Mustang - dipped headlight aim

Doodler

Sorry if this question's been answered before - My 92 Mustang is going for NCT shortly and I have not been able to solve the problem of the headlamps dipping to right, apart from putting the dip as low as possible.

Tried these Eurolite "beam-benders" that adhere to the front of the lights without success, and can't find a supplier for suitable replacement lenses.

Can anyone help?
Thanks
CK

ds20prefecture

I have the same problem with the DS. On mine particular lamps, the H4 bulb holder is spot-welded to the reflector. I have been told that a solution is to break the spot welds, rotate the bulb until the beam pattern is correct and then peen the buld holder back onto the reflector.

Aren't the mustang sealed beam units? If so you can buy RHD replacements at Christoper Huet's - 014566655. Just give them the size of the units (7.5"?)

Doodler

Hey thanks for reply. 92 Mustang hasn't got sealed beams, it's a rectangular unit with replaceable bulbs.

Thanks anyway, seems like you've found an ingenious solution for the Deesse!

PaulK_CCI

To my knowledge the problem is not the bulb, bulbholder or reflector but the actual glass of the lens, This has a pattern in it that diverts the beam in such a way that the light beam flares upwards into either the lhd corner or the rhd corner, to allow the beam to illuminate the side/ditch of the road. Unfortunately it causes a glare for the oncoming traffic when you drive the car on the other side of the road.

Like this:
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|__/__/ = light beam

for a RHD car it should flare up like this:

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| = road
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\__\__ = light beam

so imagine driving a LHD car on the left hand side of the road

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| = road
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__/__/

You cannot change the direction of this upward beam in the corner by just adjusting the lightbulb or lens. If you turn the light all the way down, it would fail the NCT because the beam is too low and you would see frighteningly little on the road!!
You could try throwing it into the NCT with the RHD-LHD conversion stickers on the lens, for when you're going on holiday on the continent. This would take out the upward glare in the corner, but I'm not sure they will accept this at the NCT test.
The only other option you have is to look for a set of RHD units or just the lens glasses, which can be quite costly... Perhaps taking an exact measurement and a visit to the scrapyard could come up with a suitable piece of glass that you could use.

ds20prefecture

PaulK_CCI wrote:

You cannot change the direction of this upward beam in the corner by just adjusting the lightbulb or lens.

I think you're right.

To change __/ to \__ it might appear that you just rotate the lens clockwise through 30˜ but then the vertical pattern in the glass would be all wrong.

69 mustang

Doodler did you try a search on yahoo NZ AU as the Australians may have sorted it as they have strict left hand drive import rules.
They may even have a standard lamp kit and shroud like the Ford pickups have there.:)

sentenel

Hi Ck
As far as I know there is no horizontal adjustment needed just vertical adjustment as they point too high. Check out the uk mustang site http://www.mocgb.net/forums/search.php?searchid=25353 I did a search on headlights check it out or try posting a question there I found them helpful with my mustang questions
cheers
joe

Doodler

Very helpful suggestions from all. I'm going to check out sentenel's suggestion (thanks for the link as well), but first have a good look at my own lights again, last time I looked they seemed to be dipping right.

No joy on yahoo NZ and AU, but that was an innovative idea.

Will let u know how I get on, and further suggestions are welcome.

Doodler

Sentenel, I think you're right. Just had a look at the lights against the garage door. Dipped seems to be just that - dipped. No throwing of light to the right. I can probably make marginal adjustments myself and get it through the NCT.

Doodler

Well, Mustang went in for NCT today. Failed on a bunch of counts but I was expecting that. Should be able to sort them all out. Actually had a friendly and knowledgeable tester who was interested in the car.

Sentinel was right, the lights do not dip to the right, just straight on. So although I failed on the beam it was only because one of the lights was too low!

So thanks to everybody who offered advice on the board.

sentenel

hi ck
glad to help so what did they fail you on then?
cheers
joe

Doodler

Well, there's a list:

exhaust holes near silencer
over-lock (inside of tyres contacting bodywork!)
orange bulbs at front sidelights, to be replaced by clear
indicators and extra sidelights reside in same orange bulbs at front, need to diconnect sidelight filament
loose boot latch
strange one - some brace or other contacting anti-roll bar at front (bit dubious about this myself)
They couldn't see the wheel nuts to inspect, wouldn't take off the little plastic cover themselves, so just need to do this before re-test (yes really)

CK