What is this on a 120 yo car?

[ZesPak]

Just watching a Fully Charged video on a car (EV) from 1901, at 4:19 in the video they do a close up of the left front wheel.
Those two gears there, anyone any idea what they are for? I'm usually quite good at picking it up, but they didn't mention it anywhere in the video and I'm a bit stumped tbh.
My first thought would be some sort of odometer, but I don't see an obvious window to read the rotations there.



Btw, doesnt seem present on any other wheel.

[NomduJour]

Is it missing a cable drive out of the top?

[ZesPak]

All the electrostuff was in the back so still wouldn't know what this does then?

[normalbloke]

Oiler or greaser? Early portal axle?….

[thebraketester]

Dyno for regen braking?

[ZesPak]

normalbloke said:

Oiler or greaser?

I was thinking that, but then what does it grease? It's own cogs?

thebraketester said:

Dyno for regen braking?

I'd say you use the electromotors for that, they are already there and connected to the batteries. This is so tiny though it won't do anything anyway.

[NomduJour]

ZesPak said:

All the electrostuff was in the back so still wouldn't know what this does then?

I mean a physical cable drive for an odometer or speedometer or something.

[Gary29]

NomduJour said:

I mean a physical cable drive for an odometer or speedometer or something.

Seems the most logical guess to me. The little 'nipple' looking thing sticking up, looks a bit like a schrader valve. The speedo drive cable deteriorated and has been removed? No idea, but it seems logical.

[thebraketester]

ZesPak said:

normalbloke said:

Oiler or greaser?

I was thinking that, but then what does it grease? It's own cogs?

thebraketester said:

Dyno for regen braking?

I'd say you use the electromotors for that, they are already there and connected to the batteries. This is so tiny though it won't do anything anyway.

Sorry. I neglected to read the OP I didn't realise is was EV.

Probably a speedo gear system with I guess something missing.

[ZesPak]

Gary29 said:

NomduJour said:

I mean a physical cable drive for an odometer or speedometer or something.

Seems the most logical guess to me. The little 'nipple' looking thing sticking up, looks a bit like a schrader valve. The speedo drive cable deteriorated and has been removed? No idea, but it seems logical.

That makes sense. Any schematics on how such a thing would work? It peaks my interest.

[Allan L]

I can say that aftermarket speedometers/odometers were usually driven by similar gears on a front wheel, via a cable. The ratio of those gears could be arranged to reflect the tyre size - but only the tyre size, whereas the later idea of driving from the car's gearbox tailshaft puts the final drive ratio into the equation.
In your photo the cable is missing and it isn't clear how it would connect to what's there, but my guess is as above.

[davettf2]

Is it just a revolution counter. A cheep and, at that time, an efficient way to record distance travelled.

[Richard-D]

Wheel speed sensor for ABS/DSC system.

[tapkaJohnD]

I've no idea, but Google Image search finds this on a Model T Ford:


Yes, it's for a speedo drive.

JOhn

[ZesPak]

Thanks all, seems like my initial thoughts weren't too far off. Didn't think of the nipple being an outlet for a cable though.

[cpszx]

Richard-D said:

Wheel speed sensor for ABS/DSC system.

obviously owned by a PH driving god who doesn't need those new fangled safety contraptions interfering with their car control mastery hence why they disabled it by removing the cable

[Wacky Racer]

A 90 degree angled Speedo drive.

I had one on my Westfield and Tiger Supersix

Still got it in my garage somewhere, (VDO make)

[lowdrag]

Things have no better in today's world. We have two Mercedes 204's in the family, one being a Classic and the other Avant Garde. One has 16" wheels, the other 17". In one, it is 17 kms to the golf club and back, the other 16 kms. But the cogs are definitely for mileage I reckon. Do you remember the counters we had on the front wheel of our bikes with a little cog and a tell-tale attached to a spoke?

Edited by lowdrag on Sunday 15th October 02:20