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5 3/4” Headlights wanted
mk7matt - 27/6/18 at 02:07 PM

My MK has just failed its MOT on headlight ‘kick’.
I’ve got Dominator style lights fitted which are now being sold as not road legal

Has anybody got some headlights kicking around that they would part with and post?

Cheers.
Matt

russbost - 28/6/18 at 07:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mk7matt
My MK has just failed its MOT on headlight ‘kick’.
I’ve got Dominator style lights fitted which are now being sold as not road legal

Has anybody got some headlights kicking around that they would part with and post?

Cheers.
Matt


You have a particularly bad set of Dominators (they are made by several different manufacturers) or a particularly picky tester! I've put Dominators thro' IVA & they passed with no modification

Assuming you have the bulbs fitted correctly & are getting the normal pattern, which the manufacturer describes as flat, but is actually a low angle "V" of around 15 degrees then you just ned to rotate the patter slightly clockwise to get a flat baseline with a kickup to the left - should satisfy any tester.

From Furore Products FAQ "There is a quick modification which can be done which is to file a fresh slot about 13mm away from the existing one in the headlamp rim to rotate the beam pattern 15 degrees clockwise, this should give the required "kick up" to the LHS which should satisfy even the most stringent IVA tester"

HTH - Save your money!

mk7matt - 28/6/18 at 08:36 AM

The lights already have this small mod.
They too passed the SVA and previous MOT’s.
Same MOT tester this year as last and he seems quite apologetic about it, says the changes in May have tightened the rules.

The failure was “Headlamp aim so that beam ‘kick up’ is not visible on the screen”

Not a lot I can do other than replace.

Thanks.

russbost - 28/6/18 at 08:42 AM

Does sound as tho' he's being very picky - so far as I'm aware there weren't any changes in the new regs that relate to headlamp pattern, they still accept a flat beam on IVA & I recall the "British American" sealed beams of the 70's & 80's having a flat dip beam, so I don't understand why "kick up" not visible would be a fail.

I take it you are getting a normal flat & kick up pattern if you shine them against the wall? It could be that bulbs aren't seated or that reflectors have corroded

mk7matt - 28/6/18 at 11:01 AM

I’m going to check over all that I can now.

Might it be because they are ‘E’ marked they should have the kick, and not be classed as British American?

Thanks for your help with this.

obfripper - 28/6/18 at 12:54 PM

From the manual:

A flat top or other alternative headlamp dipped beam pattern is acceptable as long as all of the beam upper edge, including any ‘peak’ is contained within the appropriate tolerance band.

They have reworded the failures, but a flat beam pattern is still acceptable for mot.

Dave

Flick - 28/6/18 at 01:36 PM

U2u sent

mk7matt - 28/6/18 at 02:45 PM

So, I’ve just popped down to the MOT centre and had a word.
We got the car in front of the beam setter and he showed me the issue.

There is no definitive line to shade the top of the circle pattern of light. if that makes sense.
I can see that there is a shallow ‘V’ pattern but the edges are not sharp.

The tester did let me rotate the lense and adjust the lamp to try and get around the issue but it wasn’t good enough.

russbost - 28/6/18 at 05:44 PM

I think the tester is taking the p1ss! Light patterns were never well defined, that is a new thing that came about with projector & subsequently LED headlamps, I'd say he's an idiot! Feel free to tell him I said so (I doubt that will help!)

In all seriousness, I doubt the pattern on most 5& 3/4" lights will be any better defined - worth seeking the opinion of another MoT station?

chrisbmxr - 5/7/18 at 08:26 PM

I'd be interested in the dominators if you sell them?

... and they're black!

mk7matt - 5/7/18 at 08:59 PM

Just to update this thread.

Many thanks to Flick, who kindly swapped lights with me.

The new 5 3/4 lights have a significantly more defined pattern than my old Dominators.

MOT now passed.

Thanks for everyone’s help.

Matt

Mash - 6/7/18 at 09:54 AM

Hmmm, very interesting thread this.....

Think I might keep my 5 3/4 light jut in case I have a similar problem when I eventually get around to putting mine back on the road