dsblack
Full Access Member
How do I aim my new headlights? They look great and I can see at night
. But they need to be aimed.
Thaks
Doug
. But they need to be aimed.Thaks
Doug
how do I aim headlights
- Thread starter dsblack
- Start date
Mr_Roboto
Full Access Member
Turn on your highbeams, pull right up to a garage door etc and mark where the lights are shining with masking tape etc. Now back the truck straight up 20 feet, and aim the lights so they hit the same spots. Of course you need a fairly flat level drive to use this method.
yARIC008
Drives really slow
When you back up and AIM the lights to there, are you still on high beams or do you switch to low beams?
tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
Leave them on high.
If you switched them and lined up lowbeams to this mark you will be lighting up tree branches instead of the road with the high beams......Great if you're shining for racoon.
swampdigger
Full Access Member
I feel enlightened now!
My trick was to keep a screwdriver in the glovebox, and fiddle with them at various points along a night time road trip--never got great results that way.
My trick was to keep a screwdriver in the glovebox, and fiddle with them at various points along a night time road trip--never got great results that way.
riotwarrior
Full Access Member
These instructions come right out of my Haynes Manual
Ensure that Tire pressure is correct and you have at least 1/2 tank of fuel
The simplest method requires a blank wall 25 feet in front of the vehicle and a level floor (see illustration).
Position masking tape vertically on the wall in reference to the vehicle centerline and the centerlines of both headlights.
NOTE: It may be easier to position the tape on the wall with vehicle parked only a few inches away
Starting with the low beam adjustment, position the hight intensity zone so it is two inches below the horizontal line and two inches to the side of the headlight vertical line, away from oncoming traffic.
With high beams on the light zone should be vertically centered with the exact center just below the horizontal line.
NOTE:It may not be possible to position the beams. If a compromise must be made, keep in mind that low beams are the most used and have the greatest effect on driver safety.
On a personal note, I have found a laser lever to be helpful if you can attach it to the center of the hood and you can maintain the centerline perfectly as you back away from the wall
Ensure that Tire pressure is correct and you have at least 1/2 tank of fuel
The simplest method requires a blank wall 25 feet in front of the vehicle and a level floor (see illustration).
Position masking tape vertically on the wall in reference to the vehicle centerline and the centerlines of both headlights.
NOTE: It may be easier to position the tape on the wall with vehicle parked only a few inches away
Starting with the low beam adjustment, position the hight intensity zone so it is two inches below the horizontal line and two inches to the side of the headlight vertical line, away from oncoming traffic.
With high beams on the light zone should be vertically centered with the exact center just below the horizontal line.
NOTE:It may not be possible to position the beams. If a compromise must be made, keep in mind that low beams are the most used and have the greatest effect on driver safety.
On a personal note, I have found a laser lever to be helpful if you can attach it to the center of the hood and you can maintain the centerline perfectly as you back away from the wall
Attachments
wwwabbit
Mmmmm Diesel
That has always been my way.... I find that the marking/backing up gets you close, but there is always that fine tuning that I like to do to personalise it.
Mr_Roboto
Full Access Member
Back in the old days there was an apparatus you'd attach to the headlights with suction cups that had levels on it to aim the light. Now with all the aero lights the light assemblies themselves will often have a bubble level built in.
But I think you will find most shops will use the method I posted above.
But I think you will find most shops will use the method I posted above.
riotwarrior
Full Access Member
Thank you, I have aimed many lights for friends this way as well as my own.
Ya I have found those darn things to be so useful for things like that. It's easy enough to do and even if you have to be like a few inches off center as long as you compensate (accurately) it's never been a big deal some hood centerlines are not conducive to a big magnet holding the level in place so a off to the side works too.
