My headlights are pretty dull, and are in need of aiming, so I thought while I was working on them I might as well buy some bright bulbs to replace the originals. I have seen those sylvania lights at Advance Auto, and I like the brighter white bulbs. Has anyone changed and/or reaimed their headlights before? With the popup buckets it seems like it might be a little harder than usual. Any advice you guys could give me is greatly appreciated.

 

Reaiming is not needed unless they have been tampered with or the car has been lowered.
Replacment is very easy.
Take off the surronding trim.
There are 3 or 4 retaining screws that hold the metal trim in place against the headlamp. Do not touch the longer ones(adjusters). Unplug from the back and pull out.
If you want to check adjustment, refer to the FSM.

 

So even if my lights are aimed incorrectly now, I will not have to realign them since I am putting in new bulbs? Right now the left light is kind of cockeyed to the left slightly, and the right light is pointing down a little so it hits the ground about ten feet in front of the car.

 

i have a set of Hella brand headlamps in my 82 GSL and they're great!! re-aim only if necessary. i find that on the 7, the lights are aimed too low from the factory for my personal liking. i aim them up a tad for better visibility. just my personal preference though. like Doc said, very simple to change. a lot of times the screws are somewhat rusty. nothing a little pb blaster, rost off ice, or sea foam wont hurt. good luck with the lights.

 

if the lights aren't to your satisfaction, re-aim them. its very easy to do. sounds like you should re-aim so you can see better at night and aren't blinding other drivers with the radical light

 

Dull lighting won't be solved by punching more photons thru poor glass - its how well the glass _disperses_ them that counts!! Optics-optics-optics! Hellas good, Cibies BEST; both about same price-
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

Quick cheat way to aim lights:
NOTE: assumes Hella, Cibie type/quality with the clean optical "cut-off" illumination on low-beam setting.
1) night
2) flat (!!), straight (50ft) road
3) park about 30+ft behind a 2nd car (eg use neighbor's on the street...)
4) black surrounds on lights "should" be removed to allow easy access to leveling screws, up to you. DON'T confuse the 2 leveling screws with the 3 that hold the lens assy retainer! (flashlight helps)
5) lights up/on: cover (jacket, whatever) one light,
6) adjust BOTTOM screw to set beam cut off height to run across the top edge of the other car's trunk lid, but below the rear window
This is primarily the height adjustment, but you should see the "hot spot" of the bulb center, which should be near the taillight of the other car (obvious variables like position and size of others taillights - don't use a Lotus Elan or an F150 as lighting "guide" car )
7) cover that light, repeat w/other
Hi-beam/centering:
1) straight (!!!!!!!) dark (!) road.
"T" intersection best, with object (fence, car, hedge) at top of T. Something to "catch" your highbeams. Park at bottom of T about
150-200 ft back.
2) ONLY ADJUST SIDE SCREW or you'll f$%-up your height adjustment
3) as above "low-beam": cover ea. light separately, etc.
4) idea to adjust SIDE screws to get beams to converge or close to converging on one point

Take a test drive to confirm. Pay attention to level of light cut off on cars in front -don't want to be bouncing lights into their mirrors...

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

what i personally like to do when i adjust the lights is to park and face a brick building or a garage door and i adjust them according to their lighting position on the wall or garage door and i can then tell if they are evenly adjusted. there is no right or wrong. Stu's method is very good. do what works for you.

 

If you are going with a type of bulb that you can buy locally, don't waste your money on the Silverstars. Phillips XtraBrite bulbs are brighter, whiter, and cost half as much.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, hopefully this week I can stop into Advance and see what they have, I will also be sure my lenses are clean when I go to replace the bulb.

 

part of the cause of dim lights could be a partly corroded wire not permitting proper ground, too.