Headlight assembly question
#1
Headlight assembly question
I have to replace my drivers side (left) headlight assembly after a minor incident. The one I received is used and seems to be okay but when installing the main headlight lamp, the bracket holding the lamp moves horizontally on an axis as well vertically. I realize there is automatic leveling for the headlight but does that involve side to side movement as well as up and down movement. Just wondering if my main headlight bracket is broken.
Bill Jacobs
2004 XK8
Bill Jacobs
2004 XK8
The following users liked this post:
Bill Jacobs (02-01-2024)
#5
#7
Got inside the headlight assembly to correct the horizontal (side-side movement) and found nothing broken to re-attach. Instead it seems to be designed to move back and forth. See video attached. but I do not see a mechanism / motor to move the fixture or a spring to hold it in place. It just moves! Discovered also that it does not move vertically as I original thought. Would this side to side movement be the leveling movement of the headlight? Any thoughts or suggestons?
Last edited by Bill Jacobs; 02-01-2024 at 05:20 PM.
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#8
Got inside the headlight assembly to correct the horizontal (side-side movement) and found nothing broken to re-attach. Instead it seems to be designed to move back and forth. See video attached. but I do not see a mechanism / motor to move the fixture or a spring to hold it in place. It just moves! Discovered also that it does not move vertically as I original thought. Would this side to side movement be the leveling movement of the headlight? Any thoughts or suggestons?
First thing's first, the headlight in the video is for an XK8 or XKR fitted with the Xenon (HID) system. If your car has halogens, this will not connect with your harness.
Second: The self leveling, (Up/down) is controlled by a stepper motor. You should not be able to move it by hand.
Third: what's actually loose is the manual adjustment mechanism. You should also not be able to move it freely by hand like you are doing. It should be fixed into place and adjusted from the outside of the headlight.
Follow my instructions:
- See the white bracket looking thing on top in between the halogen reflector and HID projector? That's what is loose on yours and what should be holding it in place. I put a red square on this image to help you see what I am talking about.
- On the second image I posted, look at what I pointed out with the yellow oval. Remove the cap on that (it's the white plastic/rubbery thing) it should have a male hex. That's how you adjust the side to side alignment of the headlight.
- Push the loose assembly you may want to hold either from the halogen reflector or the HID projector to push the assembly inwards. It will take some persuasion. Keep pushing until it catches. You should hear a click. You may have to turn the male hex bolt from the adjustment to allow enough material for the assembly to latch. If it's open all the way, there will be nothing for it to latch on to.
The second image, the yellow oval is where you adjust the side-side. You have to remove that cap.
The following 2 users liked this post by giandanielxk8:
Bill Jacobs (02-01-2024),
Y2KJag (02-09-2024)
#9
All cars fitted with the HID (Xenon) system have self-leveling only in the Y axis. All cars fitted with the Halogens do not have self-leveling. NO X100 ever had X axis self-leveling. That was introduced with the aluminum bodied X150.
#10
The difference is in the cut-off shield in the Xenon projector. Its orientation is reversed, which means the beam pattern of the headlights is inverted. I don't know if the halogen high beams (main beams in the UK? Or is that dip beam?) is also oriented differently.
#11
#13
First thing's first, the headlight in the video is for an XK8 or XKR fitted with the Xenon (HID) system. If your car has halogens, this will not connect with your harness.
Second: The self leveling, (Up/down) is controlled by a stepper motor. You should not be able to move it by hand.
Third: what's actually loose is the manual adjustment mechanism. You should also not be able to move it freely by hand like you are doing. It should be fixed into place and adjusted from the outside of the headlight.
Follow my instructions:
The second image, the yellow oval is where you adjust the side-side. You have to remove that cap.
Second: The self leveling, (Up/down) is controlled by a stepper motor. You should not be able to move it by hand.
Third: what's actually loose is the manual adjustment mechanism. You should also not be able to move it freely by hand like you are doing. It should be fixed into place and adjusted from the outside of the headlight.
Follow my instructions:
- See the white bracket looking thing on top in between the halogen reflector and HID projector? That's what is loose on yours and what should be holding it in place. I put a red square on this image to help you see what I am talking about.
- On the second image I posted, look at what I pointed out with the yellow oval. Remove the cap on that (it's the white plastic/rubbery thing) it should have a male hex. That's how you adjust the side to side alignment of the headlight.
- Push the loose assembly you may want to hold either from the halogen reflector or the HID projector to push the assembly inwards. It will take some persuasion. Keep pushing until it catches. You should hear a click. You may have to turn the male hex bolt from the adjustment to allow enough material for the assembly to latch. If it's open all the way, there will be nothing for it to latch on to.
The second image, the yellow oval is where you adjust the side-side. You have to remove that cap.
#14
I had been reading what must have been a mispost which was talking about swivel headlights .
Sorry
both my dip and main have HID and it passed its MOT and I can see where I am going !!
True the dip pattern is different in the US squared off rather than the beam kink we hav in UK
Sorry
both my dip and main have HID and it passed its MOT and I can see where I am going !!
True the dip pattern is different in the US squared off rather than the beam kink we hav in UK
I replaced my halogin with xenon hi + low.
Better but not great!
wj
#15
I got the cap off. It appears that someone tried to glue the white bracket to the plunger ( or what ever you call it), the glue has detached from the plunger thus nothing to latch. It appears that I need to remove the plunger/adjustment mechanism from headlight assembly. The question is how to remove the plunger/mechanism or can it be removed without damaging the headlight assembly? If so, does it simply pull out or is there a latch some where? The next question is the availability of a replacement bracket and plunger/adjustment mechanism.
Thanks for your help!
Thanks for your help!
#16
I got the cap off. It appears that someone tried to glue the white bracket to the plunger ( or what ever you call it), the glue has detached from the plunger thus nothing to latch. It appears that I need to remove the plunger/adjustment mechanism from headlight assembly. The question is how to remove the plunger/mechanism or can it be removed without damaging the headlight assembly? If so, does it simply pull out or is there a latch some where? The next question is the availability of a replacement bracket and plunger/adjustment mechanism.
Thanks for your help!
Thanks for your help!
As far as I know, the internal parts of the headlight were not ever available. i don't know how you would source that.
The following 2 users liked this post by giandanielxk8:
Bill Jacobs (02-03-2024),
Y2KJag (02-09-2024)
#17
#18
#19
#20
First thing's first, the headlight in the video is for an XK8 or XKR fitted with the Xenon (HID) system. If your car has halogens, this will not connect with your harness.
Second: The self leveling, (Up/down) is controlled by a stepper motor. You should not be able to move it by hand.
Third: what's actually loose is the manual adjustment mechanism. You should also not be able to move it freely by hand like you are doing. It should be fixed into place and adjusted from the outside of the headlight.
Follow my instructions:
The second image, the yellow oval is where you adjust the side-side. You have to remove that cap.
Second: The self leveling, (Up/down) is controlled by a stepper motor. You should not be able to move it by hand.
Third: what's actually loose is the manual adjustment mechanism. You should also not be able to move it freely by hand like you are doing. It should be fixed into place and adjusted from the outside of the headlight.
Follow my instructions:
- See the white bracket looking thing on top in between the halogen reflector and HID projector? That's what is loose on yours and what should be holding it in place. I put a red square on this image to help you see what I am talking about.
- On the second image I posted, look at what I pointed out with the yellow oval. Remove the cap on that (it's the white plastic/rubbery thing) it should have a male hex. That's how you adjust the side to side alignment of the headlight.
- Push the loose assembly you may want to hold either from the halogen reflector or the HID projector to push the assembly inwards. It will take some persuasion. Keep pushing until it catches. You should hear a click. You may have to turn the male hex bolt from the adjustment to allow enough material for the assembly to latch. If it's open all the way, there will be nothing for it to latch on to.
The second image, the yellow oval is where you adjust the side-side. You have to remove that cap.