I am trying to reaim my headlights

T

tranzformer

Member
:
2002 P5
So I have been goofing around with the headlights trying to aim/adjus them. I can't seem to find a setting that I like. Either the low beams are perfect, but the high beams shoot into the sky, or the low beams are aimed at the ground a little ahead of the car and the high beams are good. How far from a perpendicular wall am I suppose to be, and how high off the ground should the low beam hit the wall (like ~3ft) and the high mean (`5-6ft). I am really lost on this so any help would be awesome.
 
Hmm..My lows are set 2 feet from 20 feet away. That's pretty much ideal. And the bronze screw moves the whole headlight housing..so aiming the lows, you will also aim the highs as one WHOLE piece.
 
I parked about 6-8 feet away from my garage door & just made sure they were both the same height ( about 3 ft or so up on the door) then drove around the block & adjusted up or down until I got them where they seemed most effective with low beams. It's a preference thing, just put'em where you like'em based on your needs & likes. Mine are focused about 2 or 3 car lengths in front of the car............
 
don't just put them where you like them!
some people like them pointed pretty high up and end up blinding other drivers, so please take that into consideration!
 
How much is your time worth? I'd sooner just pay $20 to a garage and get the job done properly on an optical alignment machine.
Other night-time drivers will also thank you!
 
Funny I found this thread because I was trying to do the exact same thing last night. I recently got my car back from MP3 conversion and the body shop guys aimed my left headlight way too high. I kept getting flashed from oncoming traffic because it was very disruptive. I tried to bring it back down and also screwed around with my right headlight. Just can't figure out what's right anymore!
 
damaster said:
Funny I found this thread because I was trying to do the exact same thing last night. I recently got my car back from MP3 conversion and the body shop guys aimed my left headlight way too high. I kept getting flashed from oncoming traffic because it was very disruptive. I tried to bring it back down and also screwed around with my right headlight. Just can't figure out what's right anymore!
Click to expand...


I think I got it figured out, gonna have to take another spin tonight to double check. I did about 20 ft from a wall and about 2.5-3ft +/- high on the wall. Then just drove around awhile to see how I liked the low and high beams. Seems to be ok.
 
My bad...I assumed people would use common sense about not pointing them in other people's eyes without having to be told that if you do that it would encourage road rage from others. There is a useful preferential range that doesn't make others flash brights all the time but by all means go have it done professionally, generate an unecessary expense & waste time waiting on someone else to do some simple adjustment so that it is all scientificlike. Take the receipt & papercut your ass just like Johnny Knoxville would, you'll be the coolest person on your block...............
 
tranzformer said:
I think I got it figured out, gonna have to take another spin tonight to double check. I did about 20 ft from a wall and about 2.5-3ft +/- high on the wall. Then just drove around awhile to see how I liked the low and high beams. Seems to be ok.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip. Over the weekend, I did something similar. Put my car 25 ft away from a wall and aimed the lights about 2.5 ft above ground level. Drove around and it seems ok, but still a tad on the high side. Will try 20 ft away.

I'd like to get it done professionally but don't know who does that here in Montreal. I don't wanna pay somebody to put my car 20 ft away and do what I could do myself. I they really use some kind of equipment, then I'd be less reluctant.
 
tranzformer said:
So I have been goofing around with the headlights trying to aim/adjus them. I can't seem to find a setting that I like. Either the low beams are perfect, but the high beams shoot into the sky, or the low beams are aimed at the ground a little ahead of the car and the high beams are good. How far from a perpendicular wall am I suppose to be, and how high off the ground should the low beam hit the wall (like ~3ft) and the high mean (`5-6ft). I am really lost on this so any help would be awesome.
Click to expand...
Here is how you do it correctly. Requires a flat surface and a wall. Maybe some tape. Bring a buddy to sit in the driver's seat.

(For me, finding the flat surface & a wall is the hardest part).
 
Last edited:
Astral said:
Here is how you do it correctly. Requires a flat surface and a wall. Maybe some tape. Bring a buddy to sit in the driver's seat.

(For me, finding the flat surface & a wall is the hardest part).
Click to expand...
Thanks for finding that! Much more complicated & professional procedure than the ghetto way I was doing it over the weekend LOL!

Not only do you have to find a flat surface & a wall, but you have to find a flat level surface that's more than 25 feet long, and a perfectly vertical wall for this procedure to yield accurate results.
 
damaster said:
Thanks for finding that! Much more complicated & professional procedure than the ghetto way I was doing it over the weekend LOL!

Not only do you have to find a flat surface & a wall, but you have to find a flat level surface that's more than 25 feet long, and a perfectly vertical wall for this procedure to yield accurate results.
Click to expand...

You can probably makeshift a wall from some cardboard and a right-angle tool. As long as you can find that 25 feet of level surface..
 
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