and lots of pressure when backing them out to safely remove them. If you do not heed this advice, they will 'cam out" and you will mar the screws. Trust me on this - once you mar those screws, you will stare at them every single ride until you source new ones. Ask me how I know...
Once the gauge face is removed, use your two flat blades again, placing them under the remains of the needle using the screw pads as the fulcrums to pry the remains of the plastic/brass cylinder off.
AGAIN - A WARNING: Do this operation in an area that will allow you to find the part if/when it flies off the post at 200MPH!!! Ask me how I know...
A NOTE ON CLEANING THE GAUGE FACES: If your gauges are anything like mine, the surface has various imperfections (mold, water spots, oil spots, etc.) and you will be tempted to clean them. BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL! I tried cleaning mine with water and VERY lightly rubbing to get some spots off, which didn't touch it, so I moved to Isopropyl Alcohol. Although it cleaned the spots, it also seemed to "loosen up" the brown coating on the face, which with very light rubbing with a new microfiber cloth started coming off on the cloth. Once you do htis, the gauge face is toast, as the backlighting will bleed through the face. You may want to resist the urge to clean the faces unless you have a "Plan B" - which I did - which was replacing the old face with a tach face from an old donor bike. I am considering designing and printing new custom faces to see what kind of quality I can get, so that that may be a future project that might render this issue moot and might lead to some cool designs. :- )
Once the needles and the brass post parts are removed, two parts need to be transferred to the new needles: the small brass post cylinder and the small metal half-moon shaped counterweight that is inside the factory needle itself. The replacement printed needles have been dimensioned to accept the brass post by simply pressing that in the center, and the counterweight will be super-glued in the same place (centered on the short end of the needle) on the backside of the needle.
Once you have assembled the replacement needles, go back to the gauges, reassemble the faces, align your registration marks for zero and press the new needles on the shafts, give them a tap to seat them, then reassemble the case halves using tape or a soldering iron to re-melt the plastic together.
NOTE ON USING A SOLDERING IRON: I don't know what kind of plastic Suzuki made the gauge housing out of, but it lets off NASTY fumes when re-melting the case back together. Make sure to use a fan to blow the smoke and fumes away if you use the soldering iron method.
I have made a bunch of these, so if you want a pair, just send me an email (which is my forum name "w******d" at gmail.com), and I will send them to you for the cost of shipping.
Here's what they look like installed on the bike:
Larger image: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1bi6T61m2qBhnpT87
The process to replace them is kind of tedious, but worth it IMO if your needles are anything like mine were - old, faded and brittle, and my speedo literally broke the end of the needle off, forcing this fix!
When replacing them, you need to crack the cases, which you will do with an oscillating cutter, razor knife of any other method that can saw through plastic. I made a gallery showing how mine came apart: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jAS2o1iTTxpFRb8Z6
Once the cases are split, start by marking the rotating "bell" at the back of each gauge with Sharpie, making a registration mark with the needle at "0" for each gauge so you can put the new needles on in the same place.
Once you've exposed the gauge faces, take two small flatblade screwdrivers and using the screws in the gauge face as fulcrums, pop or lift off the needles. If yours are anything like mine, they both broke when getting them off. This is no big deal, but you MUST save them because they contain counter weights that will be used in the new needle.
WARNING: Do this operation in an area that will allow you to find the part if/when it flies off the post at 200MPH!!! Ask me how I know...
If your needles came off intact, you do not need to remove the gauge faces and can work on the needles themselves. If your needles broke (which is highly likely), you will need to remove the gauge faces to remove the small brass cylinder (which is inside the plastic remains of the needle) that will still be on the gauge post.
To remove the gauge faces, begin by using a NEW #1 Phillips screwdriver to remove the two small Phillips screws. DO NOT USE AN OLD WORN OUT SCREWDRIVER FOR THIS OPERATION! The two screws feel like they were installed using Loctite on assembly, and you will need to use a new driver and lots of pressure when backing them out to safely remove them. If you do not heed this advice, they will 'cam out" and you will mar the screws. Trust me on this - once you mar those screws, you will stare at them every single ride until you source new ones. Ask me how I know...
Once the gauge face is removed, use your two flat blades again, placing them under the remains of the needle using the screw pads as the fulcrums to pry the remains of the plastic/brass cylinder off.
AGAIN - A WARNING: Do this operation in an area that will allow you to find the part if/when it flies off the post at 200MPH!!! Ask me how I know...
A NOTE ON CLEANING THE GAUGE FACES: If your gauges are anything like mine, the surface has various imperfections (mold, water spots, oil spots, etc.) and you will be tempted to clean them. BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL! I tried cleaning mine with water and VERY lightly rubbing to get some spots off, which didn't touch it, so I moved to Isopropyl Alcohol. Although it cleaned the spots, it also seemed to "loosen up" the brown coating on the face, which with very light rubbing with a new microfiber cloth started coming off on the cloth. Once you do htis, the gauge face is toast, as the backlighting will bleed through the face. You may want to resist the urge to clean the faces unless you have a "Plan B" - which I did - which was replacing the old face with a tach face from an old donor bike. I am considering designing and printing new custom faces to see what kind of quality I can get, so that that may be a future project that might render this issue moot and might lead to some cool designs. :- )
Once the needles and the brass post parts are removed, two parts need to be transferred to the new needles: the small brass post cylinder and the small metal half-moon shaped counterweight that is inside the factory needle itself. The replacement printed needles have been dimensioned to accept the brass post by simply pressing that in the center, and the counterweight will be super-glued in the same place (centered on the short end of the needle) on the backside of the needle.
Once you have assembled the replacement needles, go back to the gauges, reassemble the faces, align your registration marks for zero and press the new needles on the shafts, give them a tap to seat them, then reassemble the case halves using tape or a soldering iron to re-melt the plastic together.
NOTE ON USING A SOLDERING IRON: I don't know what kind of plastic Suzuki made the gauge housing out of, but it lets off NASTY fumes when re-melting the case back together. Make sure to use a fan to blow the smoke and fumes away if you use the soldering iron method.
I have made a bunch of these, so if you want a pair, just send me an email (which is my forum name "w******d" at gmail.com), and I will send them to you for the cost of shipping.
