How to Adjust Headlights

[rickashay]

Heres what it looks like on both sides. Shouldnt there be a 10 mm nut on those treads?

P1060102_zps65a36646.jpg photo by BFaliszewski | Photobucket

I've actually never seen anything like that, it's like the 10mm plastic nut is sheared right off. If the screw driver doesn't work I dont know what to tell you. Well, other than it's time for a projector retrofit??? haha sorry I had too....

 

[TheDurk]

Yeah, the nut is gone. I expect that is why the Phillips doesn't work. Turning the gear on the other side probably has no effect without the nut.

 

[BrandonF]

I've actually never seen anything like that, it's like the 10mm plastic nut is sheared right off. If the screw driver doesn't work I dont know what to tell you. Well, other than it's time for a projector retrofit??? haha sorry I had too....

Thanks for the quick replies guys. Yes its very strange that the nut is non existent on both sides. I have considered the projector retrofit. What sort of price would a fellow t4r member and poor university student be looking at for the complete projector setup? :

I thought about the possible solution of hammering the bolt into the plastic nut/gear piece to purposely strip it out and then just add a proper metal nut on the backside where the plastic nut should be. Im not really sure what the light assembly looks like behind the adjusting bolt. Would this cause more damage to the light assembly?

 

[hrt4me]

Once you know how to adjust them, you can properly aim them. For more on aiming, check out this site: Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

does anybody really go out and actually do all those steps?

 

[Dementedfish]

Just installed my HID's but I noticed the high beams don't work now? Is this normal?

 

[hrt4me]

Just installed my HID's but I noticed the high beams don't work now? Is this normal?

what brand/type of HIDs did you install?

 

[Rock Slide]

does anybody really go out and actually do all those steps?

lol, some do...most don't. For sake of ease, I went this route:

I parked on a level surface and pointed the nose of the truck 25ft away from a wall. Measured the distance from the center of the projector to the ground straight below. I took that measurement over to the wall and subtracted 2 inches off the total height. I marked this new measurement by placing a piece of tape horizontal onto the wall. Finally, I turned on my headlights and aligned the light cutoff onto the wall so it was even with the tape measurement.

 

[clamar84]

2001 headlight pics

I just replaced the driver side and here's what the back side of the headlight assembly looks like. You can see there are slots for a screwdriver or tool that allows you to get to the plastic teeth. Hope this helps.

 

[judoant]

So I am trying to raise my passenger side beam and when I loosen the white plastic nut with the teeth it just backs off the bolt and creates play. My light can then be pushed up where I want it but it will not stay in place????

What am I missing?

 

[PBCJim]

Me too?

The problem I'm having is that I turn the nuts and nothing happens with the adjustments. Should I assume they are stripped and I need new housings? Thanks,
Jim

 

[pluton]

When I got my truck, the threaded metal rods that are turned by the white nuts/plastic gear had been somehow backed out of their threaded holes in the front of the assembly. Check that they are correctly threaded into the plastic and not dangling loose.

 

[Snowden]

Very thankful for this web site, that they keep these old threads alive and to all the folks who post informative ideas and solutions. So I just swapped out new headlights on my 98 and while sweating the adjustment screws I finally checked here and discovered the easy peasy Phillips screwdriver trick. Worked like a charm !! Thank you !! :reddance:

 

[Joshrav8r]

Very thankful for this web site, that they keep these old threads alive and to all the folks who post informative ideas and solutions. So I just swapped out new headlights on my 98 and while sweating the adjustment screws I finally checked here and discovered the easy peasy Phillips screwdriver trick. Worked like a charm !! Thank you !! :reddance:

+1, although the plastic teeth are stripped on one of the lights, but I can get a gear wrench on it easily. Got an 8" phillips from princess auto for $9. The tough part was finding a dark, flat parking lot with a wall to use...

 

[Duboges]

nothing is easy.....

I tried the Philips screwdriver trick, stripped a plastic tooth. tried a flexible extension on a screwdriver to turn the plastic nuts. theyre siezed on unfortunately. I don't want to hit it with an impact gun or breaker bar incase it snaps the plastic. I'm going to have to open the headlight asembly to clean up the rusted threaded bolts that the nut tightens down on.

 

[Boreas]

Indeed. I have been looking for a Gen 3-specific video on how to best access the adjustment screws. Never had a vehicle that was this complicated to adjust headlight aim.

 

[96RedRunner]

Indeed. I have been looking for a Gen 3-specific video on how to best access the adjustment screws. Never had a vehicle that was this complicated to adjust headlight aim.

Try reading the book named Factory Service Manual spray WD40 on nylon nuts and adjustment screws before adjusting.

 

[pluton]

A long shafted #2 phillips screwdriver is how you access the adjustment screws.
The idea of spraying the adjusters with a light lubricant is a good one.

I posted this on another thread about a method of adjusting headlights, but will repeat here:
1. Park 4Runner on street, about +-20 feet behind a parked normal car; not a super low sports car, not a big truck or SUV.
2. Adjust headlights so they shine on the back of the car, but not as high as the side view mirror or into the cabin. If you drive in darker rural-type areas, you may elect to raise the beams up a bit from here.
3. Optional: Spread the beams as wide as possible apart, even to the extent of leaving a slight darker area in the middle. There's plenty of spill light between the two headlights, and you'll probably not notice the slightly dimmer middle while driving, plus: who doesn't want the beam spread as wide as possible?

 

[Boreas]

Try reading the book named Factory Service Manual spray WD40 on nylon nuts and adjustment screws before adjusting.

That's a pretty expensive book to buy in order to get information on how to adjust these headlights. I wish I had that kinda money to spend on one.

I was finally able to grossly adjust mine, but it was still pretty difficult getting the 10mm wrench in place on the bottom adjusters. Luckily, I had a combination ratchet/open end wrench available.

 

[96RedRunner]

That's a pretty expensive book to buy in order to get information on how to adjust these headlights. I wish I had that kinda money to spend on one.

I was finally able to grossly adjust mine, but it was still pretty difficult getting the 10mm wrench in place on the bottom adjusters. Luckily, I had a combination ratchet/open end wrench available.

Can't beat free, Download it off the Net.
FSM tells you how to aim headlights so you don't blind others.

 

[brillo_76]

Whatever you do, don't go putting superhighway leds in without making sure you are not blinding people.

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