xenon headlights - alignment issue

[kellndan]

Evenin'..:}......my zt t failed the mot on the NS headlight aim being to low. I recently changed the alternator as per the haynes manual, which involes removing the lights. - is this whats caused the issue or is it just a coincidence and could there be another problem?

cheers

[VVC-Geeza]

Nip it along to a Halfords autocentre,I had my recently fitted Xenon's aligned there for £12.

Flew through the MOT a week later :)

[oldcarguy]

I would make sure the self adjust mechanism is working okay first, and your suspension module arms are not bent.

[kellndan]

Nip it along to a Halfords autocentre,I had my recently fitted Xenon's aligned there for £12.

Flew through the MOT a week later :)


From what Ive read on the forum, I was under the impression that they can't be manually adjusted ?:confused::confused:

[kellndan]

I would make sure the self adjust mechanism is working okay first, and your suspension module arms are not bent.

The module arms look ok, how do i check the mechanism ?

[pab]

If failure of the self levelling mechanism had occurred both lights would be pointing downward in front of the car.

If you have had the headlights units off the vehicle you have lost the original setting. Each lamp unit has four fixing bolts, a small amount of adjustment can be made if you had scribed on the slam panel the original position.

Fine tuning of the lamps is made by the Allen key screws on top of the headlight body, but adjustment by these is best left to a garage with optical setting facilities.

[kellndan]

If failure of the self levelling mechanism had occurred both lights would be pointing downward in front of the car.

If you have had the headlights units off the vehicle you have lost the original setting. Each lamp unit has four fixing bolts, a small amount of adjustment can be made if you had scribed on the slam panel the original position.

Fine tuning of the lamps is made by the Allen key screws on top of the headlight body, but adjustment by these is best left to a garage with optical setting facilities.

Do you think its worth me removing the front bumper and trying to get the level as near as i can by adjusting the headlight unit via the 4 fixings ? after all, it now appears that this is whats caused the problem in the first place.
I had the car against a wall with the lights on last night, and there is a big difference between both lights. more than what could be adjusted via the allen on the light unit i think,- although im not an expert:}

[stocktake]

There is manual adjustment on all types of front lights on the 75/ZT. As already said. it is by way of two adjusters one vert one horiz. no need to remove anything, just open the bonnet

You can see them both in this picture, one is circled and you can see the other to the right of it.

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=797218&postcount=12

[kellndan]

Ok cheers stocktake, I'll have a look tonight

[HarryM1BYT]

Do you think its worth me removing the front bumper and trying to get the level as near as i can by adjusting the headlight unit via the 4 fixings ? after all, it now appears that this is whats caused the problem in the first place.
I had the car against a wall with the lights on last night, and there is a big difference between both lights. more than what could be adjusted via the allen on the light unit i think,- although im not an expert:}

There is no adjustment at the four fixings at all, when taken out, it should bolt straight back into place at the original beam aim setting, assuming you have got it bolted back properly. On the unit itself, there is one blue adjuster for vertical and one for horizontal aim, but I suggest you might be better finding out why the aim has changed.

When you switch on, the headlight's aim should do a little dance up and down - are both lights doing the dance?

Are the plugs in place properly?

There is a very wide range of adjustment on the blue adjusters. Might someone have messed about with the adjustment while the light was out?

You can very successfully adjust your beam aim with nothing more than a tape measure, a flat road surface and a wall to aim at and the xenon light are very easy to set because they have a very precise sharply defined beam pattern. .

[kellndan]

There is no adjustment at the four fixings at all, when taken out, it should bolt straight back into place at the original beam aim setting, assuming you have got it bolted back properly. On the unit itself, there is one blue adjuster for vertical and one for horizontal aim, but I suggest you might be better finding out why the aim has changed.

When you switch on, the headlight's aim should do a little dance up and down - are both lights doing the dance?

Are the plugs in place properly?

There is a very wide range of adjustment on the blue adjusters. Might someone have messed about with the adjustment while the light was out?

You can very successfully adjust your beam aim with nothing more than a tape measure, a flat road surface and a wall to aim at and the xenon light are very easy to set because they have a very precise sharply defined beam pattern. .

Harry, when I switch on, the lights do set themselves, Ill double check the plugs tonight. No-one but myself touched the lights, so Im sure its not that. Im going to try and adjust them myself tonight and see where I get. Its a bit of a mystery:confused::(

[oldcarguy]

Is it possible the bulb/burner has been unseated during removal/refitting.?

[pab]

There is no adjustment at the four fixings at all, when taken out, it should bolt straight back into place at the original beam aim
There is definitely adjustment at all four fixings. The brackets at the bottom contain shims for left to right adjustment. The top bolts when slackened move backwards and forwards on the slam pane. The Allen key adjustment is to literally fine tune the settings by moving the inner lens..

[rich17865]

Did you knock or drop the light? The inner lens can become detached and cause the beam to point in odd directions.

[HarryM1BYT]

There is definitely adjustment at all four fixings. The brackets at the bottom contain shims for left to right adjustment. The top bolts when slackened move backwards and forwards on the slam pane. The Allen key adjustment is to literally fine tune the settings by moving the inner lens..

Are they not there just to align the unit to the body?

i suppose it might be possible that he installed the shims you mention, in the wrong places...

[kellndan]

Can anyone suggest what I should check to fix this issue? different people are saying different things, but with my MOT re-test looming ( monday:( ) I'm getting a bit desperate to get it sorted.

I dont think that there is enough adjustment via the 4 x fixings on the light to have caused the problem. Also I'm almost certain the light hasn't been knocked or banged whilst off the car.

How hard is it/would it be to dislodge the light inside the unit ?

help:confused::}

[rich17865]

I knocked a spare and the inside detached, it doesn't take much.

Put your fingers inside the main beam bulb hole, grab the inner part and see if you can move it, that will tell you if it has become detached.

[VMax1000]

Are they not there just to align the unit to the body?

i suppose it might be possible that he installed the shims you mention, in the wrong places...

Shims are there only to allow alignment of the unit with the body work.
Although the Xenon are self leveling, to get the basic setting right you still need the allen key method.

Have you checked the adjuster wheel hasn't come of the shaft?
Mine did and the light dropped. Had to pull the shaft back and glue the wheel back on.

Also have a read here:-
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=92250

[kellndan]

Shims are there only to allow alignment of the unit with the body work.
Although the Xenon are self leveling, to get the basic setting right you still need the allen key method.

Have you checked the adjuster wheel hasn't come of the shaft?
Mine did and the light dropped. Had to pull the shaft back and glue the wheel back on.

Also have a read here:-
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=92250

The inner adjuster is not working correctly and the blue wheel is missing, so maybe this is the problem and explains why the aim is dipped

[VMax1000]

The inner adjuster is not working correctly and the blue wheel is missing, so maybe this is the problem and explains why the aim is dipped

Most likely..............at least you now found the problem.

Can you post a pic?

[kellndan]

ok so thats probably a problem solved, but 1 gained - the missing blue wheel:mad:

I don't think I can post pics, im browsing via my mobile.

[VMax1000]

Adjustment is a crown/pinion set-up.
If you're missing the top wheel in which you put the allen key you can still adjust the height using a small flat screwdriver on the end of the shaft or try turning it by hand.

If your missing the second wheel it's time for a replacement as I don't think you can't find those separate.

[Hogwarzt]

Chaps,

Can the auto levellers devices be replaced by the standard wheely knob?

Rich