Left or Right, Perspective Needed

overdrivesteve

overdrivesteve

Member
Hi,

I need to special order a couple front axle suspension frame parts for an early 1980's S-Series truck. But my MT-145 parts book lists one part number for the left side and another part number for the part on the right frame side rail. My question is, is the left as you stand facing the front of the truck or as the truck faces as if you were sitting in the drivers seat? I need to know for sure as I can't return this special order if it's wrong.

Thanks.
 
overdrivesteve said:
Hi,

as the truck faces as if you were sitting in the drivers seat.

Thanks.
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Left - Turn on left turn signal, go outside and see which side is blinking. That is the left side.

Right - Turn on right turn signal, go outside and see which side is blinking. That is the right side.
 
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1975IH200 said:
Left - Turn on left turn signal, go outside and see which side is blinking. That is the left side.

Right - Turn on right turn signal, go outside and see which side is blinking. That is the right side.
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Gonna do this trick as well. My impression is always on driver seat's reference.
 
Yes, from the left hand, standard US driver seat is how things are oriented. Which, when you are under the hood with beer in one hand and greasy wrench in the other, is a bit off-putting, but you must always figuratively put yourself as though you are behind the wheel.
 
Scoutboy74 said:
Yes, from the left hand, standard US driver seat is how things are oriented. Which, when you are under the hood with beer in one hand and greasy wrench in the other, is a bit off-putting, but you must always figuratively put yourself as though you are behind the wheel.
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I allways looked at it as being a customer-centric convention. The customer will come in and say "I get a funny noise coming from the front left wheel" or some such. It would be confusing and error prone for the mechanic to have to translate that every time. I guess he still has to double check that the customer is not thinking of it the OTHER way. And then there is "Passenger" vs "Driver" which is dependent on whether the vehicle is right hand drive or left hand drive, so you would get parts with descriptions like "Brake caliper: Passenger side(right hand drive), Drivers side (Left hand drive)" or even worse, "Brake Caliper: Drivers side (US and International LHD), Passenger Side (UK and Post Office)". At that point you might as well change the description to "Brake Caliper: Passenger side OR Drivers side but not Passenger Side AND drivers side, just order it and see if it fits"
 
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