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Author Topic: Headlight aiming information (with my pics)
Mike Bonte
1st Gear
Member # 1892

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I originally posted this at SLP... then retyped it elsewhere... and now it's here...lol

I used this guide to reaim my lights (they were aimed way high from the factory, presumably because of the way the SLP Bilstein affects the stance of the car). If anyone has any better information on how to do, I'd love to hear it. Using this method, my lights perform noticeably better in both low and hi beam setting.


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Here is the guide that I used for my lights. It is from MCI (the bus manufacturer) but being as you take the measurements from the position of the lights it works just fine.

http://www.mcicoach.com/serinfo/serinfo0202.html

Since the camaros do not have the four individual lights, you only need to do the alignment for the low beams... the highs will be adjusted right when the lows are right. Basic jist of the alignment is at 25', the bright area of the lows should be just below the vertical center of the bulbs, and just to the right of the horiztontal center (so the lows point slightly to the passenger side and out of oncoming traffic). The beam cutoff should be right on the vertical center (so that no light is emitted higher than the bulb) With this, the Highs should be right on or slightly above the vertical center and right on the horizontal center (basically pointed straight out, and straight ahead). I found that my highs were almost completely unmeasurable, they were just a huge flood light and had no really noticeable hot spots... which is good for dark roads.

For the fogs, I aimed them so the top of the beam cutoff was at the vertical center of the bulb, so they are pointed down slightly. They have a pretty wide beam pattern, so that may still be too high for oncoming traffic but I haven't been able to find any reliable information about how to aim them them.

Here are my pics again:

Factory poor alignment: slightly left, and 2.5 inches too high... This put my lows into HI BEAM territory. I feel sorry for anyone driving in front of me on a highway at night.
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My Low Beam alignment: (they appear a bit low in this pic, that's due to the digital cam. not metering right. YOu can see the beam cutoff is right on the line, although the Silverstar bulbs seem to "bulge" a little bit in the middle.
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And here is how they look on a dark road. (Note... these are Sylvania Silverstar bulbs).

Low Beam with Fog (You can see the fog spill over into the oncoming lane. I worry that the fogs might be a tad too high with this aiming, will have to test it sometime to see):
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Hi Beam:
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[ 22. August 2003, 08:44 AM: Message edited by: Mike Bonte ]

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2002 Camaro SS #4452
345HP, Bilstein, Hurst
SLP STB, SFC, !CAGS, YPipe
LSS, Brembo rotors, MacEwen gauges

Posts: 210 | From: Budd Lake, NJ | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
gauSSian
1st Gear
Member # 2027

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last night, during my futile search for fbodfather's SLP avatar in my temp. internet directory, I came upon your headlight post and saved it. [Wink]

can't wait to get her back and do it right. [Big Grin]

Posts: 106 | From: St. Augustine, FL. | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
Cavy Dan
4th Gear
Member # 1352

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Thanks Mike! [Smile]
Posts: 2651 | From: Enola (Harrisburg Area), Pennsylvania | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged
mhayman
2nd Gear
Member # 146

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Thanks for the repost!
Posts: 942 | From: Santa Barbara and Ventura, CA | Registered: Feb 2000  |  IP: Logged
CamaroSCG
2nd Gear
Member # 1591

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Thanks Mike!
Posts: 641 | From: northern Delaware | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged
SSSupercar
1st Gear
Member # 1990

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Nice writeup! Check out the big brain on Bonte!
Posts: 26 | From: Aldie, VA | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
DaddySS
Old Coot.....50 going on 20
Member # 848

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Good info, thanks.
Posts: 3403 | From: Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA | Registered: Dec 2000  |  IP: Logged
ss_rs_z
4th Gear
Member # 1888

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Thanks MIke for the great info. I have it saved. [Big Grin]
Posts: 2841 | From: Westland, MI | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
Hawkeye
5th Gear
Member # 88

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right on!

In the old days, I used to switch out my sealed
beams for Bosch Halogens, I found a school parking
lot and did the same thing! LOL 3" drop for
25' of distance from the vetical center and just
slightly to the right. It worked as good as any
headlight aiming machine.

Good post!

Posts: 5558 | From: Windsor, Ontario. Canada | Registered: Feb 2000  |  IP: Logged
   

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