Headlamp deflectors

Post by **Trilobyte_simon** » 14 Jun 2006, 11:33

Hi there,

I have just bought a LHD westy from Germany - where can i get headlamp deflectors for my camper please that work here in the UK?

Thanks, Simon

Post by **jed the spread** » 14 Jun 2006, 11:36

im not sure were you get them from but i have got some other info for you.i heard someone say they will now only give you 1 mot with lhd lights on.

jed

Post by **T2Andy** » 14 Jun 2006, 15:42

jed the spread wrote:im not sure were you get them from but i have got some other info for you.i heard someone say they will now only give you 1 mot with lhd lights on.

jed

Spoke to my MOT man a few weeks back on this, with the new computer MOT's they can only give you an advisal once, so yes they will pass it with beam deflectors but they have to then record that on the system and it won't pass next time.

Officially you should also have the speedo in MPH, but not sure if the MOT man actually looks at that, and there is also the rear fog light issue.

Most good car accessory shops sell them, they are not LHD pacific, the RHD ones reverse or something to fit LHD.

Post by **simoncummins** » 14 Jun 2006, 20:10

Ive got one lhd lamp and one rhd lamp the lhd one is just blanked with black tape. My mot guy says that they can not fail it if the beam is with in the limits which a masked lamp is. Mine has gone through every time no problem.

Post by **jed the spread** » 14 Jun 2006, 20:21

i think this has only just come in and due to the new style mot they can keep a beady eye on you.

jed

Post by **lhd** » 18 Jun 2006, 20:11

Yep they failed mine as it's had it's second computerised MOT.
llhd.........................

Post by **horizontal kipper** » 19 Jun 2006, 19:58

Hello

We just got ours two months ago imported from germany, person we bought it from took it for MOT with black tape on the lights and we have a copy of the original MOT sheets and there is no advisory about the headlights on it. Hope this ain't the case as want to tour it abroad so was hoping to keep the lights masked over here and just pull it off for over there.

Gill and Paul

Post by **torz** » 20 Jun 2006, 13:13

I've just taken this off a Hymer motorhome forum, it was written in November 2005 when the new rules and computerised system had come into effect........

Our last van (Hymer 660) had "continental" LHD headlights and passed 3 MOT's while we had it and all we did was put some black tape on the lenses. I met a guy on the aire at Cognac who gave me a copy of a DVLA circular (admitedly from a few years back) that actually referred to Hymer A Classes on Fiat chassis and gave a template for the headlight mask. Just to double check I talked to the garage where we MOT'd our van last time and they say that to pass MOT the beams are tested with the "machine" (I'm sure someone knows the right name for it) and as long as the beam hits the right spot (which it does with the lenses masked where Beam Benders would be) that is a pass. Likewise kph speedos are quite legal - the regulations state that the speed must be "accurately shown" (doesn't say what in - presumably it would still pass if it read in knots!). Likewise which side the fog light should be on is not stated - just that it has to work if fitted.

I was once told by a garage that I would have I would have to have new lights, new speedo etc. to pass MOT. I asked if they could look up the MOT book of Regulations (every MOT Station has a copy - it is their Bible) but got the "I've been doing MOT's for 20 years and I don't need to look at any book....."etc. So I took the van to another garage and they got the business instead.

I have also just visited the VOSA website and read a pdf document about headlights
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/publication ... %20aim.pdf
and another one
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/publication ... ge%201.pdf

It seems to me that as long as,when tested with the special machine, your lights are masked so that they are aimed correctly, then they cannot fail you for having LHD headlights......... or a klm speedo either.....

Mine has had 2 MOT's in this country and never failed on the lights, if this is correct then it should be the same when I do it in August....

However, I have tried to ring the VOSA but can't get through, I will keep trying and we can mayby get a difinitive answer once and for all on this question.

Post by **torz** » 20 Jun 2006, 13:47

Right I have just spoken to Geoff at Motorvation in Evesham, he did my MOt last year and it passed..(phew)

I asked him about the LHD lights and the masking and he quoted from the testers bible that, as long as LHD lights are correctly masked with a kit bought from a car shop etc.or black tape in my case and the mask is properly secured, then there is NO REASON for them to fail you just because you have LHD lights....

He is also sending me a copy of the page from the testers manual and in case anyone has any probelms with theirs then you can quote
CHapter 1.6 of the official MOT testers manual, Column 1, paragraph 2........
see previous post and pdf documents.......

I for one am very relieved about this as there is no way I can afford RHD square lights for the Westy.........

******STOP PRESS*********

update..........I have just had it confirmed verbally by the VOSA that as long as your headlights are correctly taped and are within the correct beam allignment, then you CANNOT be failed on lights just because yours are LHD lights, you do not have to change them to RHD lights.

LHD, I would think that yours failed because they were not correctly masked or aimed.......

This has come from the horses mouth people........do it right and don't be conned into thinking you have to buy RHD lights just to get through an MOT test..................I have a pack of maskers from Halfwits and in it states the correct area to be covered, wither di yours with this kit or carefully with black, very sticky tape and good luck...........

remember to write down the quote from the MOT testers bible.

Post by **lhd** » 22 Jun 2006, 19:52

To be honest they weren't masked.

Only because the year before I changed to the squares, The MOT bloke (different MOT station) done it for me. So that could be a technicality.........
Have to wait till next year now to find out what they say......
Luckily I have a pair or RHD round with the grill.

saw me through..................................
lhd.................