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How to Align your headlights! if you don't know now you do.


MiniStiGuy

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The DOT standard for headlamps alignment is as follows: (this is the california standard which I'm sure is more then fine for everywhere else considering the stiffness of rules and regulations we are faced with)

 

The standard states that a vehicle's headlights must be at 25ft away 2 1/2 inches below the given height of the headlight. To accomplish this I have written out a guide for you guys that just are new to this or for those of you that have been wanting to do this but aren't really sure how high or low you should go.

 

Ok to start here's some stuff that will be needed.

 

You'll need to have a flat surface with a flat wall and plenty of flat ground to back up 25ft away from the wall.

 

Tools needed:

Tape Measure

Tape

8mm wrench or ratchet

phillips head screwdriver to remove snorkus.(intake section)

 

(tape works good for all the markings you'll be doing).

 

Cliff Notes:

Mark 1 = Center of the Vehicle.

Mark 2 = Height from the ground to the center of the Lens.

Mark 3 = Height from 25ft away that lower arc of beam should be at. (See 2nd Arc Picture)

Mark 4 = Distance from center of the Vehicle to the center of the Lens.

 

NOTICE: If you follow these instructions you will have a DOT approved alignment and will not be blinding oncoming drivers.

 

1. Pull up to the wall and mark the center of your car on the wall and your car. Mark 1 In the Diagram.

 

2. Measure the height from the ground to the center of your headlight (the center of the projector lens. Measure from Ground to Mark 2 and put Mark 2 on the wall.

 

3. Measure from the center of the car to the center of the Lens. Mark 1 to Mark 4 and put Mark 4 on the wall.

 

4.Measure from Mark 2 down 2 1/2 inches. Mark 2 Measure down 2 1/2 inches and put Mark 3 on the wall.

 

Your tape on the wall should now look like that of the diagram in the picture.

 

5. Use your tap measure and measure back 25ft from the wall and mark the ground at 25 ft away.

 

6. Put the tap measure right up next to your tires and proceed to back up until your front tire is at the 25ft mark. IMPORTANT!!! Be sure to keep the center of your car aligned with the center mark on the wall if you don't do so then your marks are now useless. I find using the tap measure helps you back up straight because you can use it as a guide with it extended out for you to back up next to (sort of like a curb)

 

7. Now adjust your lamps as needed as to align the lower section of the arc to line 3.

 

8. If your horizontal aim is off to much you can remove the cover that is on the bolt for the horizontal alignment and adjust as needed. (see picture of bolts location. The bolt is on the outside section of the lens cap towards the fender at the top of the headlight.)

 

Thats it your DONE!!!!!! being that you have now aligned your headlights to the DOT standard you can drive around worry free of blinding your fellow motorist.

 

UPDATED PICS:

The lower arc is the lower section of the light beam as opposed to where it arc's upwards to the top arc section.

 

Here's a diagram I drew up of how your's should look on the wall and how the lights should be aimed to that diagram.

 

NOTE: The higher arc is not what you are trying to aim here its the lower arc that you are trying to aim to the correct height.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u280/garrett804/Picture2copy.jpg

__________________

 

yeah their are bolts on the back of the headlight that can adjust the horizontal aim and the vertical aim.

 

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u280/garrett804/IMG_0343.jpg

If there is any questions or concerns just feel free to PM me or post them up.

102690380_Headlightdiagram.JPG.0ae4bb0c276de6938663d67c350f0dd1.JPG

Picture2.thumb.jpg.a6e0d7ab25b13c54dd812fddf9ede5f2.jpg

2064097750_NewImage.thumb.JPG.7ba8fd636c51e9fb2ebfc829d0e86f9a.JPG

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thanks magic....

 

 

For everyone's clarity the answer to the question of the millenium for our cars.

 

Question: Do our Legacy's that being the 2005+ have horizontal alignment capability?

 

Answer: Yes they do have the ability to be horizontally aimed. The main reason why a manufactorer would not allow for its customer's to have the knowledge of the horizontal aiming is because some people could cause for there alignment to purtrude into oncoming traffic in an effort to light up the lane line more. With the cutoff of our headlamps consisting of a european style arc in the beam pattern it would be a major problem if that higher arc beam were to be constant in the eyes of oncoming traffic. To solve the problem of having customer's aim their headlights in such a way a cap was designed and installed on the headlamps as to not allow for such adjustment.

 

I'll take better pictures when I do my Rx330 swap of the alignment bolts and how they work and how to get access to them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I will be posting up my Rx330 Swap this weekend.

 

You'll have pictures of the following:

 

- Horizontal Adjustment bolt

- Washer Mod

- Beam comparison between a HID kit on stock projectors and a full OEM D2S Rx330 Setup

- Detailed instructions on how to do the swap

 

As always their will be plenty of PHOTOS and information

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The washer's go between the shield and the lens holder. I had 3 #6 washer's on all 3 of the points where the lens holder is screwed on. Currently on my Rx330 setup I have 3 on only the bottom 2 mounting points. Just start with 1 and go to 2 and so on until your happy.

 

Here's a pic of where you'll want to install them. I just editted VXCL's photo because I don't have my own with me at work.

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7660/washersuc8.jpg

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Here's a link to what my color modded lights looked like

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=865247&postcount=12

 

Here's tons more shots of them against a wall etc. You can see how the color looks when your lights are up against something.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Garrett.L.Turner/HeadlightShots

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that color is delicious, definitely something I am aiming for. which bulbs and what kelvin rating? I recently put some d2s bulbs in the stock H7 projectors and the cut off is yellow. I am going to have to open up my headlights once again. Also my cut off doesnt seem correct. Just to double check, is there only one way for the bulb to go in? The base of the d2s bulb + the d2s to H7 adapter was so thick I had to bend the retaining clip to get it locked in. But I am afraid the bulbs may be mispositioned inside the headlight. I'll take pics of the cutoff tonight, how far should I be from the wall?
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Here's a link to what my color modded lights looked like

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost....7&postcount=12

 

Here's tons more shots of them against a wall etc. You can see how the color looks when your lights are up against something.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Garrett.L.Turner/HeadlightShots

FYI, the first link doesn't work :(

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nice write up could you explain more of the alignment not quite understanding the lower section of the arc part. thanks bosco

 

7. Now adjust your lamps as needed as to align the lower section of the arc to line 3.

Stay Stock Stay Happy
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The lower arc is the lower section of the light beam as opposed to where it arc's upwards to the top arc section.

 

Here's a diagram I drew up of how your's should look on the wall and how the lights should be aimed to that diagram.

 

NOTE: The higher arc is not what you are trying to aim here its the lower arc that you are trying to aim to the correct height.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u280/garrett804/Picture2copy.jpg

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The lower arc is the lower section of the light beam as opposed to where it arc's upwards to the top arc section.

 

Here's a diagram I drew up of how your's should look on the wall and how the lights should be aimed to that diagram.

 

 

thank you nice work btw. bosco

Stay Stock Stay Happy
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  • 2 weeks later...
i believe one (or both) of the headlamps is facing toward the ground too much, as i can't see too far ahead. seems as if the left headlamp is pointing diagonally away from the car towards the ground. i dont have a camera on me atm so i cant post a pic.. but is there a way to adjust the direction it points? thanks!
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