↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Headlight adjustment
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 2 12>
Print this entire topic · 
ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
Headlight adjustment
Hi all Smile

Thanks to excellent advice from you lot, I bought some Philips Extreme Vision bulbs and fitted them with Crystal headlamps from Paddocks (ridiculously fast postage to Germany Thumbs Up )
Considering my 110 now lights up the road like "Crystal" Palace Razz I thought I should adjust them as correctly as possible.
I've done this on a 1974 Beetle where the dipped beam setting on a wall is (centre of brightest area) 5cm below bulb height at 5 metres. Trouble is, the lights on the 110 are almost twice as high Shocked and I'm worried about blinding people.

So... please can anyone tell me a "rule of thumb" for setting the headlights?

Cheers
Matt Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #99916 14th Nov 2011 4:59pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Happyoldgit



Member Since: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3471

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
Personally I'd have marked the beam on the wall with the vehicle positioned a know distance from it prior to doing anything - then you would have had some reference points to work to. As it is the best way would be to get them properly set up on a proper headlamp aligner. Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades.
Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW.

[Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc]

http://forums.lr4x4.com

I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic.
Post #99921 14th Nov 2011 6:03pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
Miserableolgit wrote:
Personally I'd have marked the beam on the wall with the vehicle positioned a know distance from it prior to doing anything - then you would have had some reference points to work to. As it is the best way would be to get them properly set up on a proper headlamp aligner.

NOW you tell me Rolling Eyes
Actually I'm fairly sure they weren't well set to start with - probably part of the reason they seemed so pathetic.
I will get them set properly a.s.a.p. but the nearest TÜV is in Munich and it will be a week or more before I can get an appointment...
Cheers Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #99923 14th Nov 2011 6:07pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
T1G UP



Member Since: 08 Dec 2009
Location: Bath
Posts: 3101

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Orkney Grey
ZeDefender wrote:
Miserableolgit wrote:
Personally I'd have marked the beam on the wall with the vehicle positioned a know distance from it prior to doing anything - then you would have had some reference points to work to. As it is the best way would be to get them properly set up on a proper headlamp aligner.

NOW you tell me Rolling Eyes
Actually I'm fairly sure they weren't well set to start with - probably part of the reason they seemed so pathetic.
I will get them set properly a.s.a.p. but the nearest TÜV is in Munich and it will be a week or more before I can get an appointment...
Cheers


doesn't your defender have adjustable headlights?
Post #99924 14th Nov 2011 6:09pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
er... if you mean the compensation dial on the dash, then yes but only down.
I adjusted them to be level today (with a screwdriver Smile ) but I would like to know what a reasonable height is for both.
Good idea though Thumbs Up - if they seem too high I can compensate for now until I get them done properly (now why didn't I think of that?) Whistle Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #99925 14th Nov 2011 6:17pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
Re: Headlight adjustment
ZeDefender wrote:
I've done this on a 1974 Beetle where the dipped beam setting on a wall is (centre of brightest area) 5cm below bulb height at 5 metres. Trouble is, the lights on the 110 are almost twice as high Shocked and I'm worried about blinding people.

You're not going to be far wrong applying the same principle to a Defender. The difference in height between it and a Beetle is an insignificant proportion of your 5m test distance. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #99926 14th Nov 2011 6:23pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
Re: Headlight adjustment
LandRoverAnorak wrote:
ZeDefender wrote:
I've done this on a 1974 Beetle where the dipped beam setting on a wall is (centre of brightest area) 5cm below bulb height at 5 metres. Trouble is, the lights on the 110 are almost twice as high Shocked and I'm worried about blinding people.

You're not going to be far wrong applying the same principle to a Defender. The difference in height between it and a Beetle is an insignificant proportion of your 5m test distance.

Cheers Thumbs Up
Matt Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #99941 14th Nov 2011 7:11pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Dave-H



Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1507

England 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Tonga Green
I just adjust mine to give me a nice 'spread' and then go for a drive.

If i get a flash or two from oncoming traffic i re adjust height and try again.

Keep doing until no-one oncoming seems bothered Thumbs Up Guns and Landrovers .... anything else is irrelevant.
Post #99946 14th Nov 2011 7:26pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
bm52



Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Havana
The manual says for a quick adjustment:


Exterior Lighting - Headlamp Adjustment
General Procedures
1. NOTE: Check main beam alignment using beam setting
equipment. Should this not be available the beam can be
temporarily checked and adjusted as follows.
Position vehicle, unladen, on level ground with tyres correctly
inflated, approximately 4 metres from a wall or screen,
marked as illustrated below.
2. The beam centres 'A' [measure between centre of lights] are measured horizontally on the
vehicle and dimension 'B' vertically from the ground [height from ground to centre of headlamp is same on wall].
3. Switch on main beam and adjust setting, as necessary, BM52
Post #99951 14th Nov 2011 8:12pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
bm52 wrote:
The manual says for a quick adjustment:


Exterior Lighting - Headlamp Adjustment
General Procedures
1. NOTE: Check main beam alignment using beam setting
equipment. Should this not be available the beam can be
temporarily checked and adjusted as follows.
Position vehicle, unladen, on level ground with tyres correctly
inflated, approximately 4 metres from a wall or screen,
marked as illustrated below.
2. The beam centres 'A' [measure between centre of lights] are measured horizontally on the
vehicle and dimension 'B' vertically from the ground [height from ground to centre of headlamp is same on wall].
3. Switch on main beam and adjust setting, as necessary,

Good - seems pretty much what I thought Smile
Cheers Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #99952 14th Nov 2011 8:18pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
spudfan



Member Since: 10 Sep 2007
Location: Co Donegal
Posts: 4646

Ireland 
As ZeDefender says,but with a picturefrom the workshop manual.

Click image to enlarge


Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green  1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali
2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu
2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai
Post #100008 14th Nov 2011 11:16pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
Don't know if I'm bonkers but my trimmer screws are at the bottom Confused
If I had fitted them the way they are in the picture, the towing adjustment would make them aim higher Shocked
Change in design? Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #100025 15th Nov 2011 6:40am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
spudfan



Member Since: 10 Sep 2007
Location: Co Donegal
Posts: 4646

Ireland 
Could well be. I took the diagram from a tdi manual to illustrate the wall settings. 1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali
2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu
2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai
Post #100063 15th Nov 2011 12:09pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
drewster



Member Since: 13 Jun 2011
Location: south coast brockenhurst
Posts: 226

Wales 1997 Defender 90 300 Tdi CSW Epsom Green
spudfan wrote:
As ZeDefender says,but with a picturefrom the workshop manual.

Click image to enlarge




my question is what is the mesurment of a and b

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green
Post #100072 15th Nov 2011 12:59pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Send e-mail Reply with quote
spudfan



Member Since: 10 Sep 2007
Location: Co Donegal
Posts: 4646

Ireland 
As far as I know it should be the same as on the vehicle. Any garage with light checking equipment will check them and adjust them if necessary for a small fee.I get mine done before a vehicle test. 1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali
2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu
2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai
Post #100079 15th Nov 2011 2:20pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 2 12>
All times are GMT

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums