Headlight headaches!

[pdubrule]

Hello Folks and TIA for the help!
Just to calibrate a little here, let me start by saying I'm in Northern Zambia, Africa, far from parts and decent mechanics. I'm an OK shade tree mechanic with a limited set of tools.
Right.
I have a 97/98 Hilux Surf. The previous owner took a rock in the headlight and, being unable to find a replacement anywhere in the country (I think this is the only petrol powered 4 cyl Surf in Zambia) brought a replacement light in from the US.
People always flash their lights at me after dark and apparently I need to do some adjustment. I'm studying the problem and when I look at the brackets that hold the headlights in place, the driver side (right hand drive) appears to be just bolted to the framework. The passenger side does have some adjustment capability, but seems to be maxed out.
Chiltons (predictably) just says that the lights are adjusted at the factory and that's life. Well, with all due respect, there has to be more to life than that! They do give the process of how you would go about adjusting them by placing the vehicle on a level surface a certain distance from a wall and measuring the height and distance between the beams on the wall, but nowhere do they give what those measurements should be.
Has anyone addressed this problem? Can anyone shed some "light" (sorry) on this issue?
Again, thanks to all that help me tackle this!
Natotela Sana.
Pete

 

[Will I Am T4R]

You have a RHD vehicle and the headlight you bought from the US I assume are for the LHD vehicle. There is a difference in design for the headlights on a RHD and LHD car, the reflector on the headlights for a RHD or LHD are design to reflect more lights towards the side of the road. You need to get the headlight for RHD vehicle so you don't get flashed..

 

[theizzardking]

You have a RHD vehicle and the headlight you bought from the US I assume are for the LHD vehicle. There is a difference in design for the headlights on a RHD and LHD car, the reflector on the headlights for a RHD or LHD are design to reflect more lights towards the side of the road. You need to get the headlight for RHD vehicle so you don't get flashed..

Get in contact with either a japan or england parts supplier for those, needed parts ... That said sounds like the truck has been in an accident and got a 3rd world body job , both sides should have the same sort of adjustment set up , as for the proper distance between the lights I have no idea , I always just guess, follow the guide and aim then far enough out that you can see and far enough down that the road is lit

 

[theizzardking]

You have a RHD vehicle and the headlight you bought from the US I assume are for the LHD vehicle. There is a difference in design for the headlights on a RHD and LHD car, the reflector on the headlights for a RHD or LHD are design to reflect more lights towards the side of the road. You need to get the headlight for RHD vehicle so you don't get flashed..

Get in contact with either a japan or england parts supplier for those, needed parts ... That said sounds like the truck has been in an accident and got a 3rd world body job , both sides should have the same sort of adjustment set up , as for the proper distance between the lights I have no idea , I always just guess, follow the guide and aim then far enough out that you can see and far enough down that the road is lit

 

[TheDurk]

You are doing something wrong. The adjustment mechanism is part of the headlight, not part of the car. So the full ability to adjust should have been included in the new headlight you bought. Look carefully at this:

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/02toyrm/02toypdf/02rmsour/2002/024runne/be/hatsy/adj2.pdf

The above is for LHD, obviously. You need a LONG Phillips screwdriver to do one of the two adjustments (I think it's the horizontal) but the vertical can be done quite easily with a normal Phillips inserted vertically downward to mesh with the white toothed adjustment gear. There is sort of a channel to guide the screwdriver to the gear.


If I were you, I would adjust the original light as described, first. You don't say if the new light is driver side or passenger, but after adjusting the original light, I would make the new low-beam aim so it is slightly lower than the other low-beam if the new one is driver side, and well to the left. Make it slightly higher if the new one is on the passenger side and you will want to aim it almost straight but slightly to the left.

Your high-beam will be cock-eyed on the new headlight, but at least you won't get flashed (I think). Then get a RHD headlight as soon as you can and do it right.

If the adjustment is truly maxed out in the way you need to go, you could try putting washers on one or two of the mounting screws to give you some more adjustment range.

 

[IanB]

The glass lense is what reflects the light and denotes the unit as RHD or LHD. I have the RHD headlights from my '96 Surf that I'm looking to sell, as I had to swap in LHD units when I imported it. I thought I'd found a buyer in Australia, so they are currently all boxed up ready to ship,but I haven't heard from him in a couple weeks now and haven't received any money, so they are still for sale. They are an easy 9/10 condition, pm me if interested.

 

[TheDurk]

The glass lense is what reflects the light and denotes the unit as RHD or LHD. I have the RHD headlights from my '96 Surf that I'm looking to sell, as I had to swap in LHD units when I imported it. I thought I'd found a buyer in Australia, so they are currently all boxed up ready to ship,but I haven't heard from him in a couple weeks now and haven't received any money, so they are still for sale. They are an easy 9/10 condition, pm me if interested.

I apologize for being picky about terminology but a headlight lens (or any other lens) does not reflect. The front glass part of the headlight (the lens) is transparent and what it does is 'refract'. The reflector is in back and is metallic. It reflects.

 

[pdubrule]

Ian, I tried to send a PM from my phone. Don't know if it went through. Bottom line is that 1) I'm interested in your lights 2) How much US $$? 3) I'm in Zambia and a visitor is coming out very soon who could carry the assemblies from South Carolina in the US. We'll have to move fast! 4) Can you accept Visa? It's probably the easiest way for me, from here. Thanks and Best Wishes. Pete

 

[pdubrule]

Ian, I had another thought. The shape of the lenses is the same for RHD and LHD (just the focus is different) and therefore, perhaps you could ship just the lenses. I believe that they are held onto the assembly by simple, pry-off, metal clips. Thoughts? Thanks, Pete

 

[IanB]

I apologize for being picky about terminology but a headlight lens (or any other lens) does not reflect. The front glass part of the headlight (the lens) is transparent and what it does is 'refract'. The reflector is in back and is metallic. It reflects.

No, you're absolutely right, thanks for catching that.

Ian, I had another thought. The shape of the lenses is the same for RHD and LHD (just the focus is different) and therefore, perhaps you could ship just the lenses. I believe that they are held onto the assembly by simple, pry-off, metal clips. Thoughts? Thanks, Pete

I didn't get your PM, and I can't take VISA, but I can take paypal. I'm not comfortable prying off the lenses, but I can certainly ship them to your contact in South Carolina and he could possibly do this for you. I'm looking for $150US plus shipping. This should likely go to PM's going forward.

 

[pdubrule]

Hi, life has taken a couple of turns. I will not be able to get the headlights delivered here after all. Thank you for your thoughts and help. I hope you get someone else to take them off your hands. Best wishes, Pete

 

[IanB]

No problem, and good luck. You may find someone selling a set here as well, I assume shipping will be more reasonable out of the UK:

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