'90 Speedometer now reads way off than before

[RangerReviver1990]

So, for context, when I bought my '90 back in '20 or '21, it came with this quote large 31 inch all terrains and they've been pretty good, but they did make my speedometer off by 2-3 mph around 45-55 and the 5mph, anything over 60, I've definitely gotten used to it. But recently, when I flushed my radiator and was driving around the Outer Banks for a couple hours to get all the cruise out of my cooling system, I didn't think anything was wrong with the truck, but the next day or maybe the day after that my speedometer was even more inaccurate than it had been, and I'm guessing around that time the speed sensor in my transmission went bad or started to fail because it would shift between 3rd and overdrive constantly. But yesterday was especially terrible. Idk if I stretched the cable out or something but I was driving down the highway was looking down at my Speedometer and it was reading 45mph but I was going closer to 65-70, because I know my truck usually runs at 2k rpm at that speed. Anyway, replaced the speed sensor (which was the biggest pain in my ass ever), the 19-tooth gear that was in it was still pretty good, I just stuck it on the new one and stuck the sensor into the transmission, but now there's like a, almost clocking or flapping noise coming from the dash, and I know it's probably because I accidentally pulled on the cable and it's probably not seated correctly, but like, at the same time, I'm still bummed that I wanted to fix this speed sensor, but it ended up making my speedometer even more horrendously inaccurate and now I think I messed up my speedometer cable. What would you guys do, In my situation?

 

[scotts90ranger]

For one you need one less tooth on your speedo gear to get your speedo reading closer.

For two either you need to lube the cable or there's something wrong with your speedo itself maybe corrosion in there...

 

[SenorNoob]

On a 90 the sensor has no effect on speedometer operation.

Cable lube is a commonly overlooked maintenance item. I end up giving mine a little spray every 9 months or so. It'll start binding in cold weather and make the speedometer jump between 30 and 60 at like 5mph... Kinda funny actually.

Sounds like you may have a cable with a broken fiber scraping the sheath.

 

[RangerReviver1990]

On a 90 the sensor has no effect on speedometer operation.

Cable lube is a commonly overlooked maintenance item. I end up giving mine a little spray every 9 months or so. It'll start binding in cold weather and make the speedometer jump between 30 and 60 at like 5mph... Kinda funny actually.

Sounds like you may have a cable with a broken fiber scraping the sheath.

Well mine for the longest one would start wobbling at 55 or so if I wasn't giving it much, just enough to get up to cruising speed. But now that you mentioned the fiber scraping the sheath. When it hits around 20-25 miles an hour. You can really start to hear the tapping, and I can see that Everytime the tapping is made, the needle jumps a little bit. I was just gonna take the cluster out after work and see if it's not in all the way, but I might either put some oil on it or just go find a replacement. I maybe tugged on it a little too hard trying to get the new speed sensor on, because it really did not wanna go on, I had to wiggle it back and forth for like 15 minutes to get it to a point I could slide the pin in

 

[SenorNoob]

The cable should be anchored to the firewall right by the gas pedal. Unlikely you damaged anything farther up by pulling unless you pulled the cable through the sheath.
Get that firewall anchor off and it'll be much easier to remove the cable from the speedometer. I don't think I ever bothered putting mine back.