Help aiming headlights

I've aimed my '97 E320 this way: Pull the car into a level space and absolutely perpendicular to (facing) a wall. Tape or tack a one inch wide contrasting strip vertically to the wall, directly in front of each headlamp. Measure the distance between the lamps' center and then the distance between the strips to ensure the strips are accurately located.

Then measure from the ground up to the center of each headlight and transfer that measurement to the wall and add a horizontal strip at that same height to the right of each vertical strip.

Roll the car straight back so the headlights are 20' from the wall. Those marks on the wall are the target to which you should aim the headlights.

The mechanical adjustments are made above the headlamp. One is height, the other left/right direction. The beam's height should not exceed the horizontal strip and the left/right should be on or slightly to the right of the vertical strips.

The Owner's Manual gives similar instructions but has it reversed, as if written for cars driven on the left.

At 25', you want a 2" drop on low beam..........

Ask your friendly mechanic, he'll probably do it for free!!

Jannes

"AJDalton7" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m16.aol.com...

I park the car on a level place, at night, high beams on. I hold a creeper setting on the ground up against a headlight and mark the center of the beam with a finger. Then I back up about 10 feet and note the new position of the beam center. The beam center should be a finger width lower. Adjust as needed and do the other side.

Chas Hurst

I *believe* that the driver's side light is supposed to be slightly lower than the passenger side. This is to reduce glare at oncoming cars. So if this is what looks out of line you should be ok.

Glare to oncoming cars is principally (solely?) reduced by directing the beam towards the nearside.

DAS