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Adjusting headlights after a lift? What method?

Virtual-Chris

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Has anyone done a headlight adjustment after a lift? What technique did you use for adjusting them?

It seems the conventional method is to mark your bulb height on a wall and backup 25’ and adjust the cutoff so it’s a couple inches below that mark... so effectively they are pointed down at a slight angle.

The thing I don’t understand is that a high riding truck with bulbs 36” off the ground is still going to be blinding oncoming traffic using this method. The difference in bulb height between a lifted Bronco and a Lambo is a little different, but this accepted method doesn’t account for that at all.

Does anyone else find that strange? It basically means that properly adjusted, a lifted Bronco driver can probably see 100’ down the road and will be blinding anyone within 50’ while the Lambo can only see 10’ down the road and will only blind squirrels.
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rtaylor

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Has anyone done a headlight adjustment after a lift? What technique did you use for adjusting them?
The exact procedure is on pg 329 of Bronco owners manual. 2 or 3" of lift isn't significant, but you can set it slightly lower if you are worried about it.
 

Garemlin

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Has anyone done a headlight adjustment after a lift? What technique did you use for adjusting them?

It seems the conventional method is to mark your bulb height on a wall and backup 25’ and adjust the cutoff so it’s a couple inches below that mark... so effectively they are pointed down at a slight angle.

The thing I don’t understand is that a high riding truck with bulbs 36” off the ground is still going to be blinding oncoming traffic using this method. The difference in bulb height between a lifted Bronco and a Lambo is a little different, but this accepted method doesn’t account for that at all.

Does anyone else find that strange? It basically means that properly adjusted, a lifted Bronco driver can probably see 100’ down the road and will be blinding anyone within 50’ while the Lambo can only see 10’ down the road and will only blind squirrels.
To properly adjust headlights you need to find the center point of the headlights first. You mark that height on your wall and then back up 25'. The cutoff for your low beam should be at or below the center point mark on the wall.

Anytime you make any changes that affect the height of your vehicle you need to adjust your headlights. When I added 3/4" to the front of my Gladiator I was getting flashed constantly. Lowered them down a click and problem solved.

Oh and always adjust your headlights with a full tank of gas. And if possible have someone similar to your weight sit in the driver's seat.
 

RoLyMa27

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Anytime you make any changes that affect the height of your vehicle you need to adjust your headlights. When I added 3/4" to the front of my Gladiator I was getting flashed constantly. Lowered them down a click and problem solved.
I can't count how many "jacked-up" trucks I passed just last night that i'm flashing because of this very reason. They flash me back and I'm like,..GET YOUR DAMN HEADLIGHTS ADJUSTED and this won't happen!
 

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Virtual-Chris

Virtual-Chris

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To properly adjust headlights you need to find the center point of the headlights first. You mark that height on your wall and then back up 25'. The cutoff for your low beam should be at or below the center point mark on the wall.

Anytime you make any changes that affect the height of your vehicle you need to adjust your headlights. When I added 3/4" to the front of my Gladiator I was getting flashed constantly. Lowered them down a click and problem solved.

Oh and always adjust your headlights with a full tank of gas. And if possible have someone similar to your weight sit in the driver's seat.
The approved method is that they should be 2-2.5” below the centre line... Not “at” the centre line... But I see the Bronco Owners manual just says below the centre line.

Let’s say your lights are at 30” above the ground, you should have the cutoff at or below 30“ at 25’. Now if you add a 3” lift to your truck, your lights are now at 33” above the ground, and even properly adjusted using this approved method, are now 3” higher at 25’ than they were before, or basically blinding drivers.

The whole method is whacked.

I suggest a better method would be to have the cutoff line below a fixed height (regardless of vehicle and bulb height) at a certain distance. Otherwise, even properly adjusted lights on a lifted rig are going to get you flashed.
 
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4avor8ntfair

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The exact procedure is on pg 329 of Bronco owners manual. 2 or 3" of lift isn't significant, but you can set it slightly lower if you are worried about it.
I don’t have a full paper owner’s manual, and I can’t find anything for adjustment on the in-vehicle owner’s manual or the html one online.
Can you please take a picture or list out the procedure? I’m getting level kit installed in a couple of weeks and would like to know how to adjust the headlamps.
 

rtaylor

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I don’t have a full paper owner’s manual, and I can’t find anything for adjustment on the in-vehicle owner’s manual or the html one online.
Can you please take a picture or list out the procedure? I’m getting level kit installed in a couple of weeks and would like to know how to adjust the headlamps.
Ford Bronco Adjusting headlights after a lift? What method? 1641491513830
 

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