I purchased a new face for the speedo on my 2011 Mini and cannot figure out how to pull the speedo needle off. The needle is orange with a silver cap/top in the center.

Is there screw or something under the silver cap that hold the orange needle on or is it one piece and if so how do you prie it off.

thks

ron

 

In past cars.. (and I've pulled apart a lot of VDO clusters in my day..)..

I've used a fork.. padded in blue painters 3m tape.. Pry up...

I've also used two butter knives as a wedge to pull the needle up. Again, protecting everything with blue 3m tape.

Be careful in putting the needle back on. I prefer to turn the car on... (With the cluster installed).. and carefully place the needle back on zero... If you screw it up your speedo will be off my that amount of placement error and mock you until you fix it.

 

danjreed - thanks for the info especially about resetting the needle and driving the car before you put the face back on. I would have missed it for sure.

Putting the new checker board face in my Mini was really a pain. I initially thought all I had to do was get the trim then the plastic glass off and stick the new face to the original face. Not true, I had to remove the white face too. But the hardest part was getting the needle out. The shaft from the needle that fits over the rotating part of the speedometer is really long. I finally after using your fork method, took two Vise grips and pulled on the 2 small tabs on the center piece that the shaft attaches and was able to pull it off. What a pain.

I still have one major issue in that the yellow transparent piece that fits on the back (short side) of the needle came off and I cannot find it in the car. I heard it fall and it probably went somewhere in the dash. This could be a major problem in that I check on Sewell com for parts and you have to buy the entire speedo to get it. I guess I will be tearing into the lower dash.

Overall the checkered speedo looks good, now I have to do the Tach. Hope it is easier.

Again danjreed thanks for your help. If you know anyone who has a speedo for sale or torn apart let me know.

Soda 66

 

Good to hear you were able to get it off...

On past cars I get a "dead" (used) cluster to hack on first... I understand that it might not be easy to locate a later car's speedo..

Pics of the finished look? Where did you get the graphic overlay from?