Lighting A place to ask questions about HIDs & other Lexus lights

Adjusting the headlight aim

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-18-04, 12:40 AM
  #1  
panther_v
Rookie
Thread Starter
 
panther_v's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: ca
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question Adjusting the headlight aim

Hello,

I know this topic has been visited many times. However, I ran into something that I didn't expect. I wonder if anyone else experienced something similar to me?

A few days ago i looked at my headlight aim. The air bubbles were not in the center, and the left/right aim indicators were way off. So I decided to adjust both high and low beam back to spec. When I finished, I turned the lights on to see the result. Surprisingly, all 4 beams were asymmetric in both horizontal and vertical directions. I quickly readjusted all 4 beams based on what I saw on the wall.

My question is... shouldn't those indictors be accurate references to adjust headlights? If so, why were the lights way off?

FYI, the car is about 2 years old, no accidents.

Thanks for reading.
Old 06-18-04, 01:11 AM
  #2  
One HoT
Lexus Fanatic

iTrader: (5)
 
One HoT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NY
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Are you sure that your on even ground when you took a look at those bubbles?

Those aren't accurate, adjust everything by eye...Just park your car on even grounds with your headlights turned on, facing the wall at night...Look to see if light beam is aimed straight and horizonal to eachother..If everything is even then don't mess with it...Once you mess up those factory settings you'll never get your headlights aiming perfectly straight ever again...

Last edited by One HoT SC400; 06-18-04 at 01:12 AM.
Old 06-18-04, 10:23 AM
  #3  
panther_v
Rookie
Thread Starter
 
panther_v's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: ca
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Hi Hot SC400,

Thanks for replying. Yeah, I learned from the hard way. I should have never touched those adjustments.

Yes, I believe my garage is pretty level, and I did have a full tank of gas.

That is what I did eventually; I just eyeball the light pattern and adjusted those screws accordingly. I never recall how it looked originally, so I can't compare with my current positions. But it looks fair. I just want to make sure that I'm not blinding oncoming traffic.

Thanks again.
Old 06-18-04, 10:32 AM
  #4  
rominl
exclusive matchup
Senior Moderator
iTrader: (4)
 
rominl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Lovely OC
Posts: 81,673
Received 190 Likes on 148 Posts
Default

Actually they should be asymmetric. All lights, when set correctly (I am talking about hid, for example), you should see 2 V’s on the wall, they are more towards the right, and probably the right one is a tad higher than the left one. That’s to make sure when you are on the road you don’t directly glare the oncoming traffic.

I have adjusted 5 to 6 cars with hid and non-hid. When everything is set correctly, they all pointed a bit to the right (passenger side)
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
w5cdt
ES - 6th Gen (2013-2018)
8
06-15-18 08:44 AM
k20trick
IS F (2008-2014)
8
12-07-15 10:08 AM
lexusben
GS - 2nd Gen (1998-2005)
8
11-03-12 02:05 PM
lexusben
GS - 2nd Gen (1998-2005)
8
07-02-12 12:23 PM
stvincent
GS - 3rd Gen (2006-2011)
4
04-15-09 06:11 AM



Quick Reply: Adjusting the headlight aim



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:49 PM.