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  #1  
Old 10-20-2008, 02:39 AM
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kwren kwren is offline
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adjusting them hi-lo beams?

is there a way we can do that or do we need a dealer.

My lo's are way out of adjustment and my new HIDs have been shipped!!!

I did take my SVX to a subaru dealer a while back and they put a "girl" on the job.
She checked it out and said the headlights were level!

That was a good thing since the fixtures are permanently mounted by bolts and should be pretty level if the car is level.

Any deviation from that would mean that some of the bolts were missing.

I need to find a second opinion. I have nothing against girls, it just happened to be a girl. the "boys" there had no clue also.

Renton Subaru, Renton Washington. (free advertisement)

I know what to twist to change them but I don't know a good way to get them where they should be.

These HIDs could get me in trouble if they aren't adjusted properly because they are really bright.
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  #2  
Old 10-20-2008, 01:24 PM
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

No one knows???????
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  #3  
Old 10-20-2008, 02:11 PM
RSVX RSVX is offline
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

I thought our headlight assemblies had level bubbles on them?
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  #4  
Old 10-20-2008, 02:18 PM
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RSVX View Post
I thought our headlight assemblies had level bubbles on them?
It's true.
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  #5  
Old 10-20-2008, 02:45 PM
PaulDexler PaulDexler is offline
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

Here's how I've done it, ever since I switched to Cibie lights on myMercedes, some 20 years ago. Actually, this is what they say in their instruction sheet. Along with the screwdriver to do the actual adjustments, you will need some fairly wide masking tape, a level, and a tape measure.
Park the car on level pavement, about 20 feet from a wall. The car should be perpendicular to the wall. Take aim through the rear window and mark with tape where the exact center of the car is. (On the SVX, you can line up the rear wiper with the rear view mirror to set the point. Mark it with a vertical piece of tape about three feet long.)
Measure the height above ground of the center of the headlights. Mark that height on the center tape.
Measure the distance apart the centers of the low beam lights are. Using the level, mark half that distance on each side of the center line. Now carry the height mark from the center line to the line marking the center of each light. Now you have a mark on the wall where the center of each light should be aimed. But not quite...
With European lights, it is easy. They have a flat-topped low beam with a steep kick-up to the curb side, so that the light will travel farther along the side of the road and (hopefully) not glare into the eyes of oncoming drivers. U.S. style lights blur that out, the kick-up is not so great, and the flat top of the beam is not so flat.
But still, adjust the lamps so that the kick-up is a couple of inches to the right of your center mark, and the top of the main hot spot light area is just below the horizontal center mark.
That does it for the low beams. High beams are easier. But since our lights are in a one-piece housing, there are no separate adjustments for low and high, just the overall one. You could do the thing this way using the high beams.
Measure the distance between the high beams. Mark half that distance out from the center line on your horizontal line. Adjust the lights so that the "hot spot" hits that mark exactly on center.
OK, you're done. If you've borrowed someone else's wall, don't forget to peel off all your tape marks, and enjoy your properly aimed lights.
Paul
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  #6  
Old 10-20-2008, 03:21 PM
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

This is straight out of the SVX Owners Manual.
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File Type: jpg H2s.jpg (854.0 KB, 151 views)
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  #7  
Old 10-20-2008, 03:31 PM
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

Quote:
Originally Posted by LetItSnow View Post
It's true.
Sort of true.

On my 92's there is a bubble for the hi beams. They can only be adjusted up or down... one adjustment screw for each hi beam.
But on my lo beams, there is no bubble for them and there is an adjustment screw for raising and lowering the beam and another screw adjustment for right-left beam adjustment on each lo beam.
The low ones are my problem because the bubble is fine for hi beams. The lo beams are the ones where the HIDS are going (shipped last Friday from southern California!) If I seem excited, it is because I am... to be installed and have to be correct!

Thanks to Paul, I now have a chance for that! All I have to do now is find a wall

Thanks to everyone for your responses.
I really appreciate it... as always!

Keith
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  #8  
Old 10-20-2008, 03:31 PM
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ZMan View Post
This is straight out of the SVX Owners Manual.
Thankyou ZMan!

Keith
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  #9  
Old 10-20-2008, 03:56 PM
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

An actual photo of the adjustments from my '96.
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  #10  
Old 10-21-2008, 09:23 AM
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SVX_MY_BABY SVX_MY_BABY is offline
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Re: adjusting them hi-lo beams?

A little late and with some duplication.
Here's what Subaru and Chilton say.

1. Park vehicle on level ground about 25 ft. from a flat wall and remove any heavy objects from the cargo area.

2. Check tire pressure is correct.

3. Make certain that the vehicle's gas tank is full and that someone is seated in the driver's seat.

4. Bounce the vehicle several times to normalize the suspension.

5. If not using the gauges switch on low beams. The vertical height of the light beams above the ground should be 4 in. less than the distance between the ground and the centre of the lamp lenses for the lights.

6. Use a suitable wrench or socket to adjust the level indicator nut at the end of the level.

7. If using the level the bubble should not deviate from centre of the sight glass more than 2 marks vertically and one mark horizontally.
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