Honda Civic DIYs and Civic Tech ChatHonda Civic DIYs and Civic Tech Chat - for the true gearheads! Bring your wrench, it's time for some Honda Civic DIY projects! Questions about problems with your car do NOT go here.
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This is a DIY on how to adjust your headlight beams.
I know some of you with HID's are having problems aiming them and some of you just want to know exactly how to aim the headlights so I decided to do this.
Please note that since I have HID’s, those of you with stock lights will see a different beam than shown in the pics but the directions don’t change.
Also note that most of the pics don’t represent exact measurements, but were created to give you a better idea. I was using mspaint and not having pics to scale didn’t help.
NOTE: Coupe housings do not have an adjustment gear for left/right aim.
You will need the following:
1. A stolen towel from the MGM Grand (or something to cover one headlight housing)
2. A long Phillips head screwdriver (mine is 8” long)
3. A flashlight (not mandatory, but helps)
4. A tape measure (or something that can go 25ft.)
First, you need to find yourself a dark, flat, open area with a wall that’s hopefully white.
Using your tape measure, move your car back so that it is 25ft away and perpendicular to the wall.
With the tape measure running down to the middle of the car, draw a vertical line on the wall to represent the center or middle.
Now you need to take 3 measurements:
1. Measure end to end using the middle of the headlight bulbs as the ends.
2. From the ground up to where the bulb is.
3. From one end to the center of the car.
I took some measurements but they are only estimates because I didn’t have a friend to help me on this part.
1. Roughly 44 inches.
2. Roughly 22 inches.
3. Roughly 37 inches.
Using the vertical line you drew on the wall as the centerline, draw lines using the measurements you took.
DRAW MEASUREMENT 2 2 INCHES LOWER THAN MEASURED.
Now to show you guys how to adjust the beam left/right and up/down.
These directions relate to the driver’s side. For the passenger side, just flip the left/right directions regarding where to find the gears.
First, let’s find the gear to adjust the beam left and right.
The gear is on the left side of the housing. It may be hard to find because the frame of the car is blocking it. The screwdriver has to be put through a hole on the frame to reach.
The following pics should explain it all.
If you look closer at the housing, you’ll notice that molded into the housing are 2 arrows with L and R next to them to show you which direction does what.
Turning the screwdriver clockwise moves the beam left.
Turning the screwdriver counterclockwise moves it right.
Now to find the gear to adjust up/down. This is on the right side of the housing.
You’ll also notice that there is a picture molded near the gear.
Turning the screwdriver clockwise moves the beam up.
Turning the screwdriver counterclockwise moves it down.
Now that you’re all prepared and know what to do, lets aim them.
The lines drawn on the wall is going to be used to aim the beam.
The following picture shows how you need to aim them.
Cover one housing with the towel so you can see/find the cut off lines better.
With HID’s in a NON-HID housing, finding the cut off lines is very hard / almost impossible. I drew cut off lines higher than they really are so you can see better.
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Both Sides
Something you should know
The headlight bulbs aren’t held in place with Superman tightness. They can move left and right. This might be a factor as to why your beam might not look as good. The video BulbMovement available for download at the link at the bottom shows you what I mean.
This applies for any bulb, HID or stock or aftermarket H4. How to correct it?
Sorry, I’m not sure about this one. Don’t have time to check. Someone check and tell me.
Now on to some pics to show off the HIDs =)
Camera 25 feet away on the ground
Camera about 6 feet right
Camera about 6 feet left
Intense glare!!!
Drivers seat
You can go HERE and d/l some videos I made.
HID = Camera 25 feet away on the ground.
HIDHighLow = Camera 25 feet away on the ground with me flicking the high beams.
HIDWall = Camera in drivers seat with me flicking the high beams.
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__________________ Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.
"When I was a young man I vowed never to marry until I found the ideal woman.
Well, I found her but, alas, she was waiting for the ideal man."
-- Alain (1818-1951), French essayist, philosopher
very nice!!!!!!!!! I have a 2001 coupe, but i don't have that metall round piece that you turn on your headlight with the screw driver it's in the same place but more like like a plastic bolt
great post, im gonig to do this tonight! ive been fighting my headlights to get a good adjsutment. also how are you sopposed to aim fog lights? as it is now mine are blinding on comming traffic...
good job man...what cause the headlight to mis-aim???Wouldnt the aim be perfect straight from the dealer? Is installing new bulbs or HIDS the reason for mis-aim?
My headlights are the same OEM stock housings that came from the factory. If you look at the pictures you'll notice the horrible re-chaulking job after I've opened them up twice. Once for clearing and another for blacked out housings.
I have a Sedan. Maybe Coupe owners have it different. It you guys do then sorry, I guess this doesn't really apply to you guys.
For the guy that asked about the plastic bolt: I had the same plastic covers. I ripped them out. You can do the same. Wait, you said you had a coupe. Then I'm not sure.
If there's a white plastic piece covering the gear for the left/right adjustment, then you have to take out the headlight and pull it off...I learned that the extra hard way (melted it in the oven, then tried to pry it off...almost broke the damn thing.).
Originally posted by pLaYa6tNine man if some1 made something like this for the tyc projections it would be soooooo tyte!!
but nice job on this DIY man!
what the diy is explaining is the exact measurements. it apllyies the same why if you know were the bolts are. you caaannn doo itttttt
it's in the same place but more like like a plastic bolt 
