How can you tell if polarity has been changed?

[Wander]

I'm digging around my new-old Rover to try to find what has been changed, what's been added, and what needs attention(Indiana Jones phase?) I am trying to figure out if the PO changed the polarity. I've written him a letter asking for information but in case he doesn't reply I thought I'd throw it out here.

It has a trickle charger on the battery, CB radio(that works) and electric fuel pump which leads me to thing it's been changed to Neg earth. BUT it still has seperate wiper motors and the stock dash switches. The wiper motors are the black plastic replacements I've seen in the catalogs. How can you tell if the polarity is + or -?

 

[kjp1969]

Not knowing a thing about Rovers, I'd suggest looking at the battery. One or the other terminals should be grounded.

 

[Desert Dan]

I would start at the battery to see which cable (+ or -) goes to earth (ground) and go from there.

I don't think the switches care which way ground is?

 

[Antichrist]

Yes, easiest way is to see which batter terminal is earthed.

 

[Clark White]

No, switches don't care either way. One of the battery cables should have a smaller cable going straight to body next to the battery. If not then follow the main cable which will probably go do to your frame or engine block. Baring those options, use a multimeter and check continuity between the terminal and the body, only one should have good contact, the other may have continuity but it will be extremely high resistance.

Clark

 

[Wander]

I mentioned the wipers, switches because I was reading about this an it was mentioned that if you have individual wiper motors you have positive polarity which didn't make sense to me because of the CB. I guess I was confused and making it too complex. Thanks for the help!

 

[Linus Tremaine]

wiper motors

The dual wiper motors are a clue to determine that your truck was produced during a time when they were coming from the factory as positive ground. Having dual wiper motors does not mean that it is positive ground but rather that it probably was when new.. though dont count on it!

I think 1967 was when they changed to negative ground.

 

[Wander]

It's a 64 so I'm sure it was +

I also just learned that the seats were bolted in place until 68 so I don't have to worry about sourcing tracks as I'm not a tall or short person. At 5'9"(ish) I'm just fine in the pre-determined seat position-something I can thank my european ancesters for. I'm sure mine was changed about the time the BJ and the Bear signature model CB was added complete with pie plate speakers that look like they were stolen from an old high school class room (the scratchy PA speaker from which you got summond to the principles office).

 

[TeriAnn]

I also just learned that the seats were bolted in place until 68 so I don't have to worry about sourcing tracks

The "standard" seats are bolt in. The "Deluxe" elephant hide seats were usually bolt in passenger side, sliding driver side. Deluxe seats with black upholstery had sliders on both seats. US spec LRs came with deluxe seats as standard fitment.

Polarity. As everyone mentioned, look at the battery and see which terminal the ground wire is clamped to.

The only parts that care about polarity are the amp meter, the coil and any radio you might have connected. For the last 4 decades radios have been pretty much negative earth only. People will switch a truck over to negative earth when adding a radio or other electronic accessory.

 

[kellymoe]

What other Land Rover sites are you on? I would suggest finding some sites that are dedicated to Series Rovers, at the moment I cant think of any off the top of my head but even www.D-90.com has many series owners who can help. I am sure Terriann knows of a few sites that can help.

 

[Antichrist]

Leaf Sprung Land Rover Forum -- http://ollr.10.forumer.com/index.php I don't know how active it is. I came across it last year and registered, but never had my account activated.
Guns and Rovers -- http://gunsandrovers.yuku.com/ -- Not strictly leaf sprung, but a lot of folks there have them.
UK Land Rover forum -- http://forum.landrovernet.com/forum.php A bit of aeverything, but a pretty busy Series section
There's also the LR0 mailing list that's been around for longer than any forums.

 

[Wander]

Thanks, I get the LRO weekly wrap up e-mail. I sent in a question last week but I think I must have done something wrong as it got held for mod approval. It couldn't have been the question as it wasn't controversial at all!

I'll check the othre sites but I have no complaints on the information I've received here.

Hey Terri,

I read that the Deluxe seats came about in 68, is that correct? I did discover the middle seat on mine is from Land Rover. It was recovered in the same Parchment white as the firebird buckets so I first thought it was a split front bench seat from GM-but a Firebird collector let me know that I've got buckets with a LR standard wedged in between. With that Parchment cover on it I didn't recognize it! I could get away with getting a standard D/S and P/S seat but I'd have a black/white/black combo like something out of a 1950's Ford. I might have to add chrome and some tail fins to pull that off:elkgrin:

 

[MrLeadfoot]

Leaf Sprung Land Rover Forum -- http://ollr.10.forumer.com/index.php I don't know how active it is. I came across it last year and registered, but never had my account activated.
Guns and Rovers -- http://gunsandrovers.yuku.com/ -- Not strictly leaf sprung, but a lot of folks there have them.
UK Land Rover forum -- http://forum.landrovernet.com/forum.php A bit of aeverything, but a pretty busy Series section
There's also the LR0 mailing list that's been around for longer than any forums.

to join OLLR http://ollr.10.forumer.com/index.php put a 'land rover' ref to your user name, or pm me your user name, then they should activate your account, hear in the UK we get a lot of spamers from the old eastern block

 

[TeriAnn]

Hey Terri,

I read that the Deluxe seats came about in 68, is that correct?

I guess officially you are correct. Personally, I've always thought of an elephant hide seat on sliders to be a deluxe seat and stationary seats to be standard seats. It is just my own mental way of categorizing things. I forgot that it wasn't the universally accepted norm when I wrote the previous reply.

Oh well, now if I can only get people to spell my name correctly ...

 

[Wander]

I guess officially you are correct. Personally, I've always thought of an elephant hide seat on sliders to be a deluxe seat and stationary seats to be standard seats. It is just my own mental way of categorizing things. I forgot that it wasn't the universally accepted norm when I wrote the previous reply.

Oh well, now if I can only get people to spell my name correctly ...

Very Sorry TeriAnn!