can headlight direction be adjusted?

[tamper]

I need to permanently adjust the Surf's headlight beam direction. I believe my 2nd Gen has the stock headlights, but I don't know whether they are adjustable or not. I've seen some stuff on the US Yotatech 4Runner forum which suggests that they should be, but then again other people I've asked seem to think not.

Does anyone know for sure whether the beam direction of the 2nd Gen headlights can be adjusted?

ta,
t

[JimL]

What about the cross headed screws around the lamp, theres 2, they look old, and rusty, but they're the ones .... arent they

[TonyN]

Should be similar to this....

[tamper]

Thanks for that Tony - very useful.

Does that imply that you'd get to the adjustment screws from the outside, rather than from under the bonnet?

ta,
t

[Guest]

Thanks for that Tony - very useful.

Does that imply that you'd get to the adjustment screws from the outside, rather than from under the bonnet?

ta,
t

If you have the Aero type headlamps the adjustment is on the inside of the bonnet, if it has the square type earlier headlamps then its on the outside.

Also are you talking about changing the headlamp dip direction - I presume you still have left hand dipping headlamps in yours as a right hand drive car. If so the only thing you can do is to change the headlamps for a late model LHD headlamps from a 4Runner.

Cheers

[tamper]

Pic of my headlight attached - is that the Aero type?

It is indeed the headlamp direction dip I'm talking about. My Surf is an RHD, but I want to get it re-registered in France, so I need to adjust the dip to the opposite direction.

So it looks like I may need to source replacement headlamps locally (in France), although I'm curious as to what the adjustment screws do.

t

[Morr]

Pic of my headlight attached - is that the Aero type?

It is indeed the headlamp direction dip I'm talking about. My Surf is an RHD, but I want to get it re-registered in France, so I need to adjust the dip to the opposite direction.

So it looks like I may need to source replacement headlamps locally (in France), although I'm curious as to what the adjustment screws do.

t

Yep, they're the later Aero type.
The adjustment screws are there to ensure correct alignment of the beams, they will not alter the direction of the dip angle as that is a determined by the construction of the headlamp unit, ie location angle of bulb, angle of reflector, glass pattern etc.

Your best (only) option is to source some LHD lamps to get the proper dip pattern.

[Guest]

Pic of my headlight attached - is that the Aero type?

It is indeed the headlamp direction dip I'm talking about. My Surf is an RHD, but I want to get it re-registered in France, so I need to adjust the dip to the opposite direction.

So it looks like I may need to source replacement headlamps locally (in France), although I'm curious as to what the adjustment screws do.

t

Yep those are the Aero Headlamps. The adjustment screws alter the aim of the headlamp but this affects both dip and main beam because it actually moves the unit.

Dip beam is achieved on headlamps by the dipped beam fillament being in a slightly different position to the main beam filament. This means it bounces off the reflector and through the lens at a different angle than main beam.

Main beam exits straight ahead, dipped beam exits down and to the left.

The temporary beam deflectors just cut off an area of the beam that could dazzle someone - basically means that dipped beam goes down but the left part of the beam is cut off.

You need replacement headlamps because not only is the lamp fitted in a different position (180 degrees reversed) but the lens has a different pattern.

You should be able to source them locally in France or from Germany where the 4 runner is sold officially.

Cheers