78710.18 miles - Dr. Bob 02/00-??

Speedometer Blues!
 Back on a  very cold  (15º F) and slushy January night, I was coming home from a meeting and I noticed that the speedometer was reading zero! I hoped for the best, but suspected the angle drive had finally gotten me.

By March things had warmed up enough to take a look and see what really was going on. I jacked up the car and removed the left wheel to take a look. When I unscrewed the speedo cable from the angle drive, water came out of the cable! It had probably frozen that cold Jan. night! When I turned the wheel side of the angle drive by hand it felt "jerky" and made some horrible gear grinding noises. I suspected the worst!  I tried to remove the inside wheel bearing nut that holds the angle-drive. Even with the brake caliper removed (and supported by some rope from the A frame to take the strain off the brake line) I could not get my crescent wrench on the nut! I measured it (36 mm) and put everything back together. I called PJ Grady and Rob said I needed a crowfoot wrench and a long extension to get the nut off. Replacement angle drives are $170 (+$80 core charge) for one they rebuild with hardened steel gears -- Better than New! For that money I want to be sure it's the angle drive!

In April I thought I had things solved! I followed a Snap-On® truck to a service station and tried to buy a 1-7/16" Flank Drive® crowfoot wrench for a ½" socket (part # GAN8508-23A)  to match my torque wrench. He didn't have it, but I ordered it and it came a day or two later. Don't buy this tool! The socket is too thick (nearly an inch) and there isn't enough room to get it on the nut! PFUI! I should have gotten the thinner, open-end crowfoot instead! I need to call the Snap-On guy and order it!

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