My high beams on my 2000 C5 are much lower than the low beams. About 20 feet in front of the vehicle. I asked the dealer to adjust them while it was there for a state inspection. He said that they were just fine with a wink. I got the impression that they did not want to bother with them.

Anyway, Is there somewhere on the web I can go that will give me some instructions on adjusting the high beams? I pulled the headlight covers off and beyond changing the bulb, I did not see any adjustment for aiming the lights.

Any help??

Thanks, Dave:flag

 

There are thin long adjusting rods that give you some latitude in adjusting the beam.
Someone will chime in with a thread on this. I havn't had to do mine, but I messed with them plenty with my HIDs.
Those round plates on the side covers access some of the adjusters if I remember correctly.

 

Sounds to me like maybe a bulb is not fully installed. Now, having said that.. which could be wrong.

***CAVEAT*** You need to be EXTREMELY careful working those adjustment rods. Many here have broken them and the rod and adjusting assembly are NOT sold separately. You will be in a world of hurt if you break one. They can be found sparingly around on the forum here and the auction site.

Might want to take a really close look at how the bulbs are seated. You have to take the black bezel surrounding the headlights, then you can sort of feel your way around or maybe use a small mirror to see if the bulbs are properly seated.

Just proceed with caution that if you DO decide to try adjustments it is 50 / 50 chance at best an adjusting rod (especially the long one) may break.

Heads up. My curiousity for adjusting led to breaking one. Luckily I found one to replace without having to buy the entire headlight assembly!

Good Luck ----->

 

Remove the surround and spray the housing that the adjusting rods go into with PB Blaster. Let it soak in for several hours and spray it again. You remove the surround so you can spray both sides of the adjustment housing.

After several times try gently turning the rods in one direction then the other. If they won't move then spray again.

Worked with mine and neither one would turn at all when I started.

 

Great advice, particularly about lube and checking the seating of the bulbs. You adjust the cradle so in theory the high and low beams move together.

Here's one I posted earlier that may help

Aiming Stock Headlights

Preparation

Chose a white wall to project the lights onto
Mark a vertical centreline on the screen in line with the center of the car (black tape?)
(look over the roof of the car to get the line)

Measure the height from the floor to the center of the headlight capsule
Mark a horizontal aiming line on the screen

Measure the distance between the centreline of the right headlight module and the center of the left headlight module.
Position the vertical tapes this distance to the right and left of the screen centreline

Lubricate the adjustment screws before adjusting

Adjustments

Raise the hood
Raise the headlights
Remove the headlamp adjustment screw plug
Turn on the low beam headlights and block the light from projecting onto the screen from the passenger headlight



Check the horizontal aim

Adjust the horizontal aim adjusting screw to align the left edge of the high intensity zone with the headlight vertical centreline
The left edge of the beam should lie within 4” to the left and 4” to the right
of the vertical centreline.

Check the vertical aim

Adjust the vertical aim adjusting screw to align the top edge of the high intensity zone with the headlight horizontal centreline
The left edge of the beam should lie within 2” above and 2.5” below the lamp horizontal centreline.

Reinstall the headlamp adjustment screw plug

Repeat for the other headlight

Turn off the lights and close the hood

This is the pattern you're looking for

 

if the hi beam is aimed differently than the low beam something is strange and I suspect the comment about the mis installed bulb is correct.
DeeGee's comment about adjusting the cradle is correct and the alignment of both bulbs will cahnge when you turn the Golden Rod.
Be VERY CAREFUL twisting the "Golden rods" they strip easily.
I soaked mine with PB for a month but it did no good.
IF you break or strip it, it will be costly. There is no sub asssembly , one has to replace the whole headlight assembly which sells for about $475 at the stealership

 

Great advice, you do not want to break those adjusters they are a nighmare to find, i not only broke one but i broke both when i installed my HIDS the bulbs were not seated right and i tried the adjusters and what a mistake!!! but all is fixed now but def. try the bulbs first and def. LUBE LUBE and then LUBE again!!!!

 

It almost sounds like they are functioning backwards... highbeams on when its supposed to be the low beams and so on...

 

As always .. thanks all .. you have been a great help. I bought the vette 6 years ago from a Corvette dealer in Austin, Texas. When I got it back to Buffalo, I took the top off and noticed some red overspray on the top of the windshield frame. At the time I wondered, perhaps it was in an accident and the lights are just out of alignment.

Everyone talked about breaking the rods. I think I will live with them as is. Don't tell my wife, but to me anyway, it is a good excuse to look for a newer vette lol

 

Some time ago before I installed HIDs I installed silverstar bulbs and they pointed to the ground, After fooling with it for some time I found the buld wasn't seated right. I don't believe there is an adjustment for the lows and the highs.

 

The highbeam bulbs are not seated right. Been there done that