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How to adjust headlight?

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Old Jul 21, 2010 | 02:14 PM
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Default How to adjust headlight?

I bought some headlights from a local guy to replace my old ones, the drivers side went on fine and then i noticed on the passenger side the headlight adjusters (where you need the hex wrench or alan wrench or something) were turned all the way out... i guess he thought he needed to do that to get them out or something

they were so far out that i couldnt get them to turn back in so i took off the back assembly from my old headlight without adjusting anything and put it on the back of the new headlight thinking it would be at the same level as the old one... unfortunately the passenger side shines noticeably higher than the drivers side

of the two adjusters on the back, which should i be trying to adjust to bring it back down?
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Old Jul 21, 2010 | 05:12 PM
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Having the passenger side higher is normal. It should be pointing straight ahead and the driver's side should point down and in. This is so cars don't blind oncomming traffic.

If you are out of alignment, a good mechanic shoud be able to adjust you for a low fee. The GM factory manual also has a milti-page procedure to do it yourself but it's a major PITA.
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Old Jul 21, 2010 | 05:24 PM
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Originally Posted by wssix99
Having the passenger side higher is normal. It should be pointing straight ahead and the driver's side should point down and in. This is so cars don't blind oncomming traffic.

If you are out of alignment, a good mechanic shoud be able to adjust you for a low fee. The GM factory manual also has a milti-page procedure to do it yourself but it's a major PITA.
by noticeably higher, i meant that im blinding people with my passenger side light when driving at night... ill have a look at the manual or ill take it somewhere tomorrow thanks
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Old Jul 21, 2010 | 05:59 PM
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Yea, you have to have the car on a level surface, 10 feet away from a wall, mark out a grid, etc. in order to aim the lights. A mechanic will either have a device that measures the alignment or will have marks in their shop to align off of.
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