can anyone tell me how to re-align the headlights on my b class hymer for driving in europe. the headlight lens is too small to use the conventional deflectors. i seem to have read somewhere that you can remove the bulb and its holder and rotate them which will deflect the beam. i have looked at them but can't see how its done. i don't really want to move the adjusting screws unless its the only way of altering the beam angle.
dave
No idea about a Hymer, but you certainly won't be able to rotate them though 180 degrees, because the dipped beam will then point to the sky.
Some vehicles actually have a switch to convert them - have you checked your handbook?
Thanks for replying John. On my version of the B644Hymer, the main beam and dip beam are separate headlights. So, they could possibly be reversed but I can't see a way of doing it.
Dave
Do you really worry about all this??? I mean how much night time driving are you gone do???, i have had deflectors on my head lamps since i bought mine, but i don't drive at night time in Europe, the van has just passed its MOT. and the bloke that did it didn't even bother to ask me to take them off or mentioned them at all, in short why bother if you are not driving at night.
We do sometimes drive at night so it would be very handy. when we do, we get flashed by other motorists. We always take a late ferry as it is cheaper so we always arrive in France in the dark. So, we would like to have them as a precautionary measure. Also, if we are travelling long distances, we travel at night as the roads are quiet.
dollyannie
does the lense of the light have a pattern or is it smooth, not to sure on campervans etc but most modern stuff the pattern is produced by the reflector, if u cant use beam deflector, u could just use insulation tape to remove the kick up and make it a flat beam
You could also try getting in touch with the manufacturers of the converters, if you can't get through to Hymer themselves, as they should be able to advise you which type of converter you need.
wineciccio: technically it is illegal to have continental converters on UK-based cars whilst in the UK, but I believe that comes from a time when the converters used to be beam blockers (or people using tape). But the newer converters are beam benders, which typically reflect the kicked up light down and flat, which I guess would pass an MOT, although still illegal as far as I know.
Strange the fuss we make about this. I was at Dover port and putting on some tape, but because it was raining it wouldn't stick. The lady Marshall told me that I could buy benders on the boat. When I looked they were all aimed at British people visiting the continent. Absolutely nothing about continentals coming to Britain.
I have never seen a foreign car in the UK with anything on its headlamps...never.
I spoke to a French friend of mine, he was amazed and had never heard of the idea. he had driven his French car in the UK for years without a problem.
It depends if you dazzle oncoming motorists. If you drive at night in France, oncoming drivers will certainly let you know if you are.
My experience is that modern clear plastic headlamps don't dazzle, they have symetrical beams with 2 small points of light to the left. Although these shine across the middle of the road abroad, they don't appear to bother oncoming drivers.
The old glass headlamps dipped sharply to the left & continental glass headlamps went to the right. If you are trying to get an old lhd VW camper thru UK mot you certainly need to fit deflectors if you want to keep the German headlamps.
I regularly drive at night on unlit French N rds in me Berlingo & don't appear to dazzle anybody. Theres no French law that requires UK cars to have deflectors, only that they don't dazzle oncoming drivers.
I know not whether a French cop would nick a UK driver without deflectors/tape on the assumption that they might dazzle, but if the op wants to make things 'look good' I would suggest they stick a square of black tape on the UK offside half of each dipped beam light lense....as suggested by John in his earlier post.
Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 12/11/2010
I know not whether a French cop would nick a UK driver without deflectors/tape on the assumption that they might dazzle, but if the op wants to make things 'look good' I would suggest they stick a square of black tape on the UK offside half of each dipped beam light lense.
it is perfectly possible to adjust the small round hymer lights for either L or R dipping. The unit can be rotated after loosening 3 small screws at the rear. A marker shows the correct position - however it is very difficult to get at the screws.
See :
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-46616.html
I use Eurolite deflectors and they fit easily - use the round part supplied, and fit it as shown in the instructions for a small BMW headlight. Eurolites are easily available eg from Halford's or do a web search.
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Topic: adjusting headlights for continent
