I had to replace my headlight assembly and am having trouble realigning my headlight so it is flush with my hood. Can someone please help me out with this, my email is bigdavesvette@yahoo.com, thanks

 

Would also like to know the cure for this...thanks in advance!

 

There are some adjustable 'bump stops' the light carrier 'runs into' when it either opens or closes.
Those are used to adjust the assembly to match the opening.
Look in there and you'll see them.

Here's a little headlight theory just FYI................
The motors run until the carrier contacts the 'bump stops' .
At that time the motor stall current increases and the light control module senses the increase currrent and turns off the motor drive RELAYS (Inside the Light COntrol Module) and the motors cease to run.
The headlight stays in it's position held by the back force of the drive gear assembly.
It's a pretty simple setup. Requires no pesky limit switches, ahhh the marvels of semi-modern electronics!!

After the light carrier is adjusted, the light AIM will have to be adjusted just like a normal headlight.

Here's my 'aiming' method..... if there's one headlight still aimed....
It's not very scientific but it works for me.

Position the vehicle on a level surface with a wall or fence about 25~30 feet in front.
If you have a brick or block wall the 'lines' in the wall provide a good reference point.
Adjust the intended light to match the one already aimed in elevation and azimuth.

If BOTH headlights need to be aimed, it's going to take longer and a bit of 'trial and error'. But it's still entirely 'doable' by the DIY enthusiast.

 

The main 4 nuts that hold the assembly in can also be "adjusted". And, the cover has movement as well.

You can shim the tabs that hold the assembly in to pull the light downward. You can also move the assembly around to center in the hole.

The covers also have slotted holes. You can loosed those nuts and move the cover up/down as well. (By the covers, I mean the painted flat plastic pieces that actually fit flush with the hood). These slots are the only way to get the highlight higher in the hole.

Finally, you need to consider centering. If not centered, the gap will be smaller on the front/back, then reverse when opened.

As for actual rotational stops, VetteNutJim steered you the right way.

 

VetNutJim and Gregg REALLY know their stuff!

 

huh! so that is how it works. I replaced the plastic gears inside the motor on mine.....when I put it all back together, I fully expected a ton of adjustments would have to be made......but it just seemed to work, so I just left it alone.

But, I still wondered. Thanks

 

Here is something I found in the web on aiming headlights. My neighbor's driveway is much flatter than mine, so I think I will draw on his garage door! He won't mind will he?

VISUAL HEADLIGHT AIMING PROCEDURE

INTRODUCTION:
It is of utmost importance that your vehicle's lighting system be aimed properly in order for it to perform its best. Lights that are aimed incorrectly will not only perform poorly but may also offend oncoming traffic. When replacing bulbs, it is a good idea to verify that your lights are properly aimed. Slight variances in filament position can translate to large variances in beam pattern. The following procedure does not require special aiming equipment and ensures proper aim.
STEP 1:
Find a flat level surface adjacent to a vertical white wall where the car can be parked (a garage door is an ideal location at home). Pull the car straight up to the wall as close as possible and draw a vertical line on the wall corresponding to the centerline of the vehicle (this can be done most precisely by using a yardstick and extending it from the hood ornament or badge to the wall). Pull the car straight back until the headlights are 25 feet from the wall.
STEP 2:
Make the following two measurements:
Measurement A: From the ground to the geometric center of one of the headlight lenses
Measurement B: From one of the low beam headlights to the vehicle centerline. (Also measure from high beam center to vehicle centerline for 4 headlight systems) Note these measurements.
STEP3:
(A) Two Headlamp Systems:
Draw one horizontal line on the wall at a height exactly 2 inches lower than Measurement A made in Step 2. On the line, make vertical marks both to the right and left of the vehicle centerline mark at the distance of Measurement B from the vehicle centerline vertical line.
(B) Four Headlamp Systems:
Draw two horizontal lines on the wall, one at the height measured from the ground to center of the headlight and one at a height exactly 2 inches lower than the measurement from the ground to the geometric center of the headlight made in Step 2. Make vertical marks for the low beam on the lower line and vertical marks on the upper line for the high beam as in Part (A) above (the high beam marks are made at a distance corresponding to the high beam measurement made in Step 2).
STEP4:
(A) Two Headlamp Systems:
Turn the headlights on and adjust the vertical aim of the headlights so that the top horizontal cutoff of each of the beams is located along the horizontal line drawn on the wall. Adjust the horizontal aim of the low beam headlights so that the point at which the top cutoff of the beam begins to slope upwards is located at the vertical marks made in Step 3 (A).
(B) Four Headlamp Systems:
Adjust the low beams as in (A) above. Adjust the high beams so that the center of the illuminated region is located at the cross formed by the upper horizontal line and the vertical marks made in Step 3 (B) above.

 

solid info!! just fixed my headlight motor this evening, and now i need to align the headlamp assembly to the hole in the hoods