NEW GPS Speedometer

[belfert]

When I bought my bus the speedometer was all screwed up and the speed was way off.  I ended up stopping at a Walmart and buying a handheld GPS for about $100 to use as a speedometer for my trip home.  I figured $100 was cheaper than getting a speeding ticket.

[gus]

Gary, I only went to the Garmin when the moving map came out because it was the first one. Otherwise the Magellan was fine.

I still don't like the Garmin aircraft GPS logic, it is not as intuitive to me as others but now I'm used to to it and too old to change!

[pabusnut]

Finally got pictures of the new speedometer!

[Gary W]

Hi Steve
I installed the same one in my bus last fall.  I'm down in Phoenix now over 1900 miles on it works great. Just lost the speed reading going through a tunnel , as soon as we came out of the tunnel it picked right up. I mounted the antenna on the roof for a good signal.


Gary

[belfert]

Hi Steve
I installed the same one in my bus last fall.  I'm down in Phoenix now over 1900 miles on it works great. Just lost the speed reading going through a tunnel , as soon as we came out of the tunnel it picked right up. I mounted the antenna on the roof for a good signal.

How did you mount your GPS antenna on the roof?  How did you seal the cable so you don't get a leak down the road?

I really need to do this so I don't lose the GPS signal so often.  My roof at the front is fiberglass for the first five feet or so and it has been suggested I could just mount it under the fiberglass and it would work just fine.

[pabusnut]

Brian,

My roof just above the driver is steel, so the magnet works great.  I just ran the wire down the outside of the roof, and in through a hole I drilled in the rubber around the drivers side window.  I sealed it up w/ clear silicone.  I also put some clear silicone under the magnet, for some extra stick(belt and suspenders approach)!!  You might try a painted steel plate riveted and glued to the fiberglass, and then silicone like I did.  I would definitely put it on the top of the roof though.  On mine, I have it wired so that as soon as I turn on the battery switch, the speedometer is powered, so that I don't have to wait to acquire the satellites.  Now that the air bags don't deflate(at least the back ones), I don't have to wait as long to build air pressure, before I can go.

Unfortunately, I still don't have the bus inspected, as they said that my steering ram is leaking, and it has slop in it, so it still fails inspection.   When my wallet recovers from their bill for fixing the brakes, installing 2 air bags& leveling bags, and a couple of wheel lugs---I will get the parts to fix the steering and do it myself.  They did find that the one of the rear slack adjusters was all the way backed off!  The brakes really stop now!

I want my rig to be safe even if the interior build out has to slow down to do it.

Steve

[fraser8]

It looks like the perfect speedometer for the 48 Chev Panel I'm building. I won't need to fool around getting a proper gear for the cable. Thanks for the link.

[wg4t50]

I use the Garmin GPS, besides the speed, distance, it also keeps my favorite stops, I know where they are, but it gives the miles to it.  Many features, hard to make a trip without it.
Dave M