headlight beam alignment

[juanbenae]

my H4's are horribly adjusted in regards to beam direction. thankfully I don't drive it after dark much, but would like to get them "straightened" out...

as I understand it there is a set up technique that can be implemented with the car a certain distance from a surface such as your garage door and specific measurements where the beams should land. it would differ for right hand drive vs. euro adjustment due to side of road travel.

does any have a template for this that can be set up? I would imagine establishing center line of the car & the specific distance from the flat surface with sweet spots measurements vertically and horizontally you'd wanna adjust the beams too. something like craft paper affixed to the garage door to aim the beams. id have to assume that if you get the low beams right the hi's would follow suit.


any layout info on this would be appreciated.

[MConn]

I don't remember where I got it but here's my procedure -

STEP 1: Find a flat level surface adjacent to a vertical white wall where the car can be parked (a garage door is an ideal location at home). Pull the car straight up to the wall as close as possible and draw a vertical line on the wall corresponding to the centerline of the vehicle (this can be done most precisely by using a yardstick and extending it from the hood ornament or badge to the wall). Pull the car straight back until the headlights are 25 feet from the wall.
STEP 2: Make the following two measurements:
Measurement A: From the ground to the geometric center of one of the headlight lenses
Measurement B: From one of the low beam headlights to the vehicle centerline. (Also measure from high beam center to vehicle centerline for 4 headlight systems) Note these measurements.
STEP 3: Draw one horizontal line on the wall at a height exactly 2 inches lower than Measurement A made in Step 2. On the line, make vertical marks both to the right and left of the vehicle centerline mark at the distance of Measurement B from the vehicle centerline vertical line.
STEP 4: Turn the headlights on and adjust the vertical aim of the headlights so that the top horizontal cutoff of each of the beams is located along the horizontal line drawn on the wall. Adjust the horizontal aim of the low beam headlights so that the point at which the top cutoff of the beam begins to slope upwards is located at the vertical marks made in Step 3.

Mike

[Arne2]

Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy, How to aim E-code lights

[7783911]

I took mine to local garage with headlight aiming device..30 cash and good to go

[T77911S]

i start with a basic adjustment on my garage door.

then I go out to my road, put a towel over one headlight and make final adjustments between hi and low.

not a fan of the H4 beam pattern. even with 60/100 bulbs my E30 had way better lights.

[djdsc]