17 replies to this topic

[cooperdan]

Hi

I had fail on mot for headlight level to low, i know how to adjust them, but im not sure how to judge where it should be (hight wise) could someone help please

Dan

[DomCr250]

This link might help a bit http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_180.htm

 

or ....

 

If you have another car and a garage / wall then use the other car's lights as a reference and then set the min's up the same.

 

Also maybe consider using another mot garage next time .... bit of a harsh fail in my mind.

[cooperdan]

Thank you for link and suggestion

yeh perhaps if was... oh well :-/

[Stu.]

Mine failed on that but they kindly levelled them while I was there for no extra charge. Surely if you asked they would do it ?

[minisilverbullet]

I would just do the retest, with the rings already off, screwdriver at the ready and adjust them there. using their "beam pattern machine measuring thingy"

[Dan]

They will normally do them for you during the test unless it's miles out or your adjusters are all cruddy and seized. They don't have to do it though and dedicated MOT centres will tend not to. A fail's a fail. Garage wall and another car that has recently passed is the easy way. There isn't a set height, it's a percentage below horizontal so the height depends on how high the lights are and how far from the wall you are. Stick one car on the drive, make a chalk mark directly below where both the headlamp lenses are, turn the lights on and chalk on the wall where the beam deflection point is for both lamps. Measure how high the headlamps are and swap cars. Make sure the Mini lamps are exactly above the mark for the other car (if it wasn't a Mini obviously they will be further apart and you need to accommodate that). Measure how high the Mini lights are and make marks the same amount below the marks on the wall from the other car as the lamps are lower. Then adjust your lamps to suit.

[cooperdan]

Fantastic Dan, that i will do
many thanks

and yeh they were miles out to be honest, but that was my fault for messing about with them before hand..

[ANON]

now the proper way to set them...measure to the centre of the headlight, mark a line on a wall at the same height, park the car 1 metre away from the wall, put headlights on and line the 'flat' of the beam with the line you've marked on the wall.

[cal844]

Fantastic Dan, that i will do
many thanks
and yeh they were miles out to be honest, but that was my fault for messing about with them before hand..

Measure from the centre of the lens to the ground then mark where this height is on a wall,
then drvie the car into position so you can see the light pattern,

Now adjust the horizontal line of the bulb pattern to the mark you made earlier

Leave the chrome trim off, go along for the test and ask if you can adjust the lights before he starts..

Edited by cal844, 19 March 2014 - 07:10 PM.

[cooperdan]

Super star guys.

thanks very much,

[cal844]

Not a problem!!

[Dan]

That will set them level (assuming the wall is dead perpendicular to the road surface) and they need to be 1.3% below that. True if you set them level the MOT garage will finish the job but you may as well set it fully yourself.

[cooperdan]

Yeh im going set it as best i believe...

[cal844]

Then ask the tester to double check it for you

[cooperdan]

Yeh I was intending to fella