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How to Align your headlights! if you don't know now you do.


MiniStiGuy

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  • 1 month later...
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What can I do for cleaner cutoffs? My driverside has glare but my passenger doesn't and I filled in both squirrel holes. Also when looking at the headlight the driverside clearly looks white and passenger looks blue. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t443/05SilverL7/2012-04-25203115.jpg[/img] http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t443/05SilverL7/2012-04-25202938.jpghttp://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t443/05SilverL7/2012-04-25202904.jpghttp://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t443/05SilverL7/2012-04-19213524.jpghttp://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t443/05SilverL7/2012-04-19213511.jpg
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make sure you are horizontally aligned correctly and it will help with an even spread. As far as the discoloration that can be caused by having aftermarket bulbs as they are "cheap" and not of the same quality as OEM bulbs which are tested to meet there standards. I would complain back to the maker of your bulbs and show them the pics. They might replace it for you.
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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I asked SOA this question about my 2012 Outback, whose headlights are very similar to the Legacy, including the grey 8mm adjustment bolts:

"My low beams are too high. With a pair of 80-pound dogs in the rear seats, the low beams point up rather than slightly down and oncoming drivers flash me very often ... a safety problem on the two-lane highways I frequent. My dealer says they cannot be adjusted. True?"

 

SOA's response:

Good Morning Mike,

 

Thank you for contacting Subaru of America, Inc regarding your concern regarding the head lights on your 2012 Outback and would like to be of assistance to you.

 

It is true that you can not adjust the light to whether they point up or down as they are permanent fixtures in the head light housing unit. However, I can document your concern in our system with and make our engineers aware of your concern. You inquiry is documented in case [XXX].

 

Bob Black

Subaru of America, Inc.

 

----------------- End of conversation.

 

I ignored SOA's response and adjusted mine, I believe. I found the grey-colored 8mm bolts pictured in various forums beneath the low beams and turned 'em each one turn clockwise (didn't bother removing the battery). Next time I drive at night I'll see whether that helped. For 50 years now I've always adjusted my low beams the practical way: as high as other drivers will let me. If I VERY seldom get flashed on two-lane, two-way roads and highways I'm probably OK.

 

Mike

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i found this in another thread while looking for a solution for my maxxed out vertical adjustment bolt issue.

 

after backing up away from the wall with my taped markings/measurements on it, i found that my lights, even when adjusted vertically all the way up, only barely reached the base of the wall. so it seems like i need much more vertical adjustment than the adjustment bolts will offer.

 

Update:

 

Played around a bit more with my adjustments using some information from Matt at TRS. He recommended completely loosening the vertical adjustment, then adjusting the horizontal. The horizontal also adds vertical movement at the same time so I got the height up a bit, then finished with the vertical adjustment. I'm not 100% perfect, but it is FAR better than it was. I will try to dial everything in perfectly soon. Anyone that has maxed out one adjustment or another, try this as it should help.

 

can anyone clarify what murdoc means by loosening the vertical adjustment bolt? (as in turn all the way counter clockwise? or so the light is aimed all the way down?) and then how the horizontal adjustment bolt should be adjusted afterwards? or if there is any other solution/fixes for this issue?

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If the bolts are maxxed out then the only other issue could be the headlight being mis-mounted and/or a very un-level suspension geometry. Being that I can't see your car or anything it's difficult for me to be able to tell you where to go from here.

 

Is it both of your lights that are way low or just 1?

 

Are you sure you are on a level surface to the wall that you are using with your markings?

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my car's dropped evenly all around so that shouldnt play too much of a factor.

 

and my drivers side seems to be a bit lower than the passenger side after maxxing out the vertical adjustment bolts of both sides.

 

the surface i was on was fairly level. the back of my car was almost in a little dip as well which should result in the lights pointing upwards even higher, yet it still barely reached the base of the wall. so as of now, i just aimed the passenger side down a slight bit so that both driver side and passenger side lights are even as a temporary fix so my OCD wont drive me crazy.

 

if it is useful at all, i sat there and spun the vertical adjustment bolt for daysss without the lights going any higher so i assume that means theyre maxxed out

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i only had a point and shoot camera with me today but hopefully you can see what im talking about

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v466/lilvietkid91/IMG_0020.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v466/lilvietkid91/IMG_0021.jpg

the one with a little chrome flaking off the shroud is the right headlight.

 

looking closely you can see the black plastic part of the projector lens is kinda stuck behind the shroud ever so slightly but i guess enough to hold it back from pointing upwards anymore x.x dunno what to do anymore

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  • 3 weeks later...

i finally got around to taking em off lol. reopened em both and aimed both alllll the way up before resealing it. left one is aimed to the proper height now but right one will probably have to be opened up again when i have time.

 

are these bottom cutoffs supposed to be so far out though?

20120907_212552.thumb.jpg.17ab05e25602cbfa8e0c383b2132280f.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
Very thankful for this thread, my headlights are useless at night, especially in the rain. The driver's side is pointing down and the passenger side is pointing diagonally at the sidewalk... yikes. Going to put in proper HIDs and aim them soon.
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Why not just aim your present headlights properly?

Besides, HID retrofits are illegal in MA. Get ready for some stiff fines and the hassles of reversing your work.

That's actually what I'm going to do. I had HIDs in my former car and never got in trouble because they weren't a ricer's dream color. But yeah, I decided to stay stock this time around and just adjust them properly.

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