Warning! Violation of the adjustment of the direction of the optical axes of the headlights can lead to blinding of drivers of vehicles moving in a parallel course and cause an emergency on the road. Checking the correct adjustment of the headlights should be carried out regularly every 12 months, as well as every time after replacing the headlights and repairing the supporting elements of the front of the car. The attention of readers should be drawn to the fact that the procedure described below can be considered only a preventive setting. The final adjustment of the optical axes must be carried out in a specialized car service workshop!
Each headlight unit is equipped with two adjustment screws. One of the screws is used to adjust the position of the headlight in the horizontal plane, the second - in the vertical (refer to illustration above).
There are several methods for checking the correct adjustment of the direction of the optical axes of the headlights of a car. The simplest of them is described below, which does not require any special skills from the performer and does not require the use of special equipment.
Scheme for adjusting the direction of the optical axis of the headlights
1 - Spot of maximum illumination
2 - The line of intersection with the wall of the horizontal plane passing through the centers of the lenses of the block headlights
3 - The line of intersection with the wall of a vertical plane drawn through the center of the headlight lens parallel to the diametrical plane of the car
4 - Diametral plane of the car
5 - 7.6 m
6 - The surface of the lenses of the block headlights
1. Roll the car up against the wall. Stick a strip of adhesive tape on the wall along a vertical line passing in the diametrical plane of the car. Also stick vertical strips of adhesive tape along the lines passing through the centers of the projections on the wall of the headlight lenses (refer to illustration above).
2. Stick a horizontal strip of adhesive tape on the wall along a line drawn through the projection centers of the headlight lenses onto the wall surface.
Note. This procedure is easier to perform by fitting the car close to the wall.
3. To adjust the direction of the optical axes of the headlights, roll the car away from the wall at a distance of about 7.6 m.
Note. The platform on which the car is placed must have a flat horizontal surface, preferably with a hard surface. The fuel tank of the car must be filled halfway, all heavy objects that disturb the centering of the car have been removed from the passenger compartment and luggage compartment.
4. Start by adjusting the direction of the low beam optical axis. Try to rotate the adjusting screws of the headlights to achieve such an arrangement of light spots so that the zone with maximum illumination intensity is approximately 50 mm below the horizontal line and the same amount to the right of the vertical one.
5. After completing the first adjustment, turn on the high beam: the zones of maximum illumination intensity should shift in the direction of the intersection of the vertical lines with the horizontal, being slightly below the latter.
Note. In practice, it is not possible to obtain equally complete centering of the beams of both the low beam and the main beam. You should try to achieve some compromise solution, taking into account the characteristics of the operation of the car, keeping at the forefront the desire to ensure maximum traffic safety.
6. At the first opportunity, drive the car to a service station to adjust the direction of the optical axes of the headlights using special equipment.