Headlight Aiming
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,066
From: Virginia USA
Headlight Aiming
I was wondering if ther is a sure fire technique to aiming your high and low beams without the DOT approved aiming fixture? I was driving the other night and noticed that my right hand high beam was aimed to the right and up in the trees. What I would like to know is what anyone has done as far as:
1. How far you place the car from the grage wall.
2. How high should your low/high beams be from the floor of the garage.I don't want to "over run" my light pattern at highway speeds.
Thanks in advance
John :chevy
1. How far you place the car from the grage wall.
2. How high should your low/high beams be from the floor of the garage.I don't want to "over run" my light pattern at highway speeds.
Thanks in advance
John :chevy
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 2,975
Likes: 1
From: Northwest Iowa
Re: Headlight Aiming (theandies)
I don't think that this is the "DOT Approved Aiming Technique", but I just did mine after my paint job. I just took it out to a secluded level street and adjusted the lights till I thought they looked right. It seems to work for me! :D
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,066
From: Virginia USA
Re: Headlight Aiming (theandies)
Thought I would get more reponses out of this one. :confused: I winged it this morning and hopefully I won't blind anyone out there. I am going to take it out tonight for a test. If if is still wrong I guess I'll take it somewhere to have them aimed (I hate spending money because I can do most of my own work). Rich, I am going to take a scredriver with me and try your way.
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 14
From: CA
Re: Headlight Aiming (theandies)
Find a level parking lot with a good flat plain wall & go there tonight. Park back about 20-25 feet and adjust them so they are both even & keep the center about the same level as the headlights. You also want to slightly point them to the right.
Then go drive for a while & see how they look. You may need to fine tune them on the same wall to keep them adjusted evenly.
After you get them adjusted perfectly, get a large piece of cardboard & take it to the same wall you used before - but this time you want to get closer to it, about 10 feet. Lean the cardboard on the wall (& duct tape)
Take a magic marker a mark the reflection on the cardboard. Start with circling the entire refelction, then circle the brighter part, until you reach the center.
Once you do this, make a note of how far the car is back.
If you really want to get high tech, have someone you weight sit in the driver seat while you adjust them.
Now you will always have a template of your adjustment.
[Modified by 71coupe, 4:12 PM 8/20/2001]
Man we need a spell checker
[Modified by 71coupe, 4:14 PM 8/20/2001]
[Modified by 71coupe, 4:16 PM 8/20/2001]
Then go drive for a while & see how they look. You may need to fine tune them on the same wall to keep them adjusted evenly.
After you get them adjusted perfectly, get a large piece of cardboard & take it to the same wall you used before - but this time you want to get closer to it, about 10 feet. Lean the cardboard on the wall (& duct tape)
Take a magic marker a mark the reflection on the cardboard. Start with circling the entire refelction, then circle the brighter part, until you reach the center.
Once you do this, make a note of how far the car is back.
If you really want to get high tech, have someone you weight sit in the driver seat while you adjust them.
Now you will always have a template of your adjustment.
[Modified by 71coupe, 4:12 PM 8/20/2001]
Man we need a spell checker
[Modified by 71coupe, 4:14 PM 8/20/2001]
[Modified by 71coupe, 4:16 PM 8/20/2001]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Reston VA
Re: Headlight Aiming (theandies)
Just had this subject on dream car garage, or hot rod tv. One of them. However, they recommended 25 feet from the garage. Pick a base line that is no higher than your windshield. Then adjust so that both low and high beams reach but do not exceed this hieght. Then you are aligned and wont blind drivers. Of course unless you want to blind oncomming traffic. But that would be another post :lol: Hope this helps.
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Verdad Gallardo
Racer
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Corvallis OR
Re: Headlight Aiming (8T1-7T9 BIONIC VETTE)
Well, if you look at the head lights, you'll see some phillips head screws. Some of them mount a ring that hold the headlight in, 3 usually, and some of them adjust the headlight angle, 2 usually. One adjusts it up and down, and one adjusts it left and right.
Jim-K :seeya
Jim-K :seeya
