Hi,

For all of you who have replaced your headlamps with eurolamps, can you tell me the easiest way to align your headlamps? I have read the article on Daniel Stern's Automotive Lighting website and it's too complicated. There's got to be an easier, more straight forward way. Thanks for your help.

The technique on the Stern website is the one the dealer was going to charge me $40 per headlight to use! It reads a lot more complex that it actually is. I used a large section of cardboard for my aiming target. (I didn't want to be cited for graffiti on the shopping center walls ) I marked a spot on the center of the cardboard. After I measured the distance between the centerpoints of the headlights (46"), I divided by 2, and marked a vertical line that distance out from the center on each side ( vertical lines on each side 23" from the center). I measured from the center point to the ground (26" on my Sportline car), and marked a horizontal line through each side of the cardboard 26" off the ground. This gives the center mark for each headlight. Marking another horizontal line 2.1 - 3 inches down from the headlight center points gives the aiming point.

The target should look like this:

+ -----0----- +
-_-_-_-_-_-_-


where each + sign is 23" from the 0, and 26" above ground. Each -_- symbol is 2.1 to 3 inches lower than the + symbol.

Using the target is easy. Find a flat lot 25' from a wall. Park perpendicular to (facing) the wall. Put the target against the wall in front of your car. Stand behind the car with a vertical pole. Site through the pole so that the pole, rear star, and the hood star are all in line. Have a friend move the target so that the center mark on the target is on that line. Tape the target to the wall and aim per Stern's directions. Basically, your headlight beams will look like this ___/___/. The object is to get each _/ intersection on the -_- mark directly below the + mark. The beams are really collimated, and proper aiming is a lot more critical than US headlights.

__________________
John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

Hi jcod7 and JCE, since you both removed and installed euro headlights recently, do you remember how many parts are used to connect the assembly to the lower center support? I have a 24mm plastic that screws into the center rad support and a 1 1/2 inch metal screw. I think I am missing some parts because I am having a hard time aligning the assemby to the hood.

Thanks

Peter

Hi Peter,

The assemblies are held in place by:
1) 2 screws on the outside, seen when removing the side blinker
2) 1 screw on the inside, next to the radiator (which can be difficult to get to on the passenger side)
3) Plastic tab on the top of the assembly that twists on/off.

That's it.

Peter,

The above, pertains to the W124. I don't know about other chassis'. It sounds like you're talking about a different car than the 124?

jdoc7,
How do you get that 8mm passenger side bolt out? I've looked at all the usual places for an off-set wrench but am having no luck. No room for a socket. Don't really want to remove the pipes that are in the way, bein' a bit lazy ;-) Ditto for unscrewing it 1/4 turn at a time!
Silly question, I know, but if you've been there done that, I'd rather not reinvent the wheel, so to speak.
TIA

__________________
Hazen Arnold
Happiness is a well stocked
garage.

Hazen,

To get that 8mm screw, I went to Sears and bought an open-ended 8mm Craftsman wrench. That did the trick. Don't take the screw out of the hole once you have it loose. You'll be sorry because it's hard to get back in. Therefore, when you reinstall the assembly, it will take some patience and a little hit-and-miss, in order to line that screw up with the hole on the assembly.

jdoc7,
Excellent. (Picture me hitting myself on the forehead with the heel of my hand.) Why didn't I think of that! I'm pretty sure I've got one of those open end 8mm's in the old box.
Thaks for the tip.
Best

__________________
Hazen Arnold
Happiness is a well stocked
garage.