Any tips on aiming ECE headlights?

[belfert]

I put ECE headlights on my bus in 2011.  I believe they are 4"x6".  The best recommendation for aiming them is to use an optical beam setter.  I found a large truck shop with an optical beam setter and had the headlights aimed by them.  The right side headlight had the aiming screw turned out nearly to the point of falling out.  We drove on a trip and I think a flashlight out the window would have provided more light.  I manually aimed the headlights after that trip and they are way better now.

I don't believe my headlight aiming is optimal yet as the light isn't that great and I've read being off just a small amount makes a big difference.  What is the best way to get my headlights aimed properly?

[bansil]

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

here is a link

[RJ]

The best recommendation for aiming them is to use an optical beam setter. . . 

Brian -

Nope, not true for European-code headlamps, only for US DOT junk.

Daniel Stern's directions are spot-on.

All you need is a place where you can park your coach on a flat surface 25' away from a blank wall that's not brightly illuminated at night.  Bring along a couple of dark towels, a straight-edge (a carpenter's level works wonders), tape measure, some white sidewalk chalk and a stiff-bristle scrub brush.  Can be done alone, but a companion will speed up the process.  Should take you 20 - 30 minutes, max, if you understand Daniel's directions.

Might want to wait until it warms up a bit, tho!

FWIW & HTH. . .

[bansil]

I used the local big box store at about 9pm

I used blue painters tape

[RJ]

I used the local big box store at about 9pm.  I used blue painter's tape.

Good ideas!

[belfert]

Brian -

Nope, not true for European-code headlamps, only for US DOT junk.

Daniel Stern's directions are spot-on.

Take a closer read of Daniel's aiming article.  His first recommendation is to use an optical beam setter.  He only recommends manual aiming if one can't find an optical beam setter.

I followed the manual aiming instructions in the article, but the place I used for aiming wasn't that great.  I guess I'll try the manual aiming again in a better spot this time if nothing else is better.

[RJ]

Brian -

Guess I'm really old-school, because it's hard to beat a tape measure and a blank wall. . .

[Oonrahnjay]

Brian -

Guess I'm really old-school, because it's hard to beat a tape measure and a blank wall. . .

 

     Yeah, and the E-lights have such a sharp, bright pattern and sharp edged cutoff that they're much easier than the foggy, weak DOT lights to aim visually.