[Spridgets] Speedomiter cable

[ryan.kubanoff at comcast.net]

so my speedomiter and odometer stopped working even though the cable was tight to the gauge. I pulled the cable out of the gauge and it spun but erasily slid out of the housing. so I pulled the whole thing out and found rust ( dusting ) on the cable where it bends. 
2 questions: 
1. what do I use to lube this ? regular grease or something better? 
2. the plastic nipple that stops just before the end that goes into the gauge is less than 1/2" from the edge of the cable. should this be farther back? 

thanks 
ryan 
no officer i don't know how fast I am going because my speedo cable is in the boot.