Headlight Aim? Who Cares?

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: ffhdriver
Remember when headlights had three raised bumps on them for easy aiming at inspection time or DIY? In the late 70s when halogen bulbs appeared so many people said " they're blinding, I can't see, they should not be allowed". Now halogens are "too dim".


Exterior lighting has to keep up with the rest of the vehicle. Back in the day of incandescent headlamps and sealed halogens, our instrument cluster lighting was quite dim by today's standards. As interior lighting becomes more intense (as in the last decade or so), our headlamps must also become more intense to compensate for the abundance of foreground lighting.

This is probably THE most effective thing someone can do to improve their night vision: turn down the silly gauges! I keep mine on the absolute minimum at night. Some people have noted that it affects things like their backup cameras, but the % of time spent in reverse is, I presume, FAR outpaced by the % of time traveling forward, so I would recommend those people simply adjust the gauges when actually going in reverse. The benefits of reduced cluster lighting when traveling forward are tremendous.
I do the same thing, keep my dash lights on minimum setting. I see many people driving with their dash lights cranked to the max, I don't know how they can see at night like that!

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: ffhdriver
Remember when headlights had three raised bumps on them for easy aiming at inspection time or DIY? In the late 70s when halogen bulbs appeared so many people said " they're blinding, I can't see, they should not be allowed". Now halogens are "too dim".


Exterior lighting has to keep up with the rest of the vehicle. Back in the day of incandescent headlamps and sealed halogens, our instrument cluster lighting was quite dim by today's standards. As interior lighting becomes more intense (as in the last decade or so), our headlamps must also become more intense to compensate for the abundance of foreground lighting.

This is probably THE most effective thing someone can do to improve their night vision: turn down the silly gauges! I keep mine on the absolute minimum at night. Some people have noted that it affects things like their backup cameras, but the % of time spent in reverse is, I presume, FAR outpaced by the % of time traveling forward, so I would recommend those people simply adjust the gauges when actually going in reverse. The benefits of reduced cluster lighting when traveling forward are tremendous.
I've gone so far as to add dropping resistors to balance lighting levels in my accessory radios.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I think Stern is correct that this is a problem of priorities (at least in the US). Lighting design is being driven as much by fashion as by function. Some auto makers with global platforms spend money making red-only rear lamp designs specifically for the North American market because we think amber signals "look funny" (I personally refuse to own a vehicle without amber signals all around). On the flip side, some state-side auto makers spend as little as possible on rear lamps, using just a single bulb for everything, because they can. "Leveled" trucks blind oncoming drivers all the time -- extra points if you have a "leveled" truck, an HID kit in your main beams, AND an HID kit in your fog lamps. But, extra points are only awarded if you have them all on, all the time. LED light bars are also extra credit.

It's intriguing to observe how many cars out there with HB2/H4 bulbs have their bulbs installed wrong. It's easy to spot -- the wrong portion of the reflector is shaded, and you get a huge bright spot right in your eyes as an oncoming driver. (Likely the cause of the Civic's lights someone previously posted.) It's beyond me how these drivers can't perceive that their lights are pretty useless in this condition. You'd think they'd pull up to the back of a vehicle at a stoplight, or park facing the side of Walgreens, and think, "hmmm...something doesn't look right with my headlights." Nope.

If our priorities, as a lot of drivers, were different, I think many of us would be far less aggravated when driving at night. I will say that it does seem to be somewhat regional. When I used to live in Fayetteville, NC, I essentially got to where I refused to drive at night. Despite nearly always being on well-lit suburban roads, the amount of cars with HID kits and aftermarket LED lights was astounding (and disappointing). Where I live now (Winchester, VA), it's FAR darker at night on most roads, yet the VAST majority of cars are running around unmodified. It's almost enjoyable to drive at night here.

Don't confuse me for a luddite. I appreciate and welcome all advances to lighting technology. Factory HID and LED systems are fine -- they're compliant with regulations and they work well. ANY lighting system, regardless of the source used, can create disabling glare when non-compliant due to modification or poor aim, etc.
Takes a real Mensa candidate to get an H4 in wrong.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: BalticBob
On a dark and lonely night, I flashed my high beams at a on-coming car, and the driver did not dim his lights. So I flashed again, same result. What a jerk....as we got closer, I realized it was a local sheriff deputy! He turned around, stopped me, checked all my papers, and as always, he proceeded to ask if I knew why I was stopped. I said "yes I do, because YOU would not dim your headlights, and YOU wanted to find out why I flashed mine" He asked if his lights were on high, I re-affirmed, and he actually apologized! Must have been too pre-occupied looking at his on-board computer.

Two years ago, a similar situation in Michigan resulted in a police officer shooting and killing a young man. Watching the video, the young man certainly didn't cooperate. Whether that justified being killed will be up to the courts.

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2017/01/family_of_teen_shot_and_killed.html

 

[buck91]

Originally Posted By: OldSparks
I installed Phillips X-treme Vision H4 bulbs in my Fizzer and I've been getting a few people flash their high beams at me when riding down two lane highways, at night. The Yamaha has uses both headlights, which provides far better night driving than my old bike.

I am frankly torn between 'being seen while riding' vs 'being considerate to my fellow motorists'.



I wasn't going to post here because, well I have a very strong opinion about this general topic and I get tired of beating the horse.... I would like to provide my thoughts on your quandary, though.

When I had my bike, I would kinda go back and fourth between whether to use the high beam for traffic visibility or not. With it on (H4 bulb with relay harness), I would get flashed almost daily. Generally, I found that acceptable because that meant they were paying attention to ME. I also found it reassuring in freeway traffic as it would be noticeable to drivers ahead of me if I was passing.
Conversely, as an attentive car (well truck) driver I find these high beam or hihg-aim HID bikers VERY ANNOYING. I understand where they are coming from but when their lighting is so bright that it washes out the surroundings and blinds oncoming traffic.... well thats not very safe either.

I guess what I'm saying is do what you have to do to feel safe, but I'd recommend taking a look at what other drivers are seeing. Too bright is too bright and isn't helping.




... now, poor HID conversions and brights-on drivers just [censored] me off.

 

[jackz]

I have a 07 Toyota highlander and replaced both headlites the right side points very high . Iv'e tried to lower the aim but the bolts will not allow the aim to lower. Any info would help. Thank you. jz.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Jackz, are they genuine OEM units from Toyota or are they aftermarket assemblies?

 

[jackz]

After market that's probably why ?

 

[Tomioka]

I guess I gotta apologize to everyone I blinded for the past several days after I installed new aftermarket headlights and never adjusted them in the 01 Tundra. They are getting adjusted on Monday morning at my local shop. Apparently their "headlight" guy isn't in during the weekend while I have the truck in for new upper balljoints and final alignment.

 

[TurboFiat124]

Originally Posted By: Olas
It's a 50/50 consideration between not blinding other drivers because it hate when it happen to me, and, being able to see where I'm going.

In the UK a car with improper headlight adjustment is deemed not road worthy.


Here's my question. Why would headlamps need any adjustment after the car left the factory unless the previous owner monkeyed with the adjustment after the fact? Rear leaf springs can sag over time. You can be hauling something (or fat people sitting in the back) that would cause the rear end to sag but it's sort of inconvenient to adjust your headlights between different weigh loads.

My Citroen 2CV has a knob and a long rod running to the headlight bar. I didn't know what this was at the time until the guy who sold it to me told me it's purpose. That's crazy! I've never seen a car that you could adjust the headlights from within the cabin!

Every time I've needed to adjust the headlights on a car is after I bought it and the previous owner messed with the adjustments for whatever reason.

When I got my Trabant, with the headlights on low beams, I could barely see at all. Flip them onto high beams and the beam was about 5 to 10 feet in front of me. That made no sense. Apparently the last owner of this car back in Hungary turned the headlights almost all the way down so the high beams were now the low beams. I guess because the high beams produced 45 watts versus 40 watts. Not much of an improvement.

I'm sure this is not the proper way to adjust headlights but this seems to work for me. I do this at the bottom of my driveway where I have a good 50 feet of flat land to work with, no street lights, nobody stopping to ask me what the [censored] I am doing. I actually had the police talk to me one night while adjusting my headlights on a Honda I had as a teenager. I've always heard it's good to use a wall as a guide. I was at a school one night (no class going on) aiming my headlights against the wall and the police were out patrolling and saw me and thought I was up to no good and questioned what I was doing.

Anyway back to my story.

So I usually pick a night when it's cloudy, new moon, whatever but a little bit of fog helps especially when it comes to the side to side adjustment. I set my lights to low beam then cover one headlight with a towel then start by adjusting the side to side beam pattern. This is usually easy to do especially if it's a bit foggy.

Once I get that done, I start by adjusting the up and down beam. I found if the headlight is aimed too far up, you can't see the road. I start with the headlight turned all the way down then slowly start adjusting it upwards until the light starts to diminish and I can't see my driveway, then I start turning it down until I can see the road again.

Sort of like adjusting the mixture screw on a carburetor!

Then I blanket that headlight and start adjusting the other headlamp. I stand about 20 feet from the front of the car and squat and see which headlamp looks brighter than the other. Then go back and synchronize them.

That's my method. If the headlights are turned too far up, they not only blind on coming traffic but they are ineffective. I'm guessing low beams were meant to shine for about 25 feet.

What baffled me is how many types of bulbs there are for European spec headlamps. Since the United States had been using sealed beam 50/55 watt headlamps for so many years.

This car had 40/45 watt R2 bulbs with the t45 base. I"m guessing R2 is an incandescent where H4 is a halogen. But had no idea until I got this Citroen that there is a such a thing as an H4 with a t45 base. I thought all H4s used t43 bases.

I finally replaced the headlights in my Trabant with 6 volt 50/55 watt H4s bulbs with the t43 base. Just got a set of 50/55 watt H4s for my Citroen yesterday.

All of the lighting I have replaced on my Trabant and Citroen I've ordered from the UK!

I typically order what I cannot find here in the US for my European cars from the UK because shipping from the UK to the US through Royal Mail is about 1/4 of what it costs from Germany by DHL.

 

[SubLGT]

Automatic, full time, non-mechanical aiming (height + lateral) will be arriving in the near future.

https://www.carlightblog.com/2017/02/08/say-goodbye-adjusting-headlights/

Quote:
…car and headlight manufacturers are working on a fully automatic solution. The starting point is that more and more lighting systems are controlled via a camera, which then sees where the headlights shine...This is not to be confused with automatic or manual headlamp leveling systems which have been installed in Europe in all cars since the start of the 1990s [in which the ] adjustment only influences the height of the light beam. The problem is that whenever the height is adjusted the lateral beam gets slightly misaligned...The new [aiming] technology can be used in matrix headlights without the need for additional mechanical systems. After all, these headlights exclusively control the light by switching LEDs on and off. And this will work particularly accurately in µAFS pixel lights...So when’s it coming and in which cars? A flagship model will probably get it first, and most likely in combination with µAFS – perhaps as early as in the next two years.

 

[Claud]

Originally Posted By: TurboFiat124

My Citroen 2CV has a knob and a long rod running to the headlight bar. I didn't know what this was at the time until the guy who sold it to me told me it's purpose. That's crazy! I've never seen a car that you could adjust the headlights from within the cabin!


What baffled me is how many types of bulbs there are for European spec headlamps. Since the United States had been using sealed beam 50/55 watt headlamps for so many years.


Internal headlamp adjusters are to be found on almost any European spec cars, they might even be required now, but I'm not sure. Renault fitted simple external adjuster to many of their models since the 1970's.

It used to be in the days of 7" and 5-1/2" round headlamps in the UK that nearly all headlamps had the same electrical connectors, whether bulbs or sealed beams.
Now there is an arms race to see who can have the brightest lights there about half a dozen various bulb fittings. Simply gaining access to change a bulb can be a problem for those with less than nimble fingers now too.

I used to drive through the night on unlit roads with tungsten sealed beam lights. Properly adjusted they gave all the light I needed.

Claud.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Claud
Originally Posted By: TurboFiat124

My Citroen 2CV has a knob and a long rod running to the headlight bar. I didn't know what this was at the time until the guy who sold it to me told me it's purpose. That's crazy! I've never seen a car that you could adjust the headlights from within the cabin!


What baffled me is how many types of bulbs there are for European spec headlamps. Since the United States had been using sealed beam 50/55 watt headlamps for so many years.


Internal headlamp adjusters are to be found on almost any European spec cars, they might even be required now, but I'm not sure. Renault fitted simple external adjuster to many of their models since the 1970's.

It used to be in the days of 7" and 5-1/2" round headlamps in the UK that nearly all headlamps had the same electrical connectors, whether bulbs or sealed beams.
Now there is an arms race to see who can have the brightest lights there about half a dozen various bulb fittings. Simply gaining access to change a bulb can be a problem for those with less than nimble fingers now too.

I used to drive through the night on unlit roads with tungsten sealed beam lights. Properly adjusted they gave all the light I needed.

Claud.


I discovered this foreign concept when I saw some interior photos of a European Grand Cherokee. I had asked the owner what that adjustable looking switch was and sure enough, that's what it was.

Didn't even thinking about asking about it while I was in Europe. I could have seen them in action.