Headlight adjustment

M

Mort

Senior Member
I just finished rebuilding my headlights etc. and now it is time to adjust them. I have read all the instructions in the Service Bulletins, Andrews book and the web. My question is what if you don't have a good place to set up for adjusting them the way they should be done. Not a good level floor with 25' to the nearest wall. Does anyone have any "shortcuts" they have found to be acceptable? Any suggestions?

Thanks
Mort
 
Focus the lights first. This can be done on any wall or side of a building. Then do as Paul said or drive the car on a quiet side street to aim them.
 
A quick and "dirty" way to get underway, mount them the way you think they should be, try them at night to see if you can see anything, if you can, do a run and if everyone shines there brights, then take them down a little.

Again from a now nothing guy doing a short cut to get the lights on the rig.
 
Fred K-OR said:
A quick and "dirty" way to get underway, mount them the way you think they should be, try them at night to see if you can see anything, if you can, do a run and if everyone shines there brights, then take them down a little.

Again from a now nothing guy doing a short cut to get the lights on the rig.
Click to expand...


I've used a modified version of this.

Have a friend sit in a fairly low car around 30 feet from you and aim them so they are not shining in their eyes on fairly level ground.

I prefer the side of a building though. I aim so hi-beams are as straight as possible.
 
for left-to right aiming, use a yardstick or straightedge across both of the lenses.. quick to do and will assure both are pointing parallel to the light bar and about as straight ahead as possible..

for vertical, I use a torpedo level vertically on both lenses after getting the left to right set (car needs to be level as possible) and put a pencil at the bottom edge of the lamp.. that seems to give just a slight cant downward and keeps out of the eyes of oncoming drivers..

Remember to focus the bulbs in the reflectors as well..too far in will give you a halo ring of light, and too far out will give you a smaller focus point and not be as efficient... I generally pull mine in until I see the ring of light on a cardboard put about 2-3 ft in front of the headlamp without the lens installed,and then adjust out until the halo resolves into a full beam of light..

Hope this helps!

- Dave
 
or does the halo show if too far out?? Hmmmm.... Been a while since I fiddled with mine :) You may have to fiddle a bit as well. Best of luck!
 
We did a report on getting them adjusted, but we used modern test equipment. The important thing is getting the beam focused first then worry about the adjustment.
 
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