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Author: Subject: Setting Up Headlights
The Doc

posted on 2/9/07 at 05:44 AM Reply With Quote
Setting Up Headlights

Anyone suggest a DIY method of setting up headlights for SVA?

TA

Mike

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Macbeast

posted on 2/9/07 at 05:58 AM Reply With Quote
DIY method for MOT used to be place car on level ground in front of and close to light-coloured wall. Headlights on main beam, mark centre of pattern, or just mark at height of physical centre of headlamp unit.

Roll car back 10-15 feet and adjust pointing so that centre of pattern hits the same mark. Check on dip that the beam is below that mark with defined cut-off.

Crude, not very accurate but it got me through many MOTs

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Avoneer

posted on 2/9/07 at 07:18 AM Reply With Quote
Yep - that's the way to do it.

You can even use the garage door and masking tape.

Pat...





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gregs

posted on 2/9/07 at 07:48 AM Reply With Quote
I did mine by putting the tin-top lights on the garage door, chalking the beam pattern, putting the 7 in the same place and setting to suit. Went through no probs.
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ReMan

posted on 2/9/07 at 09:09 AM Reply With Quote
Once set make sure the locking nuts are not set TOO tight, just so theres a little give, if you need to do any ahem "minor adjustment" during the test
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BenB

posted on 2/9/07 at 10:43 AM Reply With Quote
Usually they're only too happy to let you adjust them there and then (ie "up a bit, up a bit more" ).... If it takes 20 minutes they might not be too chuffed.....

To get into a ballpark figure either go for the tintop method or if you've got a flat bit of road, a wall and some chalk the mark, roll, adjust, repeat method is pretty good at getting them lined up...

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DarrenW

posted on 3/9/07 at 10:42 AM Reply With Quote
I did mine in garage myself and guy commented they were very accurately set.

i placed sheet of ply in front of car vertically. Spirit level from top of each light - mark on board. Another mark at haof diameter of light to mark the centre and drew a horizontal line. Next marked the centre of car on the board, measured distance between the lights and marked these points onthe board (basically so you now have the 2 light centre points on the sheet).

Main beam on - aligned center of beam to centre points on the sheet. Switch to dipped and the beam centre should move down and to the left slightly. Just check the beam pattern and rotate lens as required. (pic od this in SVA manual).

Worked a treat.






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