Windscreen wipers – which side does yours park on ?

Started 28th February 2017 at 13:44 · Laurence Jones

📷 No photo added

I can’t seem to find why some XJS are built with thier windscreen wipers parking on different sides. Perhaps if I explained you might follow what I meant.

I have a RHD Convertible, where the wipers park over on the LH side (in front of the passenger) and sweep water across infront of me on the right. My LHD Convertible is the opposite way round, with the wipers parking infront of the passenger and sweeping water across infront of the drive (me). Now this to me seems the wrong way round, as my logic says that the water collected infront of the driver should be swept away from them, not more added to what’s already there.

Both my RHD XJS Coupe and XJ-SC Cabriolet have the wipers parking infront of the driver, and sweep the water away across to the passenger side – and give a much better wet weather experience.

So, what I’d like to know, is if there is some kind of pattern to what way round the wipers park – because from my experience above I can’t find one….

Laurence

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- 28th February 2017 at 15:54 #3393
  
  John Bleasdale
  Participant
  
  Hi Laurence
  Well I did wonder how long it would take for someone to ask the question we have been asking for over 20 years. No one has ever come up with any thing better than “it’s what was available on the production line at the time” Here are two UK Cabriolets parked side by side followed by Steve Tebben’s 2 US Cabriolets parked side by side. So It’s nothing to do with LHD & RHD just the luck of the draw Concours Judges in the past have tried to deduct points telling the competitor they were parked the wrong way
- 1st March 2017 at 13:56 #3430
  
  Laurence Jones
  Keymaster
  
  Yes, it does seem random.
  
  I’m thinking of trying to get the two convertibles wipers swapped around, but I’m betting that it won’t be straight forward.
  
  Not having got to the point of taking things to pieces to have a look, but are the mechanisms distinctly different (i.e. different part numbers) or is it a matter of disassembling the existing and reconfiguring it to park the other way round?
  
  Laurence
  - 1st March 2017 at 19:54 #3438
    
    John Bleasdale
    Participant
    
    Laurence
    I am 99’9% sure that it’s not possible to alter the way they park.
    I am also sure Steve would have changed his if it was.
    By the way the problem still exists i.e. which is the correct my X330 & my XK8 both parked in opposite directions
    Bleasie
- 2nd March 2017 at 12:58 #3450
  
  John Bleasdale
  Participant
  
  Just as I thought there were two types of Wiper motors LUCAS & Electrolux which was fitted after Vin 152511 onwards won’t affect your Cabriolet Remember what they say If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
  They are a pig to get in & out.
  Again as I thought a RHD & LHD were available AEU 1738 RHD & AEU 1774 LHD
  However what I did not know if you had an AAU 1496 there was a conversion kit AEU 1731 which includes DAC 2861 harness DAC 2862 delay timing unit and DAC 2863 mounting plate. again not applicable to Cabriolet.s
  Remember LHD cars & RHD cars were on the line at the same time so it’s no wonder there was the odd mix up
  If you have a Convertible.Vin 152511 DAC 5504 RHD & DAC 5505 LHD FROM VIN 154405 DAC 982 RHD AND DAC 6981 LHD
  Photo 494 does not exist Photo 495 does not exist
- 2nd March 2017 at 13:52 #3455
  
  Laurence Jones
  Keymaster
  
  That looks very helpful information there, thanks John.
  
  Fully understand the “ain’t broke, not fiddle” concept – just that it’s a real pain in heavy rain to have extra water dumped infront of the driver on the cars that park the wiper on infront of the passenger.
  
  When it’s not so cold I’ll take a look – I’ll let you know what I can see.
  
  Laurence
  - 2nd March 2017 at 15:23 #3457
    
    John Bleasdale
    Participant
    
    Not much point doing that you can’t change LHD TO RHD & vice versa you need to get the correct wiper motor.
    Having had two cars my Ford Zodiac & my XK8 both parking to the right I can’t say it was ever a problem, especialy in the 19 years of owning my XK8
    Have you ever tried getting the unit out.I will see if I can find one owners report. Never mind it’s out there somewhere
    Have just been doing a search of earlier XJS’s that I created data bases for Jaguar the Pre He XJS ALL parked to the left
    as you look at the car irrespective of being LHD OR RHD.
    They were the ones you could get the conversion kit for i.e. RHD to LHD as production of the XJS was rocketing would be why they brought out a second unit.
    
    BLEASIE.
- 2nd March 2017 at 15:55 #3460
  
  Laurence Jones
  Keymaster
  
  I had it in mind, that I’d attempt to dismantle the right hand parking wiper assembly on my LHD convertible, and swap it with the left hand parking wiper assembly in my RHD convertible – but I’m guessing nothing is that straight foward….
  
  🙂
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