if I were to purchase a SIII rhd truck and swap it over to rhd how much is involved? i know the trucks are all basically the same and everything should just basically "flip" over in a mirror like fashion, but.... how hard is it and what parts need to be replaced w/ lhd stuff? is it much easier to do in a SIIa? thanks for your patience w/ a series noob.
how hard is a rhd to LHD conversion?
- Thread starter David Despain
- Start date
i expect it would be easier to drive in traffic, but then again maybe its just fear of the unknown.
SIII is harder and the interior parts are spendy. If you have a LHD donor truck, it is just time consuming.
If it was a II or IIa, it would be much less of a big deal. You could buy a junk LHD truck and get all you need and make money parting the rest out.
If it was a II or IIa, it would be much less of a big deal. You could buy a junk LHD truck and get all you need and make money parting the rest out.
You sound like ECR . . . Seriously, thats a little drastic. You dont need a new frame . . .you just have to move the hole for the steering relay from one side to the other. The only reason to convert a rover from LHD to RHD is to make it more saleable to people that dont know any better. Driveability is the same . . . The only thing that is a real hassle is a tollbooth.
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David Despain said:
Yep. I picked it up in Frisco and drove it to LA. I had never driven RHD before but I got used to it in about 30 minutes. You tend to hug the right shoulder of the road more than in a LHD. Shifting becomes second nature. I would stay with the RHD just for the novelty.
D
dsstephens
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My 109 is RHD. I don't have any problems in traffic. took a bit to get used to turning and such, but not that long. and as Kellymoe says, I hug the right.
One benefit of RHD, your right foot isn't resting up against the engine, burning off.
Makes drive thru's a bitch, though.
One benefit of RHD, your right foot isn't resting up against the engine, burning off.
Makes drive thru's a bitch, though.
RHD is not that big of a deal, I came to prefer it.
But now I have LHD and it's not a big deal either.
The only caution about RHD is to have a good sight line to the left side of the vehicle. Running a hardtop with no windows or a soft top with small windows can be tricky.
I'd buy a RHD again in a heartbeat.
But now I have LHD and it's not a big deal either.
The only caution about RHD is to have a good sight line to the left side of the vehicle. Running a hardtop with no windows or a soft top with small windows can be tricky.
I'd buy a RHD again in a heartbeat.
IMHO, if you want LHD, buy a LHD, if you want a RHD, buy a RHD. If you have one and want the other, don't swap, sell then buy.
RHD is novel, it's fun to have the dog sitting in the passenger seat while you run around town, everyone does a double-take. For drive-thru's, just drive through it in reverse.
My Series happens to be LHD because it was the one I found at the right price at the right time, but, I'd wouldn't have minded a RHD instead. Yeah, they're a bit different, but, that's why we're looking at Series and not CJ's, right?
If you have two Series, side by side, LHD and RHD, for the same price, I'd pick the one that is in better condition, and not based on which side the steering wheel is on.
FWIW.
RHD is novel, it's fun to have the dog sitting in the passenger seat while you run around town, everyone does a double-take. For drive-thru's, just drive through it in reverse.
My Series happens to be LHD because it was the one I found at the right price at the right time, but, I'd wouldn't have minded a RHD instead. Yeah, they're a bit different, but, that's why we're looking at Series and not CJ's, right?
If you have two Series, side by side, LHD and RHD, for the same price, I'd pick the one that is in better condition, and not based on which side the steering wheel is on.
FWIW.
FWIW - I've driven a RHD truck in LHD country for two years, and it was okay. The only thing I needed to do was to flip the left mirror so I could see forward from behind a big rig on two-lanes.
Then, one moron converted it to LHD - the truck being British, it had all the mounting holes on both sides, and dash was convertible as well (like a Disco's dash). But - he flipped the front beam axle around, resulting in reverse Ackerman angle. Man, that fucked up truck was a handful on the highway... I had a horrible trip once - 1400 miles in Russia in the middle of winter - with this truck having (on top of everything) front bias and rear radial tires (the tires were labelled exactly the same!).
Then, one moron converted it to LHD - the truck being British, it had all the mounting holes on both sides, and dash was convertible as well (like a Disco's dash). But - he flipped the front beam axle around, resulting in reverse Ackerman angle. Man, that fucked up truck was a handful on the highway... I had a horrible trip once - 1400 miles in Russia in the middle of winter - with this truck having (on top of everything) front bias and rear radial tires (the tires were labelled exactly the same!).
Please explain?
Sounds like he used different knuckles together. I cant picture actually flipping the axle . . .
leafsprung said:
I dont think he was refering to a 4x4. Most likely a 2wd lorry and they swaped the front axle around so the seering parts were eaiser to get to.
The who LHD RHD thing is up to you. If you want a LHD, sell your RHD and buy a LHD.
I have driven a LHD in a RHD country and vice versa. It is a bitch trying to pass when you cant see on comming traffic on a 2 lane, which is why its good to have someone in the passenger seat telling you if you will make it or not.
It was always a treat to see my passengers face when i went to pass with out him being aware of it, the 91 disco i had had a "o shit" handle on the dash where the air bags are now, it got a lot of use.
leafsprung said:
HA that had me scratching my head too...
I was intimidated by the RHD but I've driven them and it takes about 5 minutes to get used to driving it, maybe a bit longer to adapt to driving on the wrong side of the car in traffic. It isn't worth swapping it around IMHO. Plus you can always get a job as a mailman.
atriot:Actually you get a bit more room driving from the RHD vs. LHD..
Do like my friend did buy one of those phoney plastic steering wheels install it, sit your dog up front and go a drive
In reality you do not even need that left mirror, since you are unlikely to pass anything on the highway
TG
Do like my friend did buy one of those phoney plastic steering wheels install it, sit your dog up front and go a drive
In reality you do not even need that left mirror, since you are unlikely to pass anything on the highway
TG