Adjusting headlights

[troydeon]

Hello all,
My TR8's headlight mechanisms seem to be too recessed and too far forward.
I thought that I could adjust the height by adjust the turnbuckle but it is almost at is limit.
The rubber shroud is catching on both sides (really bad on the left side) and they just go to far down...
Any suggestions?
I did a search and most of the time read about them not working at all or winking...


Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[Workshop Help]

In the far distant past, was your car ever worked on by the local dolts at the body shop?

Without actually seeing your problem due to the lack of photos, it may be necessary to remove the headlight units from the mounts and see if the mounting areas are intact and not mangled out of alignment. Then, check the condition of the headlight units themselves for deterioration or misrepaired damage.

Mildred Hargis

[troydeon]

Just got the TR8...
It was probably fiddled with by "some dolt"... it's been repainted.
I will look at it some more tomorrow in the morning when it's cooler...
I was considering filing the rubber shroud down just a bit, I have old ones off my TR7 (that I replaced) so I could check to see if i am happy with what happens with that...
Can't believe it's so hot here already...

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[troydeon]

oh, this might be common knowledge, or maybe not...
But if your headlights get stuck and the motor keeps trying to turn it will drain your battery...
The other morning I went to leave for work and the left one got hung up and wouldn't come up... was running just a little late so just took the wife's car with out looking at it all (the TR7 never had me do that)...
So until I came back at lunch time that little motor tried to bring the headlight up, it drained the battery but luckily didn't burn up the motor.

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[troydeon]

oh by the way...
My right was getting stuck in the up position, at first I thought that it was a relay problem, but it turned out to be someone overextended the adjusting turnbuckle... it was trying to lift it to high and didn't have enough oomph to push it... a little adjustment to the turnbuckle fixed that problem.

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[troydeon]

Ok, with a little adjustment I got the right one not going down as far so the rubber shroud is no longer getting caught, after getting it adjusted it doesn't look level... so the right one when down is not flush all the way across. The left one goes down too far when down, but it is at it's limit for adjustment, at least it isn't catching...
Eventually will have to take both apart and try to get them back in right.

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[FI Spyder]

There is a sequence of adjusting them that is in the OEM manual. It's not a matter of just adjusting the turnbuckle. In the up position there is a rubber up stop. Off the top of my head, you adjust the turnbuckle then adjust the rubber up stop such that the motor lifts them into the up stop. This keeps the steady when they are up. If the up stop isn't contacted you will see the light(s) wiggling at night. This happened to me, one light was wiggling (shaking) at night. The up stop wasn't even being contacted. Once I adjusted it correctly everything was steady. You don't want the up stop being driven into too much or it may stall out the motor. As far as them being to high or too low (how they sit in the car) that is adjusted by four nuts and bolts for each one, I believe. Mine are sitting a little high (probably from factory setting) but haven't gotten around to adjusting them. If the rubber is rubbing on the body I'd check to make sure the mounting washers haven't come loose as some people have found.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[troydeon]

Thank you Spyder... I'll look into the bumper stop, it's probably to low on the right side hence it was stalling out. If I set that correctly I will be able to get it's height right. The bolts are tight, but it all needs to be adjusted, I'll make it a future project...

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[stevie_a]

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<font size="4"><font color="green"><i>If it's not broke don't fix it.</i></font id="green"></font id="size4">

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[troydeon]

I didn't mean to poke anyone in the eye... hahah...

Thank you Stevie...

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC

[Ianftr8]

Troy,

You should be able to get the left right tilt, up and down adjustment from the four bolts with metal plates under the hood.
for the forward back movement there are another four bolts that hold the headlight pod to the lift mechanism, which may need some fine adjustment if they have been off for painting.

Its a bit of a game to get right but needs to be right to stop things playing up.

A note of caution though - if you are doing anything to the headlight pods - disconnect the battery as getting fingers mashed is not good!

Cheers

Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC KDU 315V Poseidon Green
Triumph Courier
Triumph owner for 32 years

[troydeon]

Thanks Ian.
Yeah I see that now, I did what I should have started with and I read the manual. It makes it sound straight forward, get the up adjusted, get the down adjusted and then use the four bolts to get it centered, level and flush or where you prefer at least... I am thinking this weekend...

Troy
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 TR8 DHC