How can i check my headlight adjustment?

[zetec]

I think there is a trick to mark on a wall & adjust to that?!?

 

Last time i drove the seven with johnv on board we couldnt see anything

[Baz Hemsley]

Local M O T garage. If there any good they should not charge you.

[Tony Whitley]

You're confusing cause and effect. Johnv couldn't see anything because he had his hands over his eyes

[Ian B]

There's a guide on Darren's site here and an article from May 3011 Low Flying that will be available online from in the Low Flying Archive soon

 

 

[Jason Plato]

park the saloon car with the headlights 3m back from garage doors, mark the light beams on the garage door with masking tape, then swop the saloon for the caterham and match the headlights to the masking tape lines.

 

served me well at mot time for years 👍

[Roadru77er]

3011 Ian? Has your sv become a TARDIS?

 

(I know sv's are about the size of the inside of the TARDIS but.......... 😬)

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Quoting Dave Jackson: 

park the saloon car with the headlights 3m back from garage doors, mark the light beams on the garage door with masking tape, then swop the saloon for the caterham and match the headlights to the masking tape lines.

 

served me well at mot time for years 👍

If the headlight units are at the same height on the tintop and the Seven !

 

If you have a flat and level area beside a door or wall. Park the car say 3-4m away and facing the wall. Measure height to centre of headlights. Draw a chalk line, or use masking tape, across the wall/door at the same height. The centre of the spot on main beam setting should be on the line. The distance apart should be the same as the distance between the lights on the car.

 

When dipped, the light cut-off line should be just below the line.

[6speedmanual]

Final tuning is always best carried out on the road, preferably on a slightly misty night so the beam lines are easier to see when tweaking.

(General, not only 7s)

I always aim for best "reach" on dipped beam whilst still giving a clear cut-off line on the road surface. If this results in h/b too high to light the max range, then compromise by bringing down a tad (unless you're lucky to have separately adjustable h/b)

Then work on the splay. This is not well measured by mot equipment.

Depending on preference, all sorts of different "aims" can be tried.

Using the above has always passed my MoTs.

 

Where tintops have height adjustment, i tend to use poition 1 or 2 as "unladen" basic setting. This leaves 2 or 3 for heavy loads in boot. Setting 0 now available as a raised up setting. Useful for fast night work on roads with lots of dips.

 

Peter

[Jason Plato]

sm25t

it doesn't matter - the vanishing point of the headlight beam is the same (near as damn it )

[Jason Plato]

..... obviously don't use a range rover or a van ...

[zetec]

Thank you gents !! Hope it works on the road , it was well out!!

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Quoting Dave Jackson: 

..... obviously don't use a range rover or a van ...

That was my point