Any tips on adjusting the headlights? I'm spotlighting deer in the ditches!!!

[72ragtop]

I got caught out after dark for the first time in my 69. I knew the headlights worked......but going down the country highway, I found myself able to spotlight deer in the ditches and raccoons in the trees.... Not good...I forgot when I put the lights in to adjust them, 2 years ago...lol. Anyways , Any ez tricks other than " Adjust & check & adjust & check and then adjust and check" ? Does anyone remember those gizmos that the old garages use to use ? You know , where we would pull in and they would line up a big glass lens looking thing and adjust the headlights for your old car inspection sticker? Man ...how long ago has that been?
Love to hear some pointers.

[69RestoRod]

Pull of the chrome trim and you'll see the two adjustment screws. One controls tilt up and down and the other controls left to right tilt. There is also a spring that must be connected to the inner headlight bucket for any of the adjustment screws to function correctly. Might want to hit them with some WD 40 first since they tend to freeze up.

[72ragtop]

Thanks, I know "how" to adjust the lights. What I'm looking for , are ways to set them up for the right angles and depth of the beams. Like do I pull up to a wall ,ten feet away and set them straight ahead or do have them aimed down alittle. Just trying to get some ideas so I don't have to adjust them , then drive, then adjust them, then drive ,then........you get the idea....

[TurdusMerula]

Originally Posted by 72ragtop

Thanks, I know "how" to adjust the lights. What I'm looking for , are ways to set them up for the right angles and depth of the beams. Like do I pull up to a wall ,ten feet away and set them straight ahead or do have them aimed down alittle. Just trying to get some ideas so I don't have to adjust them , then drive, then adjust them, then drive ,then........you get the idea....

Here, in Finland, car's headligts are checked every year in a mandatory "motor vehicle inspection" and lights have to drop 1cm every 1meters. So in ten yards drop should be about 3,5 inches. I don't know your laws, but it should give some picture.

[Mustang_Charly]

I vote for adjust and check, repeat as necessary. It will be tough to do this at one time without having to readjust.

2nd choice: tape some cardboard to a wall, park another car (hopefully with well adjusted lights) maybe 15 or 20 feet away from the wall with the lights on. Use a marker pen to draw around the resulting light pattern, then park your car in EXACTLY the same place with lights on and adjust till your light pattern matches the marks.

And I truly believe that well adjusted headlights are VERY important in Finnland, especially between October and April!

[droptop73]

Back in the dark ages in automotive service school we were taught to park the car about 20 feet from a wall on a level surface and adjust the beams for a slight drop from the height of the light and the left bulb pointing straight ahead and the right bulb pointing slightly toward the shoulder of the road. Road test to confirm, readjust as necessary.

[mach1jc]

I put new headlights in my Mach 1 last summer, then followed this formula, seems to have worked ok, good luck.

How To Adjust Your Car’s Headlights

[72ragtop]

Thanks everyone. That's just what I was looking for..
Tim

[wunderwerks]

You can alway go to your shop manual for the specs. They are very clear cut for the first generation cars. With your dual lights I would want to be more specific in the adjustments as it as not as simple as the two headlight cars.