Aiming headlights after a level/lift

[TylerV76]

Im really struggling with this situation and its driving me mad.

I know the 25 foot rule and center of the housing, and thats what I did...until last night.

The center of my light housing is 42 1/2” off the ground. I set my hotspot to 39 so the cutoff would be about 42 Simply because it felt high and I wanted to play it safe. Last night I pull into a parking spot with a car in the spot in front of me and people in it. I lit them up like I was shining a spotlight on them. When I got home I dialed my lights down a bit more until I figure this out.

The rule fails to account for taller vehicles vs lower vehicles. I hate being blinded and dont want to be doing it to others. I cannot seem to figure out a good spot for the lights that casts far enough out and not in a cars rear view etc.

What is everyone else doing?

Sponsored

 

[TylerV76]

Sitting in my recliner I get an alert from my driveway cam that theres someone on my property. I open the camera and see a lady picking up her dogs gift to my yard. Then it hits me.

I have an F-150 that is almost the same height as my truck. In fact its headlight is exactly 1 inch lower at 41.5” and its from the factory. Why not put it at 25 feet and mark its low beam and just match my truck to it?

After doing just that, my lights are even higher than before. My hot spot is at 42” (almost matching the center of the housing rule) and my cutoff is at 45. Granted, the F-150 is using halogens and Im using LED but what more can I really do here? I give up. I tried being nice and not blinding people but I have severe OCD and this isnt helping lol.

 

[TylerV76]

in my area, i am pretty sure everyone is following the height rule at 25ft. lifted trucks lights always shine higher. they have as much right to see down the road as I do.
theres actually some lifted dodge rams where i think their light beams are going right over my roof.

the auto dimming rearview mirror is the best solution, and for those drivers who dont have one, a little flick of that tab on the bottom solves the issue too.

As much as I hate having my cab lit up from some asshat in a lifted truck, the mirrors are in my control and solve the problem. my tinted windows also help.

Yeah I guess Im gonna have to accept that some people are gonna be lower than me and there isnt a whole lot I can do about it.

 

[weasel1]

Go find an isolated road. Adjust to where you think the lights should be shining. I then fine tune against the garage door (just to make sure they are level to each other) Always worked for me.

 

[treimche]

Here's what I did: at stock height, measure from ground to center of low beam bulb, measure the distance between the headlight and my shop's overhead door, then measure from the floor to the cutoff line on the door. After the lift was installed and settled, park the same distance from the door and adjust the headlight beams down until the difference from bulb to ground and cutoff to ground is the same as it was stock. The front of my Ranger is up almost 3.5" from stock and I haven't been flashed yet.

 

[TylerV76]

Here's what I did: at stock height, measure from ground to center of low beam bulb, measure the distance between the headlight and my shop's overhead door, then measure from the floor to the cutoff line on the door. After the lift was installed and settled, park the same distance from the door and adjust the headlight beams down until the difference from bulb to ground and cutoff to ground is the same as it was stock. The front of my Ranger is up almost 3.5" from stock and I haven't been flashed yet.

So am I understanding that you reaimed them to where they were pointed without the lift? If so, wouldnt that mean youve got them pointing way lower than necessary and at a pretty severe angle downward?

I marked my stocks and still have the markings and after a 2.5” level and a 1” tire increase, the difference in hot spots is almost 4 inches.

 

[treimche]

So am I understanding that you reaimed them to where they were pointed without the lift? If so, wouldnt that mean youve got them pointing way lower than necessary and at a pretty severe angle downward?

I marked my stocks and still have the markings and after a 2.5” level and a 1” tire increase, the difference in hot spots is almost 4 inches.

I probably didn't word it very well. All I really did was make sure the difference between ground to bulb and ground to cutoff was the same before and after the lift, if that makes sense.

 

[TylerV76]

I probably didn't word it very well. All I really did was make sure the difference between ground to bulb and ground to cutoff was the same before and after the lift, if that makes sense.

Ahh ok, gotcha. Ok well thats pretty much where Im ending up as well so I guess Im good then. That and comparing it to the stock F-150, I should be fine.

Thanks everyone.

Sponsored