Aiming elipsoids

[dashboardmonkey]

I searched in the lighting forum and the DIY forum and found nothing on this.

My headlights (euro smilies) are seriously out of aim.

What is the best method for aiming headlights?

I know that a large level dark place is going to help but every time i do it in those conditions they are still fucked up. What I normally do is adjust them some then go for a drive and then adjust again, then again and then again and so on.

There has to be an easier way.

Any tips would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[george graves]

Do you want to pay? Autobody shops often have headlight aimers.

No clue if this works:

[dashboardmonkey]

Thanks george

I am not willing to pay, I used to work at a shop with those tools or devices made for aiming head lights and every one of them came back saying they were aimed too low. Not saying the tool was at fault, maybe the floor was not quite level.

I appreciate the diagram you gave me but finding those conditions is a little far fetched (ie, level, dark, wall, 25 feet from a wall) and I think I could get a suntan from the highs, so the highs aren't a problem.

[jquirit]

Just wanted to bump this and say thank you for the image, George. This will be very helpful in me attempting to aim my lights. Now to avoid getting in trouble with Johnny Law by finding a place empty and flat enough I can tape up a wall to aim these lamps.

[Matt-B]

are lights from UK or germany?

[browntown]

Just noticed recently one of my adjusters was broken and in the process of replacing it I'm sure i f'd up my aiming too.

You ever figure this out andy?

[dashboardmonkey]

are lights from UK or germany?

not sure, I bought them from a guy in canada but I know they are not RHD lights

Just noticed recently one of my adjusters was broken and in the process of replacing it I'm sure i f'd up my aiming too.

You ever figure this out andy?

trial and error, over and over again

[Mo Brighta]

My adjusting technique

Just wanted to bump this and say thank you for the image, George. This will be very helpful in me attempting to aim my lights. Now to avoid getting in trouble with Johnny Law by finding a place empty and flat enough I can tape up a wall to aim these lamps.

I have always found industrial parks to have a warehouse- rich environment for LARGE flat walls (usually white or grey or beige) and large flat lots at night. Lucky for me, there's one close by. It's not perfectly flat, but it's close to level. I make my own reference marks using a small piece of black electrical tape (easy to see) positioned based on where the lights actually point, so I can adjust them up or down or left or right 'just a tad.' I cover the light on each side and adjust the other, in turns. I also unplug the lows when I am doing the highs, to make it easier.

Like Josh says, trial and error, with finer and finer adjustments as I get close.

I also find it helpful to tap the face of the headlight after making an adjustment to 'settle it in' to the new position. Just lightly tap the lens using two fingers all the way around, top/bottom, left/right. It will do this over time as you drive, from vibration of small bumps in the road, this just speeds it up so you don't have to spend three weeks getting them where you want them.

Andy (the tail light guy)