RHD LHD Beam difference

[Haveacamper]

Just wondering whether there are any differences in RHD and LHD beam. not taking into account any servo bracket, are there any differences? i thought the steering damper bracket changed sides, but surely the beam is symmetrical so the side doesnt matter.

NaFe

 

[the councillor]

yeah, the steering damper bracket's on the opposite side... you could argue that the pitman arm's different but that's not technically part of the beam; just something to look out for.

what, is that it ?

yep. concise, accurate technical help... that's why i'm here 8)

 

[Haveacamper]

does that mean that that damper would foul on something if a LHD was used on a RHD and viceversa

NaFE

 

[the councillor]

well, to be honest with you, it's one of those situations where looking at it, (from the comfort of my own memory mind you, i'm not fighting past those spiders to look at a real beam) the pitman arm is angled up towards where the drag link meets it, so theoretically it'd pass over it if you kept the damper on the 'wrong' side, plus the mount for the damper is in the middle of the pitman arm (isn't it ?) so i can't envisage there being a geometry issue ?

but... BUT... if there wasn't a reason for having 'handed' beams then they wouldn't have bothered having 'handed' beams so there must be a reason, surely

i'll wager that it'd be the bottom of the castle nut on the drop arm balljoint that'd foul it

suppose i'd better venture out and check :roll:

 

[the councillor]

ok, here's a picture taken from directly behind a RHD beam... as you can see the pitman arm is some way above the steering damper, and i can't see how it would foul ?

the damper is also in line with the bottom tube, so it's also hard to see how it'd foul on one of the myriad cables / linkages that snake their way around that area, if that makes sense ?

here's a comparison shot of an LHD beam to prove the mount's on the other side, also proving that i'm not mental.

what a great help i've been this morning then :roll:

 

[Fortunate Son]

Just to throw something a little wild into the discussion - I have fitted an Australian beam which was originally off Kev Donlon's "Hovis" van (bought off PO - Jamie) and this has the steering damper bracket on the RHS IE seemingly a LHD beam. Perhaps Aussie "CKD" vans had LHD beams shipped directly to Melbourne for assembly??