LED headlight adjustment

Jeddy

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Hi,
Please can someone advise how to adjust the height / throw of my LED headlight (not automatic adjusting)? One is a bit higher than the other.
Thanks,
Jeddy
 

Craiglxviii

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LED headlamps are auto adjusting by definition.
 
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Jeddy

Jeddy

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I suspect we're talking about the difference between self leveling vs. adaptive. Mine are not adaptive. From what you are saying I'm guessing the only way to adjust the throw is to adjust the entire unit?
 

LostKiwi

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There is usually a screw adjustment somewhere to set the base point.
 
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Jeddy

Jeddy

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There is usually a screw adjustment somewhere to set the base point.
Yes, that's what I'm after. Thanks for putting it clearer than I did.
 

Craiglxviii

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LostKiwi

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Yup, that’s provided by a level sensor on the rear suspension.
No that's the dynamic adjustment.
The light unit itself needs adjusting to a base setting from which the sensors are used to change the base setting according to load.
The base setting is needed to allow for tolerances in vehicle metalwork (particularly after crash repairs) and tolerances in light unit manufacture.
 

EmilysDad

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Yup, that’s provided by a level sensor on the rear suspension.

I know ..... but it'll need a datum to work to. Ive really no idea about the led light units .... never had need .... but the HIDs of my last car had level sensors too, front and rear (why wouldnt they?:rolleyes:) but there were still manual adjusters up/down & left/right to set them up with in the first place.
 

Craiglxviii

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No that's the dynamic adjustment.
The light unit itself needs adjusting to a base setting from which the sensors are used to change the base setting according to load.
The base setting is needed to allow for tolerances in vehicle metalwork (particularly after crash repairs) and tolerances in light unit manufacture.
Yes. That’s set in the initial calibration on the line during vehicle final assembly.
 

Craiglxviii

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I know ..... but it'll need a datum to work to. Ive really no idea about the led light units .... never had need .... but the HIDs of my last car had level sensors too, front and rear (why wouldnt they?:rolleyes:) but there were still manual adjusters up/down & left/right to set them up with in the first place.

Those manual wormscrews are used exactly once for position setting when the lamp is jigged in place on the Trim cell.
 

LostKiwi

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It must also be adjustable afterwards to account for metalwork variations after repairs.
On HIDs there is an adjustment screw to set the base position. I can see LEDs may use a different method using STAR but there must be a way after it leaves the factory.
 

Craiglxviii

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Another task then that the manufactures have given their dealers a monopoly on .....
No. It’s done during vehicle assembly; the car is sat on a perfectly flat and level plate at a certain load condition, then the lamp levelling system gets taught the normal level position for that exact vehicle.

It’s the kind of thing that needs to be done once during the whole vehicle lifetime...
 

Craiglxviii

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It must also be adjustable afterwards to account for metalwork variations after repairs.
On HIDs there is an adjustment screw to set the base position. I can see LEDs may use a different method using STAR but there must be a way after it leaves the factory.

No “must”; German lamps typically have those adjusters built in, but I know of many non German cars without them. They rely on the after- crash damage being repaired to a nominal tolerance condition. On many cars, the bumper won’t fit if the headlamps aren’t within positional tolerance (because it hangs off the headlamp’s lower edge).
 

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I'm glad you post here Craig, you highlight the ridiculous amount of tasks that smaller outfits cant manage to do without massive investment in kit for one manufacture. My R Class is the first Mercedes I've owned. The 3 point star wasn't bought because I aspired to owning one, just that I didnt want a FWD Eurobox. The way you paint the advancement of uneccessary & stupidly complicated electronics, it might very well be my last.
 

LostKiwi

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I'm glad you post here Craig, you highlight the ridiculous amount of tasks that smaller outfits cant manage to do without massive investment in kit for one manufacture. My R Class is the first Mercedes I've owned. The 3 point star wasn't bought because I aspired to owning one, just that I didnt want a FWD Eurobox. The way you paint the advancement of uneccessary & stupidly complicated electronics, it might very well be my last.
This won't be unique to MBs...
 

LostKiwi

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Maybe not .... but forewarned etc etc ;)
The only way out is pre '93....
No cats or DPFs, minimal electronics, panel steel that doesn't bend the first time you look at it...and headlights you can adjust.
 


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