Now today I put the roller special through its annual MOT and it sailed through same as last year except for headlight alignment. I asked if he'd reset them for a fiver and he reckoned it'd be £20 to do that as screws would be rusted solid.
I literally removed front grill before his eyes and reassured him that as I'd only adjusted them a week ago, they weren't seized. He was happy with that, reset them and gave me my MOT certificate but tonight the passenger headlight feels like its in the trees and drivers side ok although I can't help feeling that they're both higher than before he had a go at them.
He's a great bloke otherwise and very helpful but anyone any suggestions on this? MOT says they're fine but my gut feeling is that they're not?
Headlight Alignment
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big red bus
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Red Westie
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He has possibly set the aim as per normal car where the angle is shallower, vans have higher healamp centres so a more aquate angle needs setting.
1.3%, if the headlamp centre is not more than 850 mm from the ground
.2.0%, if the headlamp centre is more than 850 mm from the ground
Martin
1.3%, if the headlamp centre is not more than 850 mm from the ground
.2.0%, if the headlamp centre is more than 850 mm from the ground
Martin
On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar now sleep xxHayleyxx
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar now sleep xxHayleyxx
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CovKid
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Thats helpful - I think.
About 10 months ago I fitted new bulbs (standard wattage) with a kind of ballast unit (see below) and relays purchased from ebay as a kit. After fitting everything, the aim was well out as even on dipped they lit the street up like a military searchlight (scaring moggies and small children) and I have progressively brought them down. I'm fairly sure the unit increases the voltage slightly above normal battery voltage (not by much or bulbs would have gone by now). Photo below is pre-MOT by the way:
[img:596:641]https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/images/Headlightbooster.jpg[/img]
Anyway, when I set my lights up (from scratch), it was very much a trial and error job, and based largely on how much of the car in front was lit by my lights compared to other cars. I figured if the beam sat around the same height then I wouldn't be far off in terms of height and less likely to dazzle on dipped. I then made sure that on a normal road, the drivers side headlamp only lit MY side of the road and the passenger headlight arcing upwards from edge of curb. That seemed a standard pattern (from experience) and MOT guy said they only needed mild adjustment so I wasn't far off.
I'm certainly not complaining about poor visibility since the MOT guy set them up. In fact if they ARE right, its a whole lot better but I don't want to cheese anyone off. As things stand now, curb and pedestrians are WELL lit I can tell you. The shadow behind them is black as the ace of spades
If anyone can remember, I had heaps of probs with my lights as (like most T25s) they were pi$$ poor, particularly on country roads and I fitted the ballast type unit and relays and the light from them is VERY white as a result - comparable with top-notch HIDs. Definately no need for spotlamps or any extra lights - AT ALL. Heaven forbid if I had four of them up front.
I guess it could be this difference thats throwing me a bit but I'll shine them on a wall and see how they look for peace of mind. Never seen the ballast unit on UK ebay since but it really did the trick in terms of getting the lights up to spec and for £30, it was a bargain. The difference was amazing - no more yellow candle-power. Its impossible to take an accurate photo of just how beefed-up they are but they're certainly white.
It could simply be I suppose, that in my quest for better lights, thats exactly what I got.
This is the identical unit on Philipines Ebay anyway: http://cgi.ebay.ph/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... &indexURL= - if anyone is familiar with it. Its DEFINATELY better than just relays wired straight to the battery - by miles. If anyone is not far from Coventry and wants to see what I mean, I'll happliy demonstrate. You'll know if its me in your road after dark.
About 10 months ago I fitted new bulbs (standard wattage) with a kind of ballast unit (see below) and relays purchased from ebay as a kit. After fitting everything, the aim was well out as even on dipped they lit the street up like a military searchlight (scaring moggies and small children) and I have progressively brought them down. I'm fairly sure the unit increases the voltage slightly above normal battery voltage (not by much or bulbs would have gone by now). Photo below is pre-MOT by the way:
[img:596:641]https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/images/Headlightbooster.jpg[/img]
Anyway, when I set my lights up (from scratch), it was very much a trial and error job, and based largely on how much of the car in front was lit by my lights compared to other cars. I figured if the beam sat around the same height then I wouldn't be far off in terms of height and less likely to dazzle on dipped. I then made sure that on a normal road, the drivers side headlamp only lit MY side of the road and the passenger headlight arcing upwards from edge of curb. That seemed a standard pattern (from experience) and MOT guy said they only needed mild adjustment so I wasn't far off.
I'm certainly not complaining about poor visibility since the MOT guy set them up. In fact if they ARE right, its a whole lot better but I don't want to cheese anyone off. As things stand now, curb and pedestrians are WELL lit I can tell you. The shadow behind them is black as the ace of spades
If anyone can remember, I had heaps of probs with my lights as (like most T25s) they were pi$$ poor, particularly on country roads and I fitted the ballast type unit and relays and the light from them is VERY white as a result - comparable with top-notch HIDs. Definately no need for spotlamps or any extra lights - AT ALL. Heaven forbid if I had four of them up front.
I guess it could be this difference thats throwing me a bit but I'll shine them on a wall and see how they look for peace of mind. Never seen the ballast unit on UK ebay since but it really did the trick in terms of getting the lights up to spec and for £30, it was a bargain. The difference was amazing - no more yellow candle-power. Its impossible to take an accurate photo of just how beefed-up they are but they're certainly white.
It could simply be I suppose, that in my quest for better lights, thats exactly what I got.
This is the identical unit on Philipines Ebay anyway: http://cgi.ebay.ph/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... &indexURL= - if anyone is familiar with it. Its DEFINATELY better than just relays wired straight to the battery - by miles. If anyone is not far from Coventry and wants to see what I mean, I'll happliy demonstrate. You'll know if its me in your road after dark.
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dugcati
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Dont forget the the offside light will point toward the kerb at the far end of the beam (this is why you need the yellow paint on your lights for other countries;)); and the nearside light should point pretty much straight ahead.
I normally set mine up by finding a really quiet country lane with a bit of straight on it, and when it's dark pull up there and put the lights on full beam and then set them up to point right down the road, when dipped they then should look right
I normally set mine up by finding a really quiet country lane with a bit of straight on it, and when it's dark pull up there and put the lights on full beam and then set them up to point right down the road, when dipped they then should look right
It is by will alone that I set my 'van' in motion!
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CovKid
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Noticed tonight when I faced a hedge, that passenger side beam is definately higher than the other. Should they not in theory be level? It doesn't dazzle being on that side EXCEPT when I'm going along and a car is stiiting in a side road on my left waiting to pull out and that light hits them square in the face. That can't be right surely.
To give you an idea, look at pic above. Its at least a foot higher up that tree now.
To give you an idea, look at pic above. Its at least a foot higher up that tree now.
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Red Westie
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dugcati
Just to clarify; both main headlamp beams are the same, they don't point towards the N/S they point straight ahead but have a beam 'kick' that illuminates the left side curb.
Painting headlamps yellow does not alter the fact that on the continent, R/H/Drive vehicles headlamps will dazel on coming drivers because of this kick.
Black tape or propper beam benders need fitting to the correct area of the headlamps to get rid of the left kick produced by R/H/D headlamps (the reverse also applies for L/H/D vehicles where their headlamps kick the opposite way)
The actual beam should be set around 2%, this is for vehicles who's headlamp centres are a little higher (like a T25) so the beam hits the floor at some point infront of the van.
Both headlamps are set exactly the same.
The lens is responsible for shaping the pattern of the beam on early vehicles like ours (the exact position of the low beam ellement when the bulb is fitted into the headlamp determines the pattern created by the lens) Full beam ellement is in a slightly different position within the light unit so produces a completely different pattern (the bulb also internally shields one of the ellements to help shape the light produced.
If you are very close to that driver coming out of a junction to the left then because your headlamps are relatively high compared to where he is sitting, he will get a face full of light. On the other hand if you are just approaching him and the vehicle is 50-60 meters away the beam should be hitting the floor so not in his face.
Martin
Just to clarify; both main headlamp beams are the same, they don't point towards the N/S they point straight ahead but have a beam 'kick' that illuminates the left side curb.
Painting headlamps yellow does not alter the fact that on the continent, R/H/Drive vehicles headlamps will dazel on coming drivers because of this kick.
Black tape or propper beam benders need fitting to the correct area of the headlamps to get rid of the left kick produced by R/H/D headlamps (the reverse also applies for L/H/D vehicles where their headlamps kick the opposite way)
The actual beam should be set around 2%, this is for vehicles who's headlamp centres are a little higher (like a T25) so the beam hits the floor at some point infront of the van.
Both headlamps are set exactly the same.
The lens is responsible for shaping the pattern of the beam on early vehicles like ours (the exact position of the low beam ellement when the bulb is fitted into the headlamp determines the pattern created by the lens) Full beam ellement is in a slightly different position within the light unit so produces a completely different pattern (the bulb also internally shields one of the ellements to help shape the light produced.
If you are very close to that driver coming out of a junction to the left then because your headlamps are relatively high compared to where he is sitting, he will get a face full of light. On the other hand if you are just approaching him and the vehicle is 50-60 meters away the beam should be hitting the floor so not in his face.
Martin
On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar now sleep xxHayleyxx
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar now sleep xxHayleyxx
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CovKid
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Cheers - is too high then. Thought so.
Originally, when I did it, the kick on the passenger side started at the kerb edge - thats where I had it. Will shift it back I think and risk the fact they may fail it on MOT again in 12 months time.
I also removed the bulb shaders (whatever they're called) in my headlights as I presume these were really for tungsten bulbs and halgen type bulbs have a shader built in (end dipped in black paint). You don't see 'em metal shaders in modern cars so guess I'm right.
Originally, when I did it, the kick on the passenger side started at the kerb edge - thats where I had it. Will shift it back I think and risk the fact they may fail it on MOT again in 12 months time.
I also removed the bulb shaders (whatever they're called) in my headlights as I presume these were really for tungsten bulbs and halgen type bulbs have a shader built in (end dipped in black paint). You don't see 'em metal shaders in modern cars so guess I'm right.