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How to - adjust the throw of your headlights


SteveW

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Well winter is coming around again, cold nights, rain, wind, darkness and lots of dipped headlight driving.

 

Well we all know how rubbish the dipped headlights are due to their height setting so here is a guide on how to raise the throw of your dipped headlights so you can see better where you are going.

 

This may have been posted before but here it is anyway:

 

Example is based upon the passenger light but it is virtually the same for the drivers light.

 

1) Pop the hood :lol:

 

2) Look at your light and just above halfway down on the inside edge this is the adjustor:

CIMG1026-1.jpg

CIMG1027.jpg

 

3) Now mark the original position of the 'click wheel' I used a permanent marker

CIMG1030.jpg

 

4) Next using either an 8mm spanner (I used an 8mm halfords ratchet spanner) or a thin screwdriver turn the click wheel 1.5 to 2 full turns clockwise. This direction is relevant if you were looking directly at the hexagon of the bolt head it would be anti clockwise if you were stood at the front of the car and looking towards the windscreen.

 

If using a spanner just put it over the head of the bolt. If using a thin screwdriver position it between the teeth on the click wheel and turn. It takes a bit longer if you use the screwdriver method but there isn't much space for a spanner so just use the tools you have.

 

5) Switch sides and do the same process to the other light.

 

6) test drive and enjoy being able to see where you are going.

 

For information I have done 2 full turns which I think is the max you want to do. At 2 turns the light pattern gets to about the top of the rear bumper of cars you are following. Don't be one of those annoying drivers who has his lights shining in through the back window on dipped beam, that really gets on my nerves :rant:

 

One other point you might want to note is that you may want to put setting back to normal for MOT time the adjustment might fall outside legal limits, you have been warned. As you can see in the second pick I have wrote 2 full turns on the inside of the light so I don't forget how much I've adjusted them by :lol:

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4) Next using either an 8mm spanner (I used an 8mm halfords ratchet spanner) or a thin screwdriver turn the click wheel 1.5 to 2 full turns clockwise. This direction is relevant if you were looking directly at the hexagon of the bolt head it would be anti clockwise if you were stood at the front of the car and looking towards the windscreen.

 

 

 

So let me get this right (don't want to make them lower after all).......if I'm performing this alteration whilst standing leaning into the bonnet over the front bumper, facing towards the windscreen.....the bolt must be turned 1.5-2.0 turns clockwise? :wacko:

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4) Next using either an 8mm spanner (I used an 8mm halfords ratchet spanner) or a thin screwdriver turn the click wheel 1.5 to 2 full turns clockwise. This direction is relevant if you were looking directly at the hexagon of the bolt head it would be anti clockwise if you were stood at the front of the car and looking towards the windscreen.

 

 

 

So let me get this right (don't want to make them lower after all).......if I'm performing this alteration whilst standing leaning into the bonnet over the front bumper, facing towards the windscreen.....the bolt must be turned 1.5-2.0 turns clockwise? :wacko:

 

 

If you are stood at the front leaning over the bumper you would turn the spanner to the left i.e anti-clockwise.

 

I did mine from the side of the car looking towards the front bumper thus turned the spanner to the right i.e. clockwise.

 

HTH

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4) Next using either an 8mm spanner (I used an 8mm halfords ratchet spanner) or a thin screwdriver turn the click wheel 1.5 to 2 full turns clockwise. This direction is relevant if you were looking directly at the hexagon of the bolt head it would be anti clockwise if you were stood at the front of the car and looking towards the windscreen.

 

 

 

So let me get this right (don't want to make them lower after all).......if I'm performing this alteration whilst standing leaning into the bonnet over the front bumper, facing towards the windscreen.....the bolt must be turned 1.5-2.0 turns clockwise? :wacko:

 

Just do it facing a wall with your lights on and you will clearly see the beam moving up or down... :thumbs:

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4) Next using either an 8mm spanner (I used an 8mm halfords ratchet spanner) or a thin screwdriver turn the click wheel 1.5 to 2 full turns clockwise. This direction is relevant if you were looking directly at the hexagon of the bolt head it would be anti clockwise if you were stood at the front of the car and looking towards the windscreen.

 

 

 

So let me get this right (don't want to make them lower after all).......if I'm performing this alteration whilst standing leaning into the bonnet over the front bumper, facing towards the windscreen.....the bolt must be turned 1.5-2.0 turns clockwise? :wacko:

 

Just do it facing a wall with your lights on and you will clearly see the beam moving up or down... :thumbs:

 

 

Good plan......thought of that when I was lying in bed last night! :lol:

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  • 3 months later...

Only now just got around to doing this modification some 4 months on from when I originally planned.

 

O..M..G :headhurt: Did this take forever or what!!! Went with the 8mm method and I know you said there wasn't much room and you weren't kidding SteveW. Also I've now noticed that you've replaced your standard airbox for an upgrade or pop charger variety. The issue I found was the minute room on the near-side headlight as the standard airbox on mine restricted nearly all movement; the off-side was far easier to adjust.

 

After what seemed hours...I decided to go for it as my lights seemed very low and the movement against the garage door I was facing was minute; so I decided in my wisdom and even after reading your 'spot on guide' that 4 complete turns would be a good idea :bangin: . That is until my test drive that evening....this is no exageration, on dipped beam I could see the roof tops of the neighbour house and the top of a nearby Oak tree :lol: as for on full-beam....well I think I saw a satelite :blush::lol:

 

So today I reverted back 3 full turns so I'm now only 1 x complete turn on from my starting position and WOW the difference is amazing :D I can see when I'm going at last, even on dipped and I'm not chasing the stars either! I should have learned by now that technically I'm a dunce and that you guys on here know what you're talking about. If anyone else thinks 4 x complete turns is a good idea....trust me it's not! :lol:

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  • 1 year later...
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  • 4 weeks later...

Lol it's fine, I thought that too, but the mechanics have tried and measured the beam but no difference, the driver's one is on the limit but the passenger one is low (showed up on MOT), not sure now whether I can get them fixed/new adjusters or new lights (hoping it's not the last one)

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