HEADLIGHT AIMING

[ARCHER]

Is there any special process to aim the headlights on a Class A motorhome? I seem to have one down and one up. In the good ole days I just pulled up to a flat wall and aimed and adjusted until they were just about correct (this was done on cars, not MHs).
I know I can pay the dealer or auto shop to do this, but I'm retired and want to keep my money for more important things like "Gas". :clown:

 

[ralphie]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

I had the same problem on my Class A. First time I drove it at night I could hardly see anything. I pulled up to a wall and adjusted the lights upward and left/right accordingly. Drove it again and adjusted it a little more. I can't see any other way to do it without proper aiming equipment at a service center, and like you, I can't see spending any money to do this. The only caution is not to aim them too high and too far to the left as you may blind others.

 

[Will Daniels]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Dont you folks have a State Inspection where you are ? Last time I went in my friendly neighborhood mechanic noticed one headlight out of adjustment,he corrected it for no charge.

 

[planetbob]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Well then you have a good mechanic. They're pretty rare, don't forget that guy at Christmas.
I had the same problem first night I drove our new MH. Dark AND raining, somewhere in Vermont. Man, couldn't see a thing. Made sure we were finished driving for the day BEFORE dark the next day, and the when we got to the east coast, I found a nice quiet flat stretch of road (where it wasn't raining like crazy) and set them up so I could actually see the road. I was inclined to adjust them a little bit lower than I might have if it were a car, but your mileage may vary. If you have really nifty halogens, you may be able to go for distance as well as being able to distinguish what's on the road right in front of you. Go for it.

 

[ARCHER]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Thanks to all for the info. Gonna look for a flat wall before I leave for Florida in Dec. Hopefully I won't shine my lights in your eyes.... :laugh:

 

[Adam]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

:dead: You got to be kidding, the one and only way if you don't have the proper training and equipment yourself, is to go have it done professional. Yours and the others on the road safety is at stake here. God forbid but it maybe one of MY family members life that you maybe putting at risk here with your guess work here.

Adam

 

[ralphie]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Adam,

No, I'm not kidding :kiss: and how is it was guesswork? It's obvious to me that the lights were not adjusted at the factory, and no, State inspections where I live no longer include headlight adjusting as a requirement; don't believe the inspectors even have the equipment anymore.

It's not guesswork to pull up to a wall and start aiming the headlights properly. Guesswork is just taking a screwdriver to the adjusters and moving them without any regard for where the beams end up. You read that I do it in increments until I get it as close as possible to where they should be. Using your rationale, anyone with the new "blue" lights or who forgets to switch back to lowbeams on approach to your vehicle would cause you to have an accident.

 

[Adam]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

"Pull up to a wall" "start aiming" "properly" These three comments don't belong in the same sentence. It is "guess work" because you are adjusting them to where you "feel" you can see best, based on a spot on some wall, not exactly a proper meathod! You should inflate the tires with your normal PSI then load the vehicle with all your stuff and peaple just like when you are on the road. I have it done at a body shop with a laser setup and it has never cost over $50.00

 

[JPBECK]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Oh please stop being so melodramtic! Its adjusting headlights not rocket science, it does not take a Masters in Engineering to adjust headlights! Stop looking for a reason to rip into someone who does not share your "Worldview"!

 

[Butch]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Believe I'll continue using some of the knowledge gleaned from early "Motors" Manuals along with some early owners handbooks which clearly described how to adjust headlights from a specified distance to a specified height on a flat upright surface such as a garage door while on a level surface.

 

[Adam]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Whoa there JPBECK, no one ripping into anyone here nor being melodramtic. I do belive this is a serious subject though and thats all I am trying to convey here.

Adam

 

[ralphie]

HEADLIGHT AIMING

Hi Adam,

I guess (there's that word again) that we'll have to agree to disagree. I see your happy faces, and raise you two . I used the one with sunglasses because I'm heading to the western Caribbean tomorrow morning for a week (on a floater), yea.