geraldbianchi Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 I own a LHD 2007 (new model) Fiat motorhome. Is there a cheap dial face convertor to display both KHM and MPH for this model. Many thanks for any help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 I believe the answer is No. I'm pretty sure you could still get a bespoke mph/kmh speedometer face made, but it wouldn't be particularly cheap (though probably a good deal cheaper than replacing the original instrument cluster with a 'RHD' one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Take a photo of your speedo then put it into a draw package on your computer at the same size. Using the draw functions place marks on the picture for each of the 10, 20 30, etc kph positions and write the numbers in - choose the colour yellow as it stands out best against a black dial. Now remove the original picture leaving only the coloured markings and numbers. Print the result on to clear acetate on an ink jet printer. Then cut out the dial shape. Using a spot of superglue stick the results to your dial - jobs a good 'un Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 The problem with above method is you cannot see it at night so needs some front illumination. What do you call cheap? £30 any good?? http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/ducato-2006-on-kmh-to-mph-conversion-dial-for-imported-vehicle-part-no-c120-more-details-i802.html Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Both the japanese import cars I had a couple of years ago, had an electronic converter fitted by the importer. The speedo's were kph only. If I remember correctly, it was spliced into the speedo wire and earthed to the dash, It looked fairly straight forward. It may be worth asking about these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 The ones I have seen cost about twice a replacemnet dial, and also limits range of speedo to 75mph not 110mph. The replacement dial is the best way to go and are fairly simple to fit if you are competant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 donna miller - 2009-10-28 8:26 AM Both the japanese import cars I had a couple of years ago, had an electronic converter fitted by the importer. The speedo's were kph only. Donna I believe this ploy essentially 're-gears' the speedometer so that, when the needle originally read, say, 100kmh, after conversion it reads 62kmh (ie. it numerically 'mimics' 62mph). If that's the case, it's not actually legal, as the requirement for a UK-registered vehicle is to have a speedometer display that can provide distinct kmh AND mph readouts. Although it does not say this specifically in the DofT importing guide, the requirement is clearly stated in the Police Traffic Officers' Handbook and it is covered if you delve deeply into Eurozone construction and use technical documentation. If you inspect any modern vehicle that's officially imported into the UK, its speedometer will always be able to display speed in both mph and kmh. It's often the case that the kmh read-out is too small, or too indistinct, to be useful, but it has to be there to satisfy our dual-scale requirement. In fact, it's the kmh scale that's mandatory in the Eurozone and the mph scale is a secondary 'optional' scale permitted for those countries (ie. the UK) that use miles rather than kilometres. That's why ALL Eurozone-registered vehicles must have a speedometer with kmh read-out, but only UK-registered vehicles need have the additional mph display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 It was about 7 years ago, so maybe it was acceptable then, and at the time the vehicles were 10 years old so didn't need sva. They were the Mitsubish Delica.I know the importers used to get round the sva by fitting steering wheel knobs and claiming they were adapted for disabled use, the good old days eh. Trust the UK to insist on silly ruling like you mention, eg MPH and KPH displays. We should be fully integrated into European law, or not at all, no wonder everyone is confused about things like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraldbianchi Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 Thanks for your most usefull information. Your advice would certainly work. However the question I should have asked first was is it necessary to have a "spedo" marked in M P H to pass a U K M O T ? Do you happern to know? Thanks for your advice. Gerald Bianchi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisturx Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 No. I have had two LHD vans over the last ten years and a mph speedo is not part of the MOT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 However, it is a very useful way to check your actual speed in UK!I can vouch for the quality of the Lockswood replacement speedometer faces: I fitted one four years ago to the earlier version of the Ducato, and it was indistinguishable from the original, even when both were compared side by side out of the binnacle. You remove the original, and the replacement fits in its place. The fit is exact, and all warning lights, and the numbers etc, also illuminated just as the originals. They are an excellent product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Hi. As a matter of interest, even if a little off thread, I find it very useful that the Satnav has the option to display speed in either mph or kph and it is accurate as well. Speedo on both car and van are 3 to 4 mph slow compared with satnav, ie speedo says 56 when satnav says 60.... I am told that nearly all speedos are deliberately set this way ..trouble is when speedo says 70 you are most likely closer to 75... maybe this explains why motorway traffic always overtakes me. tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I think you may have meant 65, Tony? All speedometers will be fast because, legally, they may not be slow. They must not tell you you are travelling slower that your actual speed. There is a built in margin to allow for tyre wear, which slightly reduces the rolling diameter, and to allow for small differences between the rolling diameters of different brands of tyres, and possible different inflation pressures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 when i bought my LHD adria in 2004 i was told that of the import proceess included a legal requirement to change the speedo to MPH , (which showed KPH also). part of the process is also to change the headlights to UK spec. Luckily for me my headlights were not chaanged (it took me 18months to realise this!) so the van was in effect illegal, therefore the importer had to provide me with a set of UK headlights. so i have both, although in all honesty i havee never used the UK set. the point is, perhaps your 'seller ' is responsible forr providing you with an mph speedo. my van is also fiat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 tonyg3nwl - 2009-11-10 5:11 PM Hi. As a matter of interest, even if a little off thread, I find it very useful that the Satnav has the option to display speed in either mph or kph and it is accurate as well. Out of habit I keep my Tomtom set to kilometres, even in the UK. As it displays the speed limit of the road I'm on, I soon learnt the conversion to mph. It can also be set to make a sound if you're over the limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 We keep a card attached to the dash, with the speed limits conversions typed on, for our MPH / KPH when in Europe. I am suprised that some jobs worth in Brussels, hasn't decreed that we should all be in KPH !!! P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Can you imagine the cost in MPH road signage, let alone all the vehicles with MPH speedo's with KPH very hard to see, also, all the Distance road signs are in Miles, so even more confusion. No, leave us as we are, let the visitors be confused. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwaviation Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Those Lockwood dials look superb. My IGO satnav always dispays the correct limit for the road I am on and it automatically knows whether that should be in mph or kph - exceed the limit and it tells you to slow down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 donna miller - 2009-10-28 9:14 AM Trust the UK to insist on silly ruling like you mention, eg MPH and KPH displays. We should be fully integrated into European law, or not at all, no wonder everyone is confused about things like this. It isn't really silly and it shouldn't be confusing... There are regulations that motor manufacturers must adhere to regarding the speedometers they choose to fit to their vehicles. These govern things like the 'spacing' of the numbers in the scale are are really just common sense. Within the Eurozone (where most countries use kilometres to measure road distance) a speedometer with a kmh scale is mandatory. However, for those countries that use miles to measure road distances (ie. the UK), a secondary mph scale is permissible. As a result, UK speedometers need to show kmh (the mandatory scale) and mph (the 'optional' scale). None of this matters for most people as motor manufacturers targeting the Eurozone market will be aware of, and conform to, the appropriate regulations. Potential problems arise in this country when vehicles are removed from their 'correct' market (Japanese-spec cars, LHD Continental-spec motorhomes, American RVs, etc.) and imported to the UK. What often happens then is that the importer (professional or private individual) will attempt to circumvent the regulations (eg. the knob on the steering wheel), which may lead to difficulties further down the line - for example an MOT failure 3 years later due to the lights dipping the wrong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmbeedee Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Derek Uzzell - 2009-11-14 9:50 AM (eg. the knob on the steering wheel), . Hi, Derek, puzzled about your reference to this (?) How does the knob on the steering wheel get round any regulation? What regulation? Am I particularly dense this morning? No, on second thoughts, don't answer the last one (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Brian Kirby - 2009-11-10 6:02 PMI think you may have meant 65, Tony? All speedometers will be fast because, legally, they may not be slow. They must not tell you you are travelling slower that your actual speed. Yes Brian, you are correct, and I admit I got it wrong way round. But it doesnt solve the mystery of why everyone appears to overtake me even though satnav indicates 70 when cruising on the motorways' !tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod_vw Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Why?? Why not do like most of us when we see a km speed limit sign? Mentally divide by 10 multiply by 6 (or 6.214 if your mental arithmetic will cope, mine won't!) That's good enough to keep you out of trouble with the speed cameras and what else matters? Believe me, my motor will break most European speed limits so I have to keep a careful eye in that needle both here and abroad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Raindrop Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Once we become officially a Euro nation, government will then authorise all measurements to be Metric. A massive undertaking no doubt but it will happen. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Rod_vw - 2009-11-16 11:19 PM Why?? Why not do like most of us when we see a km speed limit sign? Mentally divide by 10 multiply by 6 (or 6.214 if your mental arithmetic will cope, mine won't!) That's good enough to keep you out of trouble with the speed cameras and what else matters? Believe me, my motor will break most European speed limits so I have to keep a careful eye in that needle both here and abroad! Not at all sure it is what "most" of us do. Most vehicles sold in the UK over the past 20 or so years have had MPH as the main scale, and KPH as a secondary scale. However, I accept that some of the KPH graduations have been difficult to read, but they are there, so the mental arithmetic shouldn't generally be necessary.Added to that, is that quite a few of the other European countries have zero tolerance on their speed cameras so, if the mental arithmetic is a bit too rough and ready, you are still at risk of being Gatso'd! Ultimately, it will be "fast" speedometers, and that handy little KPH scale, that really keep us out of trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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