hanktheyank44 Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 I have seen plenty written about doing this to a FFR but has anyone actually done it and what are the pitfalls - not decided myself as I wanted to pull a caravan to shows in the future however now I have seen a gadget that provides 12v I am not so fussed. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 I have seen plenty written about doing this to a FFR but has anyone actually done it and what are the pitfalls - not decided myself as I wanted to pull a caravan to shows in the future however now I have seen a gadget that provides 12v I am not so fussed. Steve FFR What vehicle is it? Are you simply wanting to go down to 12 v for the caravan? Seems a bit of a sacrifice, is the caravan just to be used with this vehicle? You could change the caravan bulbs to 24 volts & disconnect the vehicle supply that charges the 12 volt leisure battery. Why not just fit a tail board with 24v bulbs just for when you tow the caravan with MV? If the vehicle has a screened ignition system you need to remove that & the ballast resistors otherwise you lose HT efficiency as the energy is lost to some degree by the capacitance of the screened cables. Then you have to change starter motor, generator, etc etc. Then you have destroyed some of the originality & devalues the vehicle to my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 FFR What vehicle is it? I cannot ever remember the term FFR attached to anything but a Land Rover, so that's my guess. Do I get a prize? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 Actually any vehicle can be FFR. Just means extra screening and 24 volt supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 I cannot ever remember the term FFR attached to anything but a Land Rover, so that's my guess. Do I get a prize? Although some pigs were classed as FFW & some underwent further modification to become FFR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 FFW fitted for Wireless the old 19 sets or 22. These beasts take about 90 amps for transmit and being vavlve sets generate a n enourmous heat. Were actually used up to late 70's to momitor some of the oppositions kit. FFR, came in with the solid state revolution, less power drain les sheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 I suppose - bing pendantic - my Stalwart is FFR as all the power cables and mount points for both the radios and aerials are in situ. Don't really fancy the job of converting that to 12V though!!! :schocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 Try turning a Meteor over on 12 volts. :shake: worked for Aviation Jersey years ago. first day as apprentice got given a starting handle and told, 'Go and turn over the engines in the yard, they must be turned every hour or they sieze up'. God I was green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 Actually any vehicle can be FFR. Just means extra screening and 24 volt supply. Indeed but LR was (is) available out of the box either 24v fitted for radio (FFR) or 12v, not (GS). Armoured vehicles are expected to carry radio, HGVs etc are already 24v and part way there and few other B vehicles carry radios out of the box (apart from Cars, Staff, 4x2 which these days may come with a receiver in the dash board, but they didn't in my day). I stand by my guess at Land Rover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ives Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 its a landy as when introduced in another thread said he had bought one that needs repairs :whistle: leave it as it is but get a set of 24 vlt bulbs for the caravan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 FFW fitted for Wireless the old 19 sets or 22. These beasts take about 90 amps for transmit and being vavlve sets generate a n enourmous heat. Were actually used up to late 70's to momitor some of the oppositions kit. FFR, came in with the solid state revolution, less power drain les sheat. Not necessarily, I know FFW sounds quaint & archaic but as far a Pigs (& Champs) go: GS although a screened 24v system, not normally expected to use radio eqpt, but could be installed. These pigs would have 3 antenna mounts fitted as standard. So a radio of some sort was half expected. FFW a 24v system with 2-speed dynamo for low rev charging. Contains basic radio fittings. FFR is a modified FFW to accept multipurpose installation kits for quite a wide range of sometimes complex radio combinations. (In addition to this the FFR pig had a 4th antenna mount fitted to the rear off side corner). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanktheyank44 Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 Sorry - seems I was in my own little world assuming everyone knew what I was talking about - yes it is my newly aquired 1983 Landover series III FFR ex School of Infantry Warminster that I meant. I agree to convert it would lose some of its originality so will probably leave it alone, only wanted to guage opinion as in my group of mates all either serving or ex REME there are suggestions that for ease it would be better to convert to 12v. This is all based on my personal and their experiences on working on L/R FFR's especially electrical faults. At least leaving out the L/R bit provoked some interesting responses. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YK55 Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Hi Steve, I've done the conversion on a Series lll 109 FFR, although it was about 25 years ago! I removed absolutely everything that wasn't required for a 'standard' 12 volt vehicle. Fortunately I had a written off Series lll Lightweight as a donor vehicle so I had everything I needed. Have a look here for a cheap donor vehicle if you go ahead. http://www.ljacksonandco.com/ Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanktheyank44 Posted October 6, 2007 Author Share Posted October 6, 2007 Hi Andy, Thanks for that - yes probably makes sense to get a scrapper and take all the bits. However having had a good look at the FFR with my mate I have got more to worry about - it needs a new rear 1/4 chassis as the original is rotten through. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Steve, probably better to bite the bullet and get a full chassis. That way epecially if galvinised the job is done once and for all. You will have to get everything off :shake:but anything nasty shows up and can be fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanktheyank44 Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 Tony, you are right of course however it is the cost - I bought the old girl as a project over the winter and really did not want to invest that sort of money when I have the Dodge and the Jeep to keep on the road. I have tried to get a half chassis but these have disappeared off the market. Not sure what I should do? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Is it an LWB chassis you need? I'll pm you a number for someone who might have agood one cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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