Headlight focus

[Selahdoor]

A while back, I put new headlight housings in my truck.

I am positive I did everything right.

Got some of the brightest "normal" headlight bulbs and installed them.

Also switched the headlights from running directly off the switch, to running off of relays, that are switched by the switch.

Again, it is all done correctly. I have checked at least 3 dozen times.


For some reason, they are on dims or brights... It still looks just the same, going down the road. Switch it from bright to dim, dim to bright, whatever. There isn't any noticeable difference.

Any idea why this is?

At this point, my fear is that it is the new headlight housings. Manufactured wrong. And not focusing the beam, the way it is supposed to...

 

[Selahdoor]

These are the headlights I bought and installed.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002M4E94U/

 

[BrianX128]

I've gotten 9004 / 9007 bulbs before where the filaments of the bulbs were wrong. Take out a bulb and compare to an old one if you kept them. 9004's are horizontal, 9007's have vertical filaments. I think somehow you can put them in upside down also (the bulb holder) which will make the beam all screwy.

 

[Sergey]

Switch it from bright to dim, dim to bright, whatever. There isn't any noticeable difference.

One review in amazon for this product is cited below
========================================
Easy to install. Working great. Looking great. What's not to like?

Edit: That was my reaction after having installed them, and just seeing them "working". I couldn't get them to adjust. In fact, the adjusters broke off! And there is no difference when switching from high to low to high. It is the same focus, the same amount of light, (or lack thereof.) I can barely see the road, if there is oncoming traffic.
========================================
maybe the light bulbs included with this product are not correct for the geometry of headlight assembly

 

[IDIBRONCO]

At this point, my fear is that it is the new headlight housings. Manufactured wrong.

It sure could happen. Sergey seems to have seen that comment in a review. The funny thing is that when I clicked onto your link, Amazon was "kind" enough to tell me that these don't fit my 1985 F250. All I could think was "Really? No ****?"

 

[Big Bart]

Food for thought.

Perhaps you are switching between elements vs powering both on at the same time. Not sure how Ford does it stock but if no diff my guess is you are switching elements but perhaps are supposed to power both at the same time.

Think about a 4 headlight system. 2 on equals low beams, 4 on equals high beams. (Twice the lights, not switching from one set to the other.)

 

[Selahdoor]

All good points. Thank you for the feedback and ideas!!!

Thinking about these comments, I wondered if I had the bulbs in incorrectly. So I looked around for some pictures. In the chilton's manual. In a few posts on this forum and others. And in some youtube videos... I found... Yup. Bulbs are in upside down.

Flat spot with the clip should be on the top. It is on the bottom in mine.

Here's the deal... It took me quite a lot of fiddling around with these, to get the bulbs into the housings AT ALL!

This is the only way they would go into the housings.

This is probably why others have exactly the same complaint as I do about these headlight casings. Everyone is putting the bulb in, in the ONLY way it will go into the housing...

I started to take everything apart today. Then it started raining.

Tomorrow, I am going to finish taking them apart.

Two reasons.

1. The clips that I used,... Broke. I bought them at two different local auto parts stores. Dorman brand. I swear, if I had glued together half a dozen layers of tin foil, it would have been stronger than these clips. Because of the GLUE!!! I bought better ones on amazon, and will replace all those.

2. This focus problem. What I am going to do is to put my "hack-fu" to work. I will take the housings completely out of there. Then I will carefully assess the housings, and the bulbs to figure out the best way to get the bulbs to fit into the housing in the correct orientation. I'll have to cut either the housing or the bulb. We'll see which...

 

[Selahdoor]

Also: The lights work by having either the bright or the dim filaments on. Never both at the same time.

I considered making up a circuit that would make both filaments come on when on high, and only the dim filament when on dim.

Even drew out the circuit and bought a diode and extra relay, to do this with.

Then read in a couple places that others had done the same and had ended up burning out the bulbs quickly by doing so. So, I am no longer planning on doing that.

 

[Selahdoor]

Well guys it looks like I doofused out!

It was my own fault. I should have paid better attention when I took it apart the first time. Or I should have looked for pictures to make sure I got it right, when I was trying to get those bulbs into the housing.

I replaced all the clips. Took the entire front panel off, to do that. Trying to fish around in there with the panel and grill still attached is way more of a pain in the butt than just removing all that, and replacing the clips with it out. Besides, doing it my way, I can see for myself whether the clip actually gripped where it is supposed to. And whether those little ears slipped into their grooves or not. (If not, you turn the plastic piece until the grooves line up right, and the ears slip right in.)

Figured out a way to get the bulbs into the housings. (They still won't go in perfect. They are at a slight angle, instead of being perfectly horizontal. But close enough, now.) And now, there is a noticeable difference when switching between high and low.

I haven't adjusted them yet. I need to figure out what size that hex head is on the little post that sticks up, and find a driver or socket in that size.

Renewed some wiring. Cleaned the battery terminals and cable ends.

Pretty much done with the headlights now, except for aiming them.

Also, man, I had no idea the old clips were so bad. I saw where other reviewers on these headlights claimed that the bulbs set back in too far. That wasn't the case on mine, before.

Now that everything is connected correct, and tight, yeah, they sit back in there further than the originals did. I'm kinda pissed. It looks terrible. Like sunken eyes.

But I guess if you can't see it from 30 feet away, it's not going to make any real difference. At least it LOOKS like they are going to be working correctly now.

One last about these particular headlight housings. The adjuster for the vertical, breaks if you so much as look at it crooked. It's metal parts in a little plastic housing. It's identical to the original Ford mechanism. Difference is, the ford plastic housing does not rely only on the 4 tiny plastic clips that hold it together. It is also glued together.

I didn't want to take the time to take those off, fix them, glue them, and wait for the glue to cure. So I just fixed them, then used 4 nylon wire ties each, to hold the cases together. They will not come apart again. (Unless it's because the mechanism inside sticks, if I have to adjust them again in later years.)

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I haven't adjusted them yet. I need to figure out what size that hex head is on the little post that sticks up, and find a driver or socket in that size.

It's been quite a while, but I seem to recall that they are an oddball size. Maybe a 5.5MM? Maybe a 4.5MM?

 

[1mouse3]

Maybe a 5.5MM? Maybe a 4.5MM?

I think it was 5.5 since dont have a 4.5

Edit: just checked and the adjuster is 4mm

 

[Philip1]

My trucks adjuster (bricknose) is 4mm and 4.5mm