Thompson Sales Explains Odometers

Not all odometers are created equal. For years and years, mechanical odometers have ruled the vehicle landscape. But before they were measuring the distance cars traveled on American highways, the odometer was nothing more than the thought experiment of an ancient Roman engineer, before becoming prototypes designed by Pascal and later by Benjamin Franklin. In today’s Thompson Sales Basics, we look at the ins and outs of odometers. 

The First Odometers

Though no one knows for certain whether the Roman engineer Vitruvius actually invented the odometer, he seems to be the first recorded person to imagine one. The first functional odometers were thought to be wheels that people used to gauge distances and survey land. Later, odometers were attached to chariots. When Benjamin Franklin wanted to measure the distances traveled by postal workers, he did so by attaching odometers to post office wagons. 

How Do Mechanical Odometers Work?

In recent years, the Thompson Sales team has noticed the transition from classic, mechanical odometers to electronic odometers. Most of the cars you would find today on the Thompson Sales lot will have electric odometers, but the old ones worked just as well. 

An odometer takes into consideration the circumference of your car’s wheels. During the manufacturing process, engineers design perfect gear ratios between odometers and transmission output shafts. The odometer should be geared down so that the final gear, a lever that moves your dial every 1/10 of a mile, rotates after a certain amount of rotations of your wheels. Different odometers for different cars will need different gear ratios because not all wheels rotate the same amount in 1/10 of a mile. 

How Do Electronic Odometers Work?

If you’ve purchased your car from Thompson Sales or any other new car sales dealership in the past ten years, your vehicle is fitted with an electronic odometer. In an electronic odometer, a sensor is placed inside the wheel itself. This sensor measures how many rotations the wheel has undergone and sends this signal back up to your odometer. 

Can Odometers Be Wrong?

Because all odometers are geared or wired for specific wheel and tire sizes, they can actually be incorrect. Though they will not be off by a substantial amount of mileage, a larger tire or extremely bald tire can throw off an odometer. 

Get Your Next Vehicle at Thompson Sales

When it comes to finding the right vehicle for your needs, nobody in Springfield, Missouri has the selection of high-quality new and pre-owned vehicles that Thompson Sales has. We’d love to help you get into your next car. Look us up and take home the car of your dreams today.If you feel like reaching out, feel free to give us a call at (417) 763-6811.