Headlamp adjustment for euro' driving

miko01 · 22-07-2005, 07:18

Hi everyone

I have previously had a VW Passat,on which I could change the headlamp beam direction myself for Euro driving (remove several plastic parts under the bonnet,put your hand in the gap near the headlamp and pull up / push down the lever).

I am getting a Superb next week (2nd hand) - can the same be done with the Superb's headlamps,without reverting to the dealer charging ££££ for the job?They are Bi-Xenon's.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks

Miko

ParishBeadle · 22-07-2005, 12:37

The problem with adjusting the Xenon lamps for continental driving is that the lamp transformer units have to be disconnected before the lever is seen. Dealers charge 30 mins labour for this. Unless you are technically confident to do this then regretably it is best left to a dealer.I have had this problem on both my LK Octavia and the Superb. A real pain if you make short frequent trips to the continent.

WRCSixtyThree · 22-07-2005, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by ParishBeadle

The problem with adjusting the Xenon lamps for continental driving is that the lamp transformer units have to be disconnected before the lever is seen. Dealers charge 30 mins labour for this. Unless you are technically confident to do this then regretably it is best left to a dealer.I have had this problem on both my LK Octavia and the Superb. A real pain if you make short frequent trips to the continent.

There is a Xenon lamp removal tutorial for the Octy which I've written, ColinD's got his hands on it. This will show you how to get into the innards of the lamps to find the lever to switch the beam deflectors.

Maybe if we all him nicely he'll put it up for us all to see

**TaviaRS** · 22-07-2005, 12:44

Lamp protectors, with the correct masking

miko01 · 22-07-2005, 21:21

Thanks for your replies - this website is better than seeing the yellow glow of the AA van on a wet November night on the M25 hard shoulder - very reassuring there are so many of you ready to offer advice and help.Thanks.

Having also done a search on the site,I have read the very long threads in the archive re; this issue - I will probably just get out on to the Euro' roads and see how we go - claim ignorance (not hard for me.....).

It is the summer and so will probably not be driving much in the dark.

Regards

Miko

miko01 · 28-07-2005, 09:22

Hi all
Went to Halfords and bought their Headlight converters (really wanted the magnetic GB plate which was bundled with the converter lens).Idly looking thru the paperwork for the converters,they seemed to say you could use them for Xenons.

I have just phoned the company - Travel Spot Ltd in Beds - and they were absolutely sure you can use them with Xenon's.The diagram they provide shows that No.100 illustration (and there are over 129 mini-diagrams on their "poster" included with the converters....) is specifically for the Superb.

So I shall try them and keep fingers crossed.

Does anyone have any violent reason why these would not work with Xenons???

Regards

Miko

jonathan.tong · 02-08-2005, 09:54

FWIW I've just checked with my dealer and they can supply some "stick on" patches for the Superb and is suitable for bi-xenons. The price was around £12 for the kit.

WW_VRS · 02-08-2005, 12:50

I'd check if you can buy the non-stick-on version instead, personally.

If the price is similar to the Fabia ones, they should be around 30 quid, and they will align properly & mask off as per appropriate.

They are not supposed to be used for Xenons officially but they work very well.

No reason to believe the Superb would be any different, bi-xenon makes no difference in that undipped main beam will blind people no matter what

whereas the dipped main beam will be fine with the converters on.

MichaelD · 03-08-2005, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by miko01

I have just phoned the company - Travel Spot Ltd in Beds - and they were absolutely sure you can use them with Xenon's.The diagram they provide shows that No.100 illustration (and there are over 129 mini-diagrams on their "poster" included with the converters....) is specifically for the Superb.

Does anyone have any violent reason why these would not work with Xenons???

Regards

Miko

I've just got back from 4,000 miles with these stick-on masks fitted, plenty of it at night, and no problems at all with the Xenons. Took them off today, but some of the glue is left on the plastic lens, but I think I'll just leave that for a British winter to shift!

Must say though, I carefully followed the diagram no. 100, specifically for the Superb, but it didn't seem to stop the beam pattern from dipping up to the left, exactly the thing the mask was supposed to stop. If I do a similar trip again, I'll fit the masks whilst shining the light at a wall or something, to make sure that they are in exactly the right place.

And, although they look like they will do something clever with the beam, actually they are just semi-transparent stickers, so duck tape should do the same job.

jonathan.tong · 04-08-2005, 09:38

I'd take care over just using duck tape (unless the backing is silvered). These new fangled lights put out alot of heat too, and you don't want lovely black tape heating up nicely and melting onto your headlamps!

Regarding the non-stick on ones, scuse the dumb question, but how do they stay on then?

***DGW*** · 04-08-2005, 09:45

I usede black duck tape to mask headlights a couple of years ago when the weather was extremely hot. The tape shrank and it was a b****r to remove all the glue afterwards. I am not going to bother when I go to Holland next week.

RobClubley · 04-08-2005, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by miko01

Hi all
Went to Halfords and bought their Headlight converters (really wanted the magnetic GB plate which was bundled with the converter lens).Idly looking thru the paperwork for the converters,they seemed to say you could use them for Xenons.

I bought that same kit for the same reason

Stuck them over my Xenons for a week in France and had no problems whatsoever. No-one flashed me or anything so I presume they were alright and I had no adverse effects at all.

You use the circular cover over about half of the projector thingy.

Kentish · 04-08-2005, 16:35

Some WD40 applied to a soft cloth and then rubbed over the glue residue should remove the remains of the glue.

MichaelD · 04-08-2005, 18:18

Thanks Andy, I'll try that.

Hadn't thought about the problem of duck tape going soft, maybe thats a bad idea then. The Hella-badged converters coped well with the temperature, in Rome it reached well into the 40s, which did melt some glue I'd used elsewhere. It actually read 56 degrees at one point, but I assumed that the outside sensor was picking up engine heat or something

The temperature of Xenons has been discussed elsewhere, but it seems likely that they run cooler than halogens, the logic being that they use less electricity but give out more light, so there must be less electricity being wasted on heat (thats why LEDs stay cool). I've felt the front of the headlight after its been on and the car stationery for a while, and they only get slightly warm. Sunshine seems to get them much hotter.

alltorque · 13-08-2005, 16:33

Why bother using beam deflectors, (the legal requirement is questionable, and how many Euro cars do you see in U.K. wearing them), ? I've spent the last ten years making at-least monthly road trips to France, Benelux and Germany and never used deflectors or been stopped for not doing so. Simple answer, surely, is to just use the dash mounted adjuster to lower the beams to a more sensible non-blinding height and drive within the range of your lights............same as with deflectors. However, DO use a proper GB sticker and don't use/display any speed radar detector. Detectors are illegal in France and the boys in blue look at UK cars fairly closely. They have the power to confiscate the detectors and fine you. I thought the "Euro" number plates with GB on them had removed the need for separate GB plates but apparently not so, (technically).

miko01 · 13-08-2005, 19:52

But the Superb 2.5 tdi does not have an internal level adjuster with the Xenon's - it automatically adjusts the beam level.

Regards

Miko

johnjohnhealy · 15-08-2005, 20:27

Dont know about superbs with factory fit Xenons as mine are an after market kit, but here are pics of the inside of a superb headlight showing the levers you need to move to blank off the raised portion of the beam on RHD vehicles (note this does NOT change the beam to LHD, just blanks off the raised section of the beam to stop you blinding motorists when travelling abroad). I would assume LHD vehicles are basically the same to switch beam.
The 2 levers are joined and you just tilt them (one up, one down). You cant tilt too far as they have stops on them.

The pics are of the main Halogen H7 bulb holder/reflector with the access cover removed, and the internal ones are taken through the hole where the bulb would normally be sitting.

If you are capable of changing a bulb on a Skoda Superb you should manage this fine. (no easy task unless you have triple jointed very slim arms, unlike me who has to strip half the engine bay due to my big sausage fingers!)

miko01 · 16-08-2005, 09:04

Thanks for the pics- shall try to change for when I am next on Continent.Wouldn't it be great if there was a switch in the cabin which you push/pull to change over the headlights - surely a possibility for mankind??

Regards

Miko

chrishakes · 01-08-2007, 10:13

The tutorial sounds great, how do I get a copy

Baker21 · 01-08-2007, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by miko01

But the Superb 2.5 tdi does not have an internal level adjuster with the Xenon's - it automatically adjusts the beam level.

Regards

Miko

Sorry mate but you are incorrect there, both the lamps (halogen and Xenon) come fitted with tourist levers as this was specified by Skoda during the project.

The automatic headlamp adjustment is to change the beam pattern's height when the car's body changes in height i.e driving along a bumpy road the beam pattern is adjusted to prevetndazzling oncoming drivers.

We would love to come up with a design that allows you to switch this lever up or down from an electrical switch in the car, and this is being done on new projects, but has it become apparent that the company wants you to go into the dealer an spend some money? The lamps are service only lamps meaning that unless you have small hands you have to remove the headlamps and therefore the bumper so in the design stages access is allowed to be restricted to the lamps.

I don't understand why people want to put 'Beam Deflector's' onto their headlamp lenses if the lamps are fitted with tourist levers.....doesn't make sense to me?!?!?!?

Penpusher · 01-08-2007, 18:58

I was thinking of fitting Eurolites to my Superb 2.5 with Xenons as the tourist levers are so difficult to use. I suffer from a little athritis, incuding in the fingers, so for £6.99 it seems good value and much easier. I looked under the bonnet and the backs of the lamps are hidden behind various trunking and pipes, which puts me off even changing a bulb!

I'm sure I would have had the same opinion as Baker21 30 years ago and I'd be using the levers, but I'm not going to even try as I know I'll get in a mess!

johnjohnhealy · 02-08-2007, 04:11

As in my pics above, it really is easy so long as you can get in the back of the headlamps!

Baker21 · 02-08-2007, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penpusher

I was thinking of fitting Eurolites to my Superb 2.5 with Xenons as the tourist levers are so difficult to use. I suffer from a little athritis, incuding in the fingers, so for £6.99 it seems good value and much easier. I looked under the bonnet and the backs of the lamps are hidden behind various trunking and pipes, which puts me off even changing a bulb!

I'm sure I would have had the same opinion as Baker21 30 years ago and I'd be using the levers, but I'm not going to even try as I know I'll get in a mess!

That's fair enough mate and 'putting people' off changing bulbs etc is how the dealers cash in on many car owners but sometimes you have to 'bite the bullet' and either go for it or pay out some cash!!

rotodiesel · 02-08-2007, 14:46

I enquired with my local dealer concerning conversion of the Superb's headlights to vertical dip. "Lights have to come out - one hour's labour" (twice each time!).

Thanks to johnjohnhealy's pictures, I could see what is involved. The beam cut off plate is on a pivot, so you can shift it either by moving one lever (say) up, or the other lever down on the same light unit. There is a very easy way of doing this.

The trick is to access the lever through the hatch for fullbeam/foglight, which is very accessible on the LHS and easy enough on the RHS if you remove the air inlet trunking (5 screws). The hatch for the dipped beam is much harder to get at.

Having removed the fullbeam hatch on each side, you can just see the lever on the dipped beam unit if you look at it at an angle - it's a matt silver coloured tab, a bit like a male Lucar blade. Using a longish screwdriver, move the LH tab upwards until it clicks and the right hand lever downwards. The beam patterns will then be exactly as shown by John.

To convert the left hand unit takes 30secs, the right hand one about 2 minutes due to the need to remove the air trunking (4 cyl diesel).

Thanks, John and sod the dealers once again.

rotodiesel.

Baker21 · 02-08-2007, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotodiesel

Thanks, John and sod the dealers once again.

rotodiesel.

Quite right mate and in all fairness getting the front bumper off and removing the headlamps completely is no more than a 15 minute job......

22-07-2005, 07:18	#1
miko01 Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Posts: 35 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Headlamp adjustment for euro' driving Hi everyone I have previously had a VW Passat,on which I could change the headlamp beam direction myself for Euro driving (remove several plastic parts under the bonnet,put your hand in the gap near the headlamp and pull up / push down the lever). I am getting a Superb next week (2nd hand) - can the same be done with the Superb's headlamps,without reverting to the dealer charging ££££ for the job?They are Bi-Xenon's. Any thoughts gratefully received. Thanks Miko

22-07-2005, 12:37	#2
ParishBeadle Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WestMidsUK Posts: 22 Members Car: Octavia LK Estate Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Headlamp Conversion The problem with adjusting the Xenon lamps for continental driving is that the lamp transformer units have to be disconnected before the lever is seen. Dealers charge 30 mins labour for this. Unless you are technically confident to do this then regretably it is best left to a dealer.I have had this problem on both my LK Octavia and the Superb. A real pain if you make short frequent trips to the continent. __________________ Superb Elegance 1.9 Nightfire Blue

22-07-2005, 12:44	#4
TaviaRS Dinosaur Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North of the Watford Gap Posts: 14,942 Members Car: Merc E class & SLK Thanks: 19 Thanked 42 Times in 38 Posts	Lamp protectors, with the correct masking __________________ A jolly sensible Mercedes E class saloon in a rather fetching bluey grey colour. No it isn't fast, no it isn't modded, and yes, it will still eat your Fabia for breakfast. Official mobile chicane for Briskoda trackdays

22-07-2005, 21:21	#5
miko01 Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Posts: 35 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks guys Thanks for your replies - this website is better than seeing the yellow glow of the AA van on a wet November night on the M25 hard shoulder - very reassuring there are so many of you ready to offer advice and help.Thanks. Having also done a search on the site,I have read the very long threads in the archive re; this issue - I will probably just get out on to the Euro' roads and see how we go - claim ignorance (not hard for me.....). It is the summer and so will probably not be driving much in the dark. Regards Miko

28-07-2005, 09:22	#6
miko01 Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Posts: 35 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	More info discovered on Euro driving with Xenons Hi all Went to Halfords and bought their Headlight converters (really wanted the magnetic GB plate which was bundled with the converter lens).Idly looking thru the paperwork for the converters,they seemed to say you could use them for Xenons. I have just phoned the company - Travel Spot Ltd in Beds - and they were absolutely sure you can use them with Xenon's.The diagram they provide shows that No.100 illustration (and there are over 129 mini-diagrams on their "poster" included with the converters....) is specifically for the Superb. So I shall try them and keep fingers crossed. Does anyone have any violent reason why these would not work with Xenons??? Regards Miko

02-08-2005, 09:54	#7
jonathan.tong Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cambridge Posts: 17 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	FWIW I've just checked with my dealer and they can supply some "stick on" patches for the Superb and is suitable for bi-xenons. The price was around £12 for the kit.

02-08-2005, 12:50	#8
WW_VRS Escorted Estate Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Oxfordshire/Berkshire Posts: 9,869 Members Car: Ford Escort 1.6LX + Fab Estate Thanks: 46 Thanked 85 Times in 75 Posts	I'd check if you can buy the non-stick-on version instead, personally. If the price is similar to the Fabia ones, they should be around 30 quid, and they will align properly & mask off as per appropriate. They are not supposed to be used for Xenons officially but they work very well. No reason to believe the Superb would be any different, bi-xenon makes no difference in that undipped main beam will blind people no matter what whereas the dipped main beam will be fine with the converters on. __________________ WW --->> Project Journal (pic links in first post there) Lummox'/Ross thread on Unit18 Automotive progress on my car: here

04-08-2005, 09:38	#10
jonathan.tong Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cambridge Posts: 17 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'd take care over just using duck tape (unless the backing is silvered). These new fangled lights put out alot of heat too, and you don't want lovely black tape heating up nicely and melting onto your headlamps! Regarding the non-stick on ones, scuse the dumb question, but how do they stay on then?

04-08-2005, 09:45	#11
*DGW* BRISKODA Staff Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 17,295 Members Car: Octavia 1.8T 4X4 Estate & Fabia vRS Thanks: 51 Thanked 207 Times in 156 Posts	I usede black duck tape to mask headlights a couple of years ago when the weather was extremely hot. The tape shrank and it was a b**r to remove all the glue afterwards. I am not going to bother when I go to Holland next week. __________________ Denis 2002 Octavia 1.8T 4X4 turbo Estate - rebreathed on by Jabba ... 31.93mpg 2007 Fabia vRS - CC, ESP and full leather trim by Seat Surgeons** ...48.57 mpg...

04-08-2005, 16:35	#13
Kentish Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5,244 Members Car: 4 wheels, 4 doors. Thanks: 0 Thanked 11 Times in 7 Posts	Some WD40 applied to a soft cloth and then rubbed over the glue residue should remove the remains of the glue. __________________ Andy Owner of a sense of humour.

04-08-2005, 18:18	#14
MichaelD Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North West UK Posts: 104 Members Car: Superb Elegance 2.8 V6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks Andy, I'll try that. Hadn't thought about the problem of duck tape going soft, maybe thats a bad idea then. The Hella-badged converters coped well with the temperature, in Rome it reached well into the 40s, which did melt some glue I'd used elsewhere. It actually read 56 degrees at one point, but I assumed that the outside sensor was picking up engine heat or something The temperature of Xenons has been discussed elsewhere, but it seems likely that they run cooler than halogens, the logic being that they use less electricity but give out more light, so there must be less electricity being wasted on heat (thats why LEDs stay cool). I've felt the front of the headlight after its been on and the car stationery for a while, and they only get slightly warm. Sunshine seems to get them much hotter.

13-08-2005, 16:33	#15
alltorque Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lincoln Posts: 84 Members Car: '06 Volvo S60 D5 SE Geartronic Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Why bother using beam deflectors, (the legal requirement is questionable, and how many Euro cars do you see in U.K. wearing them), ? I've spent the last ten years making at-least monthly road trips to France, Benelux and Germany and never used deflectors or been stopped for not doing so. Simple answer, surely, is to just use the dash mounted adjuster to lower the beams to a more sensible non-blinding height and drive within the range of your lights............same as with deflectors. However, DO use a proper GB sticker and don't use/display any speed radar detector. Detectors are illegal in France and the boys in blue look at UK cars fairly closely. They have the power to confiscate the detectors and fine you. I thought the "Euro" number plates with GB on them had removed the need for separate GB plates but apparently not so, (technically). __________________ Fabia vRS - Now departed and replaced by : Volvo S60 D5(185bhp) SE Geartonic. Bit of a cruise missile.

13-08-2005, 19:52	#16
miko01 Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Posts: 35 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	But the Superb 2.5 tdi does not have an internal level adjuster with the Xenon's - it automatically adjusts the beam level. Regards Miko

16-08-2005, 09:04	#18
miko01 Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Posts: 35 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the pics- shall try to change for when I am next on Continent.Wouldn't it be great if there was a switch in the cabin which you push/pull to change over the headlights - surely a possibility for mankind?? Regards Miko

01-08-2007, 10:13	#19
chrishakes Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Headlamp adjustment for euro' driving The tutorial sounds great, how do I get a copy

01-08-2007, 18:58	#21
Penpusher Briskodian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Brecon Posts: 59 Members Car: Thanks: 4 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Headlamp adjustment for euro' driving I was thinking of fitting Eurolites to my Superb 2.5 with Xenons as the tourist levers are so difficult to use. I suffer from a little athritis, incuding in the fingers, so for £6.99 it seems good value and much easier. I looked under the bonnet and the backs of the lamps are hidden behind various trunking and pipes, which puts me off even changing a bulb! I'm sure I would have had the same opinion as Baker21 30 years ago and I'd be using the levers, but I'm not going to even try as I know I'll get in a mess!

02-08-2007, 04:11	#22
johnjohnhealy Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: UK south east Posts: 2,430 Members Car: Superb 130pd Thanks: 1 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Headlamp adjustment for euro' driving As in my pics above, it really is easy so long as you can get in the back of the headlamps!

02-08-2007, 14:46	#24
rotodiesel Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 669 Members Car: Thanks: 5 Thanked 83 Times in 74 Posts	Re: Headlamp adjustment for euro' driving I enquired with my local dealer concerning conversion of the Superb's headlights to vertical dip. "Lights have to come out - one hour's labour" (twice each time!). Thanks to johnjohnhealy's pictures, I could see what is involved. The beam cut off plate is on a pivot, so you can shift it either by moving one lever (say) up, or the other lever down on the same light unit. There is a very easy way of doing this. The trick is to access the lever through the hatch for fullbeam/foglight, which is very accessible on the LHS and easy enough on the RHS if you remove the air inlet trunking (5 screws). The hatch for the dipped beam is much harder to get at. Having removed the fullbeam hatch on each side, you can just see the lever on the dipped beam unit if you look at it at an angle - it's a matt silver coloured tab, a bit like a male Lucar blade. Using a longish screwdriver, move the LH tab upwards until it clicks and the right hand lever downwards. The beam patterns will then be exactly as shown by John. To convert the left hand unit takes 30secs, the right hand one about 2 minutes due to the need to remove the air trunking (4 cyl diesel). Thanks, John and sod the dealers once again. rotodiesel.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode