I just can't seem to get my headlights adjusted high enough on my 80. I've got them locked out on the actuators as far as they will go. The adjusters are all the way in and The stop bumpers are not touching and still all I do is get a low beam that points to the road. Am I missing an adjustment somewhere or is the front end sagging that bad?
Thanks

______________
Mike

Hi MIke
Start by replacing the old headlite bulbs with some new halogen bulbs. Over time the filiment in the bulb sag!
Worth a try it might be that simple. Let me know if this helps.
Steve

Sounds like the headlights are not coming all the way up, possibly an adjustment on the linkage is needed. Have you tried adjusting the ball joint link on the actuator shaft? What is the condition of all the nylon bushings on the moving parts?

I replaced the lights and I've disconected the linkage and they are all the way up, still the #*# things are not high enough. I don't have a clue

______________
Mike

Important safety tip ,the low beams are,nt supposed to point straight out ,the should be down some, the High beams,go straight out

______________

C3VR Lifetime Member #93

These things are hitting the ground about 25 feet in front of the car. They are at such an angle they don't even disperse the light.

______________
Mike

The 2 little adjuster screws right at the headlight trim ring ARE there and attached? I'm sure you would have caught that replacing the lites, tho. Mike

Checked everything, its like the darn things just don't want to swing up high enough, only need maybe a 1/8 -1/4 inch more. But thanks

______________
Mike

I don't want to sound like teaching you to suck eggs but are you just trying to adjust the headlight door actuators to get them in the right place?

Once you have the headlight assemblies in the right place (up and locked) you need to adjust each headlamp assembly with their adjusting screws (one on the side and one on the top of each lens) You should have plenty of adjustment to get them in the right place. If you can't then there must be something seriously wrong with the mountings.

Mike, I feel for you. I've had this problem for the 5 yrs I've owned the car. Was resigned to living with it until I read your post and deciced to have another look at it to-day, since it's raining AGAIN!!!

With mine it was the passenger side that was lowest. Just barely dropped in front of the car. So I'll use mine as an example, if its the other side for you just reverse things:

- lock the head-lights open and remove the painted bezel that goes around the both lights
- remove the grill on that side
- if you look to the left side of the light assembly there is a bolt head that stops against the frame that is in there. It's hard to find, if you can't find it, close the headlights and manually open the one with your fingers until it's almost open. You'll see the bolt come up against the frame.
- there is a 7/16 lock nut on this bolt.Loosen it.
- put a 7/16 box end wrench on the lock nut and a 7/16 socket on a long extension and universal joint on the head
- turn the head IN to raise you lights. I turned mine a full turn but haven't had it out in the dark yet to try it. I just turned the lights on and tryed them against the garage wall. It's a matter of trial and error.
- tighten the lock nut and replace everything you took off

It may seem like I'm over simplifing things here, but I don't know what your mechanical level is.
I hope this helps you as much as I hope it helped me.
Phil

______________

does anyone know the "official" ground test distance??

my pops always parked at the end of the driveway and aimed for the bottom of the garage door..

not very scientific

if I knew the correct distance id pop a chalk like and have mine set in no time.. they are pretty bad also.. drivers side to high, passenger too low..

The way to set them is on high beam, dead straight ahead and level. This is true for all 4 lights. Once the high beam is set, the low beam will go down and to the right due to beam design.

ahhh thats what ive been doing wrong all these years..

i didnt learn useful things like this growing up..

my "teacher" wasnt very concerned about things that didnt make the car louder or faster.. preferrably both

i just looked up the haynes manual way of doing it.. it involves some masking tape and 25 foot spacing to a wall.. then adjust brightest spot on low beam two inches below and to the right of centerline.

then switching to high bean should be vertically centered and "just below" horizontal center..

drive the car up to the wall to mark the centerlines..

but your way sounds much easier.. ill give it a try..

The just below center line is up for debate depending on who and which company you talk to. Some recommend 2 degrees down to cut glare to oncoming traffic. Others say dead level to get maximum light in front of the car, with the logic you should not have the lights on high beam with oncomming traffic. Both groups swear they are correct. I'll let you choose. (Personally I go dead level)

Thanks for all the input, I would love to adjust them 25 foot out but at that point they are already in the weeds.I'm going to look for that adjuster snoopy is talking about if not chips58 may be right, something bad wrong here. Its only on the drivers side and I got it up a little by shaving down the adjuster some. So I guess its time to take them apart and start all over.

Thanks again

______________
Mike

One more thing to check is the seating of the headlamp retaining cup. This is the metal cup behind the bulb that actually pivots when you turn the adjustment screws. These cups can bind against the rough positioning studs which are molded to the headlight door. When they bind, the cup can't move - consequently, the range of adjustment is limited.

So, try this:

1) Remove the headlight bezel

2) Completely loosen (but don't remove) the two adjuster screws. Leave the springs alone.

3) Gently pull forward on the retaining cup to free it from the headlight door studs

4) Rotate the lamp/cup unit upward

5) Turn on the lights to see where your beams land

This will improve your rough positiong of the beams. Now you can fine tune the beams with the adjuster screws. The whole thing takes about fifteen minutes.

I learned this litle trick last winter after rebuilding my headlight assemblies (rusted screws, springs, mounts, etc.)

I adjust my headlights 25 feet from the garage door and set the lowbeams about 2/3 up between the horizontal centerline and the bottom of the door. Seems to put plenty of light on the road - and I never get "flashed" by oncoming drivers.

Hope this helps

John

I need to find another headlight assmebly for mine..

there is one that looks made for the front end..

ie a circular bubble complete with a fiber light hole.. the other side looks like they just bent the hell out of one from a normal car..

i have a feeling this will be hard to find..

The adjustment bolt mentioned earlier will allow the entire door
to open further, but you need to verify it is actually contacting
the frame before adjusting.
If it isn't, the coupling on the end of the actuator may need to
be adjusted further out on the actuator rod.
Pull the return/open lock springs, remove cotter pin and pull
pivot pin. When pivot pin is out of actuator shaft it's a simple
matter of screwing the coupling out on the actuator shaft threads.
Had a similar problem on my 75 after dis-assembly for clean
and paint of the headlight mechanism.