donut
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:21 AM |
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Headlight position
I'm going to MOT my car before SVA. Will they set my headlights to point in the right direction or will i have to ask them to?
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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jos
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:27 AM |
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Theyll probably tell you theyre wrong to start with, then youll ask them to correct them and then when you get to SVA youll be told theyre wrong and
hopefully be allowed to adjust them to the examiners satisfaction and get a pass.
(BTW the right direction is forward :-))
[Edited on 17/2/06 by jos]
.: Motorsport / motor racing circuit / track wall art Apex Traxs :.
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mookaloid
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:28 AM |
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You will probably need to fiddle with them.....
It was only at the MOT that I discovered that when I had wired up my head lights that I'd got one side on main beam and the other on dip and
vice versa Doh!
Cheers
Mark
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donut
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:31 AM |
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Mine are a real pain to adjust so hopefully if i slip the SVA examiner a few quid he may pass them anyway.....no?
As if i would do such a thing 
Reminder to myself....bring the only 2 spanners that i own that will let me adjust the lights!
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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Kissy
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 11:27 AM |
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An MOT only checks the dip beam, and that is only that it does not blind the oncomer. If in doubt push them down and to the left! A flat surface and
wall is normally good enough - use a car that has recently passed its MOT as a reference if you can. I found out I had lhd lamps, the tester was dead
helpful, got out a roll of insulating tape and masked up the lamps until they passed!
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Hellfire
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 12:57 PM |
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Shine your tintop headlights onto a wall or garage door from about 15 feet away and mark the top of the beam pattern with tape. Use these marks to
line up the beam pattern to your Indy. Will pass both MOT and SVA no problem. 
Phil
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donut
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 01:19 PM |
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sweet, cheers
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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Humbug
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 01:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
Shine your tintop headlights onto a wall or garage door from about 15 feet away and mark the top of the beam pattern with tape. Use these marks to
line up the beam pattern to your Indy. Will pass both MOT and SVA no problem.
Phil
I've seen this advice on a number of threads... surely it will only work if te tintop and the seven have their lights at the same height?
Otherwise te angles will be different
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DarrenW
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 04:56 PM |
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I set my own up in garage and were spot on at SVA.
Placed a sheet of ply about 2 feet in front of car, set it vertical.
Both headlight roughly set in right position by eye.
Spirit level on top of headlight bowl - marked the plywood when level. did same for other side.
Placed another mark equal to half the diameter of the headlights (below first mark obviously). Drew a line between - this gave me the centreline of
the lights.
Next i found the centre of the car and marked on ply. Also measured distance between headlights and marked this on the ply. I then had the exact
centre point of each headlight marked on the plywood.
Full beam on - adjusted headlights so centre of beam was just below center mark on ply and slightly to the left (approx 5 mm each direction).
On dipped beam checked that the pattern moved down and to left further.
Last thing to do was rotate the lenses so the correct beam pattern orientation lined up level with centreline on ply. (beam pattern has a horizontal
section and an angled bit, horizontal part set up parallel to light centreline)
Worked a treat. No comments whatsoever from SVA. Local garage did comment that they were more accurate than most road cars. Well chuffed.
Hardest part was tightening the lights enough to allow adjustment but then only needing to be nipped up to secure. If too loose it was almost
impossible to stop them moving after setting.
[Edited on 17/2/06 by DarrenW]
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