Dash Dials - AWOL nut

[White S3]

Just had the dash out again to sort out the speedo that wasn't working (job achieved) but in the process of rebuild, I dropped one of those sodding little dial retaining nuts that fix the dial into the dashboard by the "U" bracket, never to be seen/felt again and hasn't been found by magnet fishing - Dhoo!

Anybody know what size nut it is as it definitely isn't an M4? I don't have anything that small and I daren't remove another in case it goes down the back of the dash as the last one did.

[phillpot]

Just tried an M5 on a spare gauge, feels a bit loose, might do the job as it doesn't exactly need to be tight?


A rummage in my odds 'n sods box has found some nuts that feel a better fit, no idea what they are, UNF, BA?

Happy to pop a couple in the post if you let me have your address.

[GreenV8S]

I suspect you'll find it's #10 - 32 UNF or something like that. An M5 x 0.8 will be a rattling fit on that but close enough to sort of thread on.

[TwinKam]

GreenV8S said:

I suspect you'll find it's #10 - 32 UNF or something like that. An M5 x 0.8 will be a rattling fit on that but close enough to sort of thread on.

This ^^.
It won't be metric, that's for sure.

[RECr]

Usually the mounting nuts on those old Smiths type dials are 2BA.

[phillpot]

RECr said:

Usually the mounting nuts on those old Smiths type dials are 2BA.

Stewart Warner gauges, being of American origin my money is on UNF

[RECr]

10-32 it is then! Looking at the picture again the hex size does look a bit small for BA nuts

[White S3]

Thanks all. Definitely not M5 or M4 but smaller! I think an old imperial size was used on the 80’s Smith’s gauges. Rummaged around and robbed one from a spare volts gauge I had lying around. Dash all back together but but still AWOL. Recommend you don’t try to fit blind by dropping steering column to save time - it’ll go wrong unless you have tiny fingers and endoscope!

[phillpot]

White S3 said:

I think an old imperial size was used on the 80’s Smith’s gauges.

Glad you're sorted but shouldn't be a Smiths gauge if your car is an S3?