Headlight alignment

[lofty]

anyone know where they should be set? what distance from the wall and what hieght diffewrnce in relation to the headlights themselves? my off side headlight is too far down but i dont know how far i can get away woth adjusting them up?

 

[BenR]

they sit on the front of the car and at both sides.....they should light up the rd infront of the car.

 

[lofty]

run that past me again?

are they are no use in the glove box?

 

[Flying Scotsman]

LOL Ben

Lofty if you can find a flat level surface next to a wall, park the car about 3-4 ft away from the wall. If you trace a centre line from the front of he car to the base of the wall then put a vertical piece of tape or mark up the wall using a spirit level. Measure the distance between the centres of your headlights and the height from the centre of a headight to the ground. Then transpose this across to the wall equidistant about yur centre line such that the headlights are aiming directly ahead to the wall. You should end up with two points on the wall left and right of your vertical centre line equidistant from the ground.

Start up the car and switch on the headlights to main beam (set any internal beam adjustment to the normal 0 position if you have it) and adjust the headlamp vertcally and horizontally with each adjuster(s) until the brightest spots are over your left and right references on the wall. Finding the bightest spots is subjective so you have to use your best judgement here. Switch the headlights to dip and you should see the "flat top" of the beam level with your referece marks and the base of he upward slants should also start from the reference points and rise to the left.

Road test the car at night, if peeps are flashing you, you will have to adjust the beam vertical downward slightly (either with internal adjustment or equally at the vertical headlamp adjusters.

Phew .... that took a while to explain. Hope you understand my ramblings and that this helps you out.

Neil

 

[BenR]

or take it to get adjusted for a few quid?

nah, i did mine.....but only very roughly...no probs....

 

[steve_rt]

did mine the other day, was fed up of everyone flashing me - were way out though. didnt have any markers like ben gave but just used my judgement and compared them to my dads car.

why do my lights never give out a nice even triangle of light, like other cars i see on the road - the light is a bit cut up and rough, not in a defined shape!

 

[White16valver]

Different bulbs make a difference I find. Philips Silvervision (?) are pretty good Ive found. Avoid the dodgy blue-tinted ones and all that - do you want to look (apparently) cool or see where you are going?!?