Sooner or later you will need to adjust your headlights. This could be due to a pending MOT test, or because you have had to replace one or both of your headlights after a mishap.
While it is possible to have your local garage do the job for you, it is easier and cheaper do the job yourself. All you would need is some patience, a friend (or 175lb weight), and a flat level piece of ground near a wall.
Adjustment is relatively simple. There are two screws that are used for adjustment. These are indicated by the red arrow in the picture on the right. The top screw will adjust the up and down, or vertical movement of the beam, while the centre screws will adjust the horizontal, or left to right movement of the beam.
Before adjusting and setting the headlights, make sure that the tyres are inflated to the correct pressures, and that you have about ½ tank of fuel in the tank. Then park your Suzuki SJ on a flat and level surface 25 feet (7.6 mteres) away from a wall (you will be making location reference marks on the wall.), and place a friend (or 175lb weight) in the driver's seat. Bounce each corner of the vehicle slightly to settle the weight of the SJ evenly, and then switch on the lights.

Adjusting the headlights ...


Begin by measuring the height from the ground to the centre of the headlight. The headlight "centre" is directly in front of the bulb, and is usually marked with a dot, a cross, the bulb type designation, or name brand. At the wall, measure this same height from the ground up, and mark this point on the wall. Repeat this for the other headlight. Now join these two points together. We will call this line "X - X". For each headlight, using the same marks, draw perpendicular lines. These we will call "A - A" and "B - B" respectively. Next, find the centre line of the vehicle itself. The easiest way to do this, is to measure the distance between the centre of the left headlamp and the centre of the right headlamp. Split this width measurement in half to get the distance from one headlamp to the centre of the vehicle.
The next step is to mark the wall at this centre distance between the two headlight marks. To check your markings, walk to the back of the vehicle and look through the windshield. The centre point you have just marked on the wall should line up in the centre of the vehicle from looking through from the back to the front.
Now, measure 1" down from the left and the right "X - X" marks, and join these two points with a horizontal line. Measure 1" right from the "A - A" marks and "B - B" marks, and join the lines. After you've marked the wall, it should look similar to the picture below.

Vertical and horizontal aiming ...


The low beam pattern has a distinct horizontal cut-off. Below the cut-off is bright light. Above the cut-off is dark. The aim is determined by adjusting the height of this cut-off relative to the reference marks you plotted on the wall.
The headlamps have a "kink" or "elbow" inthe beam pattern. Adjust each headlamp so that the kink lines up the same as the diagram below.

Note - After adjusting a high/low beam headlamp in the low beam mode, do not attempt to readjust it in high beam mode. All high/low beam headlamps are meant to be adjusted on the low beam setting only--the high beam adjustment is correct when the low beam adjustment is correct.
That's all there is to it. Job done. Simple really. Now you can see where you are going.

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