changing headlights to continental

[cruddler]

Took the car to the local garage yesterday. Explained how we had converted the lights and had them tested on the rig. Despite lots of tweaking between us, we couldnt get a satisfactory beam and the mechanic declared them non conventional. Not sure how we werent able to get a satisfactory beam but there you go. Off to scour Breakers Yards now...

[Beemer1150]

No official comment yet (garage or CT) but carried out the headight mod with a couple of spare bulbs and tried it out last night... astonished by the effect. RH light needed dropping a little (now done) but otherwise amazing. Beam is good for driving (plenty up RH verge, nothing to offside - and no 'flashes' from oncoming traffic).

CT not due until September, but plan to submit the car soon for a definitive verdict.

Will await 'official' opinion with interest, but if this works it's saved me €300 (car is slightly rarer than hen's teeth in breakers here) - and I'm content that it's both safe and courteous to other traffic. Does anyone know what else the manufacturers do to change RHD to LHD other than change the bulb orientation?

 

 

[BobDee]

I can also testify that the modified bulb method for changing the beam pattern works really well. I have used it on two UK cars here now and no CT problems. I have also had the opportunity of trying various combinations of reflector and lens assemblies, and whilst the changing the bulb alignment is the major factor in beam direction, the fitting of a correct LHD lens really sharpens up the beam pattern. Of course separate lenses are a real rarity these days, but on the older mercedes, separate lenses were the norm.

BobD  

[Chancer]

Cruddler

You havn't replaced the bulbs 180 degrees out by any chance, easily done creates a very unusual beam pattern!

Been there done that[:)]

I also once tried aligning them whilst on the main beam pattern (which is how it is usually done) by mistake, it is impossible as you cannot see the kick up, perhaps the garagist was doing that?

Put back your original or unmodified bulbs and check/adjust the alignment at he garage (on main beam in his usual way)then swop over and tweak on dipped beam, if that fails I dont know what to suggest.

[Chancer]

[quote user="Beemer1150"]

No

Will await 'official' opinion with interest, but if this works it's saved me €300 (car is slightly rarer than hen's teeth in breakers here) - and I'm content that it's both safe and courteous to other traffic. Does anyone know what else the manufacturers do to change RHD to LHD other than change the bulb orientation?

[/quote]

Glad to hear of your success, I am amazed at how much money people are prepared to spend on what can be done perfectly well for nothing other than a little time or patience.

I have helped several people with this method by PM in the past but usually keep quiet as I once got a real flaming on a forum from those who (thought they) "knew better " the comments were very insulting, I never could work out what motivated them other than maybe frustration at having paid out a lot for nothing.

Regarding other manufacturer changes, until reading BobDee's comment I was convinced that there was no other change and that the "lens" as we call it did not act as a prism and bend the light, which is indeed true but as he has done the experiments it has shown me that it does to a certain degree diffuse (or in fact inversely focus) the light, rather like spectacle lenses but in reverse.

My experience initially was with a Ford Galaxy (one of the first production models) that came out of the factory with left instead of right hand drive light units, after buying the new ones I set out to see what differences there were.

I found the angular orientation of the bulbholders was the only difference, with regard to the lenses they had different E markings and the only other difference I could see was the masking pattern for the black tape which was reversed.

Many Italian cars notably Lancias used to have two bulbholder positions to quickly change beam patterns when travelling, I modified my bulbs so that I could easily swop between.

One other possibility regarding the problems Cruddler has is that my MOT tester mate in the UK (where I fine tuned mine) reckons that it may not work on multi-facetted non-parabolic reflectors but neither of us has had a chance to try.

[Beemer1150]

'...it may not work on multi-facetted non-parabolic reflectors but neither of us has had a chance to try.'

The car is an ex-54-plate (now french-registered) Suzuki Grand Vitara which has plain lens glasses and what appears to be asymetrical reflectors with various angled sections... I guess this is 'multi-facetted non-parabolic reflectors '?

It seems to work well enough in practice, but only a CT tester will be the definitive authority!

Incidentally, I didn't cut or grind off the tangs, just bent them back through 90 degrees with a pair of fine-nose pliers. I could even bend them back into position if necessary!

 

[tigerfeet]

[quote user="LEO"]At the back of the headlamp on a Mercedes there is a lever/switch for RHD or LHD .Takes two minutes to excecute the change[/quote]

Does this apply to all Mercedes ? I am thinking of getting an SLK.

[tigerfeet]

I can now answer my own question , no not all Mercedes have headlamps with a lever for RHD/LHD.