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How To Adjust Driving Lights

  #1  
Old 07-09-2007, 08:15 PM
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Default How To Adjust Driving Lights

This may sound like a dumb question, how do you adjust the driving lights???

I was riding with a group the other day, and one person said one of my driving lights wws brighter than the other. The only thing I can see that would cause this is one is adjusted lower than the other.

Thanks,

P.S.The lights are on a 07 Electra Glide Classic.
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 03:19 AM
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Default RE: How To Adjust Driving Lights

The only real adjustment that can be made is from left to right, and a little up and down. You will need to shine your lights on a solid surface, ie. garage door, and see which one is off. Once you have that figured, you can try to manually budge the light into position. Grab both side of the lamp, and physically move it to the right loaction. If you can not get it to budge, you will have to remove the turn signal, and lossen the, I beleive, 9/16 nut holding the lamp. Adjust it. And snug it back up. Hopefully you can do the adjustment without having to loosen the nut, as you may have to fabricate a long socket with a long groove in it. You will see what I mean if it gets to that point. There are wires for the light, and a regular long socket will not work. If it gets to that point, do a search here on the forum. In one of the posts, there is a picture of the way the socket will look. But, try to manually move it first. Good luck, and let me know how it works out.
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 07:08 AM
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Default RE: How To Adjust Driving Lights

According to the Service Manager at my dealer, they arepointeda certainwayon purpose. The right spot-up and right (to illuminate the road side), the left spot -down and left (to illuminate the opposing lane while not shining in oncoming drivers eyes). I had asked them at my 1000 mile service to adjust them because they were not aimed symetrically. (as you can see when pulling up behind another vehicle and see your reflection). The above was the reply I received.

Ispent a few minutes when traveling at night recently switching the spots off and on to see exactly where they are pointed...and they are as he described to me.

works for me.
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 07:47 AM
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Default Driving Lights

We took that concept one step further and replaced the bulb in our left driving light with a 55w while keeping the 27w in the right side.

The LS light, so aimed down and to the left, with the brighter bulb, is a great tool for illuminating the center line of the road. Couple this with a pair of yellow motolights, mounted on the calipers; add a great deal of definition for two lane night riding.

Ride Em Carry Em

[&:]
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 04:27 PM
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Default RE: Driving Lights

Yes, this would make sense. The lights seem to be aimed that way. I will check hem on a wall sometime soon. Until then will not try to adjust them.

thanks for all the advice.
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 05:18 PM
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Default RE: Driving Lights

My left one is the brightest. So it looks like it is on "brights" while my right one is dim. It is just the opposite of what has been described. The left shines brighter to on coming traffic.
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 06:09 PM
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Default RE: Driving Lights

I've noticed when looking at other bikes in my mirrors that the passing lights don't seem to look right. When stopped I turn to look at them and they are fine.
Noticed it on many bikes so I'm thinking your ok.
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 06:12 PM
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Default RE: Driving Lights

I would hope that my lights "annoy people" and i hope it gets thier attention while they are driving at me yacking away on thier damn cell phone
 
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Old 07-10-2007, 07:03 PM
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Default RE: Driving Lights

I just went through the H-D factory service manual procedure on Sunday to adjust mine, which were grossly misadjusted from the factory (as was the headlight). You do need to fabricate a special socket to do the job; if you don't do this, don't bother. The factory procedure tells you exactly the lines to mark on a piece of paper or cardboard located 25 feet in front of the motorcycle; basically, you have a mark located exactly at the same height as your headlight along the centerline of the motorcycle. That mark is used to center the high beam. There are also two marks, one on each side of the headlight, located at the center points of each passing light. Now with the high beam centered on its mark, you switch to low beam, cover the headlight and one passing light, and aim the other passing light so that the bulk of its beam is to the right of and below its corresponding center mark (you aren't trying to hit the center of the mark; that would be too high and blinding to oncoming traffic at night). Then do the same thing for the other passing light.

The factory manual lists the tool number for a Snap-On "flare nut socket"; it costs $42. I used a Dremel tool to cut my own (I think 9/16) socket to do the job. If you do that, be sure to smooth any rough edges on the cut surfaces so that you don't cut the passing light wires when you use the tool.

My lights work a LOT better after proper aiming. It's dark every day when I ride to work and it makesa big difference.
 
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Old 11-07-2010, 06:40 PM
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Default Auxiliary Light Adjustment

Originally Posted by cookiemech
I just went through the H-D factory service manual procedure on Sunday to adjust mine, which were grossly misadjusted from the factory (as was the headlight). You do need to fabricate a special socket to do the job; if you don't do this, don't bother. The factory procedure tells you exactly the lines to mark on a piece of paper or cardboard located 25 feet in front of the motorcycle; basically, you have a mark located exactly at the same height as your headlight along the centerline of the motorcycle. That mark is used to center the high beam. There are also two marks, one on each side of the headlight, located at the center points of each passing light. Now with the high beam centered on its mark, you switch to low beam, cover the headlight and one passing light, and aim the other passing light so that the bulk of its beam is to the right of and below its corresponding center mark (you aren't trying to hit the center of the mark; that would be too high and blinding to oncoming traffic at night). Then do the same thing for the other passing light.

The factory manual lists the tool number for a Snap-On "flare nut socket"; it costs $42. I used a Dremel tool to cut my own (I think 9/16) socket to do the job. If you do that, be sure to smooth any rough edges on the cut surfaces so that you don't cut the passing light wires when you use the tool.

My lights work a LOT better after proper aiming. It's dark every day when I ride to work and it makesa big difference.
I just attempted to align mine as well and was stopped by the need for the "flare nut socket" . I intend to fabricate mine as well. Further on the discussion of alignment by the book .... The headlight high beam should be centered on a spot 25' away from the front axle as mentioned, at the same height as the center line of the headlamp on the bike to the ground. In my case it was 35". The auxiliary lamps should both be aimed lower and to the right. As described in the manual you would measure the center line offset vertically and horizontally from the head light to the aux. lights on the bike. Mine were 1" lower and 8" to the right or left. Make marks on the wall to recreate this relationship from your headlamp mark to each side light. Cover the headlamp and one of the aux lights to allow only one aux lamp to shine on the wall at a time. Imagining that the light projects a horizontal oval on the wall, adjust both lights so that the left edge of the illumination is in vertical alignment with the associated center line lamp mark on the wall. The top edge of the illumination pattern should be even with the horizontal center line of the aux lamp marks. NOT the headlamp mark which is higher. Just imagine your eyes are looking to the right and down a bit from the headlamp. Same concept.
 
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