www.allpartssouthwest.com - HEADLIGHTS

[TonyHayers]

Out of interest, how did you decide you'd got the right height? is there a known process for aligning them against some sort of target to get them at a certain height over a certain distance for example?

On main beam the headlamps should be aimed to point straight forward and angle down at 1.5 degrees.

So find a level piece of drive, car park, WHY,... with a fence or wall then park right by the wall, then turn the headlights on main beam and mark the centre of the beam pattern on the wall. Then reverse straight back a known distance, the centre of the beam pattern should now be vertically below the marks you made and 1.5cm lower for each metre you are away from the wall.

Thanks Dave that's really useful

[ensignia]

Can you take a picture of the beam pattern (preferably against a light door).

I want to see if these match OEM because at that price they are a steal.

[TonyHayers]

Can you take a picture of the beam pattern (preferably against a light door).

I want to see if these match OEM because at that price they are a steal.

These *are* OEM

They are *identical* to the "genuine Audi" product i.e. they are made in the same factory on the same production lines, they just don't have a paper sticker on the top with the Audi part number. In fact, I'd say they are a pretty good example of what an OEM part should be - they are made by the same manufacturers, using the same materials etc but either unbranded or branded differently and are supplied through separate distribution channels to the branded car manufacturers parts departments.

['R'e'S'pect_4]

GOT MINE TODAY !!

de-tangoed adpatives;

ordered Thursday eve, arrived today (Tuesday) absolutly SPOT ON !!!

they are OEM made my Automotive Lighting as OE, same Sticker on them just missing the Audi 4 rings and part No. as tony said.

[adsgreen]

Out of interest, how did you decide you'd got the right height? is there a known process for aligning them against some sort of target to get them at a certain height over a certain distance for example?

On main beam the headlamps should be aimed to point straight forward and angle down at 1.5 degrees.

So find a level piece of drive, car park, WHY,... with a fence or wall then park right by the wall, then turn the headlights on main beam and mark the centre of the beam pattern on the wall. Then reverse straight back a known distance, the centre of the beam pattern should now be vertically below the marks you made and 1.5cm lower for each metre you are away from the wall.

My trig is rusty but is that correct?
I wouldn't expect the number to match degrees exactly?

If you are one metre from the wall and the lights are down 1.5 degrees from the horizontal then I'd expect the light centre to be tan(1.5 x pi / 180) = 2.6 cm down.
And so on for every metre back?

A drop of 1.5cm would be a beam angle of 0.86 degrees (I think).

[PetrolDave]

My trig is rusty but is that correct?
I wouldn't expect the number to match degrees exactly?

If you are one metre from the wall and the lights are down 1.5 degrees from the horizontal then I'd expect the light centre to be tan(1.5 x pi / 180) = 2.6 cm down.
And so on for every metre back?

A drop of 1.5cm would be a beam angle of 0.86 degrees (I think).

You're mathematically correct, but for small angles it's a "reasonable" first approximation that it's a 1:1 relationship - at least it makes sure they are pointing slightly down and neither up nor way down.

['R'e'S'pect_4]

just fitted mine. cured the o/s levelling fault which is a great relief. the sound from the positioning motors sound better too!

I was never intending to de-tango my car, modified too many cars in my time and was leaving the RS 'stock', however, they do give the car a younger look !! and very pleased.

One thing I read in the workshop manual is you fit the lights without fully tighening the screws (reset the levelling nuts the screws go into on the lock panel), fit the bumper then align every thing up

hopefull get my gaps all right which will be nice for a change.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Out of interest, how did you decide you'd got the right height? is there a known process for aligning them against some sort of target to get them at a certain height over a certain distance for example?

On main beam the headlamps should be aimed to point straight forward and angle down at 1.5 degrees.

So find a level piece of drive, car park, WHY,... with a fence or wall then park right by the wall, then turn the headlights on main beam and mark the centre of the beam pattern on the wall. Then reverse straight back a known distance, the centre of the beam pattern should now be vertically below the marks you made and 1.5cm lower for each metre you are away from the wall.

Dipped beam . . . only dipped beam is measureable for alignment. There has never been any official measurement for main beam (although old skool cars with separate headlamps and rally cars with spots needed to be correctly aligned).

And the EU standard is 1% dip from the horizontal (which the UK has to adhere to). Most headlamp housings now include their preferred horizontal alignment etched or molded into them.

One crucial thing which no one has mentioned is the need for correct vertical alignment. My Audi stealer failed miserably to align both planes of both headlamps when they replaced them under warranty!

[PetrolDave]

Dipped beam

It's only taken 7 MONTHS for someone to notice my error

[TonyHayers]

Quick update to this thread.

I had some misting up in one of my units and decided to open them up. No amount of heatgun would soften the sealant. It appears that units manufactured after a certain date (some say early 2011) use "permaseal" instead of butyl, which doesn't soften with heat.

Just something to bear in mind if you plan on doing any mods with these.

[Surrey Sam]

Tony, is that moisture in the new headlights i.e ones purchased from the link on the first page - so basically failing after 18 months use ?

I was going to purchase a set for AFS retrofit but now slightly concerned.

BTW - nice little mod I see in the other thread, colour looks really good

[TonyHayers]

Tony, is that moisture in the new headlights i.e ones purchased from the link on the first page - so basically failing after 18 months use ?

I was going to purchase a set for AFS retrofit but now slightly concerned.

BTW - nice little mod I see in the other thread, colour looks really good

Nah, it was misting because I messed about with DRL resistors and one melted some plastic and the misting is the oily melted plastic vapour.

They are definitely fine if you are not planning on opening them up for mods.

[Surrey Sam]

Tony, is that moisture in the new headlights i.e ones purchased from the link on the first page - so basically failing after 18 months use ?

I was going to purchase a set for AFS retrofit but now slightly concerned.

BTW - nice little mod I see in the other thread, colour looks really good

Nah, it was misting because I messed about with DRL resistors and one melted some plastic and the misting is the oily melted plastic vapour.

They are definitely fine if you are not planning on opening them up for mods.

Phew...ok understood.

I'll be keeping the OEM look, so no requirement to open them up. Thanks for the timely update.