Headlight Adjustment after mods

[advcyclist]

I've added a two bike hitch rack (very often loaded), and a cargo drawer system in my hatch area. My headlights are slightly higher than they were stock and I was curious if the LED headlights are easier to adjust than the old school halogens? I'm definitely getting more flashes from oncoming drivers than before those additions. Probably adding a leveling kit in the near future as well, so this adjustment will definitely be useful.

 

[p0rcupin3_tr33]

When I took mine to the Toyota service center for my break in oil change, I did request for an adjustment of the high beams to throw it further forward as I didn't feel it had a throw far enough.

The tech let me know that to make an adjustment they'd essentially would have to remove the entire unit and adjust it accordingly, which they weren't comfortable doing since it'd also change the low beam position.

All in all doesn't seem like a simple fix with these LEDs.
I have the LC LC trim with square headlights.

The base and first edition ones have projectors which in theory might be easier to do.

 

[RUN-8]

When I took mine to the Toyota service center for my break in oil change, I did request for an adjustment of the high beams to throw it further forward as I didn't feel it had a throw far enough.

The tech let me know that to make an adjustment they'd essentially would have to remove the entire unit and adjust it accordingly, which they weren't comfortable doing since it'd also change the low beam position.

All in all doesn't seem like a simple fix with these LEDs.
I have the LC LC trim with square headlights.

The base and first edition ones have projectors which in theory might be easier to do.

Your service advisor is not doing you any favors, or doesn’t really know what he’s talking about.

Go get yourself a 5/16” nut driver, and a headlamp or flashlight.

Go find yourself a nice flat open stretch of dark road. Even a residential street will work.

Stop where it’s safe.

Pop the hood with the vehicle running and your low beams turned on.

Find the adjustment nuts as pictured.

Turn them counterclockwise to adjust the headlights up, clockwise to adjust them down.

A little goes a long way: maybe 1/4 turn is all you can get away with before other motorists are going to be BIG MAD at you because even the low beams are idiotically bright on these trucks. The adjustment affects both low and high beams. What I found is that the high beams don’t really benefit from much upward vertical adjustment anyway, they actually throw pretty far down the road already. By adjusting my low beams up a bit I feel that overall headlight performance is quite a bit better in both low and high beam. Plus the low beams aren’t overlapping the fog lamps as much.

Enjoy:

 

[p0rcupin3_tr33]

Your service advisor is not doing you any favors, or doesn’t really know what he’s talking about.

Go get yourself a 5/16” nut driver, and a headlamp or flashlight.

Go find yourself a nice flat open stretch of dark road. Even a residential street will work.

Stop where it’s safe.

Pop the hood with the vehicle running and your low beams turned on.

Find the adjustment nuts as pictured.

Turn them counterclockwise to adjust the headlights up, clockwise to adjust them down.

A little goes a long way: maybe 1/4 turn is all you can get away with before other motorists are going to be BIG MAD at you because even the low beams are idiotically bright on these trucks. The adjustment affects both low and high beams. What I found is that the high beams don’t really benefit from much upward vertical adjustment anyway, they actually throw pretty far down the road already. By adjusting my low beams up a bit I feel that overall headlight performance is quite a bit better in both low and high beam. Plus the low beams aren’t overlapping the fog lamps as much.

Enjoy:

View attachment 22572
View attachment 22573

Oh awesome.

Thank you for this. Appreciate it.

I also felt the answer of the tech didn't make sense, and wanted to do some investigating myself.

But you saved me a lot of time.

I'm assuming you have the same square lights?

For some reason I feel my high beams don't have a throw that is far enough, and I do agree the low beams do interfere/overlap with the fog lamps.

So this adjustment might just work out. Thanks again.

 

[RUN-8]

Yep square headlights here.

The high beams just don’t have a real “hot spot” they push out light pretty far due to the projector optic but the concentration isn’t super super bright. Adjusting them both up a smidge seems to help. Just don’t get too crazy or other drivers will not be happy and the high beams will be merrily illuminating tree tops.

 

[p0rcupin3_tr33]

That makes sense, and probably why I am feeling there not enough of a throw.

Will try and document my before and after to see the actual difference.