why does installing HID change your headlight allignment?

[djcTDi]

isnt it something to do with the way the bulb emits the light... i.e. a standard filament bulb will give out a different pattern of light than a HID bulb... and because the complex reflector is designed to work with standard filament bulbs the output will not be correct and therefore not level? if you look at a lit filament bulb is not the same brightness all the way round, it may be brighter from the side than it is head on.

ive certainly noticed a difference in the output - although my HIDs are much brighter the pattern they create is much less defined than with standard bulbs... you would think it would be the other way around

i could be wrong though - although im sure ive read it somewhere

 

[Funkyfin2000]

anyone got a link with how the pattern of lights should be omitted

 

[ADAM_84]

Fitted my HID's a little while ago, checked the beam on the garage door and it was the same as the standard bulbs, but when driving on the motorway i could light all the road signs up for miles lol, when the car got mot'ed they adjusted them so assume like said before because they are so much brighter they need to be pointed down on the road more so not to blind on coming traffic.

 

[777cupra]

think all I used was a screw driver to the back of the light under the air intake, other than that nothing!.....oh except teh drill to drill the holes in the back of light covers....but you could predrill them before you go to work perhaps....just a hole anywhere about 28mm diameter should do it

 

[Hudds]

think all I used was a screw driver to the back of the light under the air intake, other than that nothing!.....oh except teh drill to drill the holes in the back of light covers....but you could predrill them before you go to work perhaps....just a hole anywhere about 28mm diameter should do it

Ahhh thank you! had visions of me taking half the garage!

 

[jamie paton]

i had my car serviced and the guy put my car on the light alignment machine and my lights were perfect. yeehah

 

[tarpuc]

anyone got a link with how the pattern of lights should be omitted

try here :-

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manuals.htm

the lighting section should give you an idea how to paint / chalk the set up lines on your garage wall etc, the remainder of the manual is a goo definitive guide to the MOT process.

Also has some good general info / links on the main site.

Regards.

Abbo.

 

[777cupra]

just had my MOT done, HID's were alligned perfectly!

 

[Nyteshade]

I didn't get mine re-alligned either....

so we all wait for the next lot of MOTS and see whose need sorting then...

 

[Nathanio]

Reason for having them aligned is that generally when changing bulbs you can knock the alignment out easily and as such you don't get the full effect of the reflector.

When I had to swap back to a halogen bulb recently due to a failed HID bulb I noticed how perfectly my lights were aligned with HIDs (as done at MOT time) yet with halogens the beam was very low. The way a HID works is very different and creates the light in a different way.

Plus if they aren't aligned correctly you won't be getting the advantage of all that extra light plus if you have a good relationship with your garage then it should be free or damn cheap! Mine do mine for free

 

[andycupra]

if the new and old bulbs are fitted in exactly the same place, and the light is immitted from exactly the same place, then you probably dont need to re do the alignment.
However, most will be in a slightly different position. a mm out in the headlight can mean the light pattern be a fair way out 30 metres down the road.

But mostly, i think people advise you to check the alignment as hids are more annoying or hazardous if out.
So really its a case of lights should be checked regularly for all types. If you play around with lights its just good sense to check alignment afterwards even if not putting hids in.

 

[Havok316]

are you sure you didnt accidently knock the motor thingy to put it out of alignment??
I fitted HIDs on my IC took out the whole light cluster n all and the alignment didnt change at all even passed the MOT with flying colours