Speedometer Issues

Hey team! I’ve been following this forum for a while and have been grateful many a times for the shared knowledge. it’s my first time posting, as I’m having trouble figuring this problem out on my own:
Last winter, on a freezing morning I started up the truck and heard a flapping noise behind the instrument cluster and the speedometer no longer worked, along with the odometer, and cruise control. Around this moment I got a code P0500 VSS as well. I replaced the VSS that plugs into the transmission, cleared the code, but it immediately came back. I used an app on my phone as a speedometer and a couple mechanics told me it wouldn’t cause any other issues and not to worry about doing it in a rush. I put it off till now! Until I started to get some transmission slippage on my rebuilt transmission I had put in 6 months ago… I looked into it some more and found a few sources stating that symptoms of a bad Vehicle Speed Sensor include transmission slipping, and that it affects the timing of the torque converter which can cause damage.
So now I am trying to fix the speedometer. I have removed the instrument cluster and taken apart the speedometer gauge, cleaned it with denatured alcohol. Inside of the gauge, the part that connects to the cable, I found small bits of broken white plastic and there is old, dark, thick grease. When using a screwdriver to turn the mechanism it still spins the silver disk, and although the copper disk seems to function, the silver disk spinning does not cause the copper piece to spin. (I will include some photos soon to illustrate this better).
I’m not sure what to do from here: - replace the gauge
- not sure how to check if the cable is functioning.
- replace or lube the cable.
Also, if anyone has more information about its affect on the transmission, I’m all ears. I’m also wondering if when I fix the VSS code, if that will alleviate the transmission issues, or if I have caused damage to the tranny and now need to replace the torque converter.
any info help! Thank you so much.

 

Pix Plz!

on my list to do
Just started hearing “da da da da da” behind cluster
Going to lube as a proactive response
Another member here said to use powdered graphite (excellent idea)

as far as damage to tranny……
I’m going guess no

mainly bc mechanical cable
But can’t say for certain

older cars with speedo cables run without cluster working if cable has failed