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Old 05-18-2016, 08:21 AM   #1
Floats
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Default Aiming head lightes

Hi Gents,
The head lights on my 28 RPU is aiming too high. They seem to be aiming about 10 to 15 degrees above the horison.
I loosened the lite bar to fender bolts and tilted the bar forward as far as it would go. The welded cups in the bar are tilted forward but the lites cant tilt enough to shine down the road.
What am I missing, do I have the wrong bar or should I have extra cup washers between the lites and the welded bar cups.
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Old 05-18-2016, 08:28 AM   #2
rscardina
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

Sounds like you might not have the correct headlight bar or headlights for the vehicle. When I purchased my car it had a aftermarket hot rod bar and sealed beam headlights with smaller than original headlight buckets. When I purchased new period correct headlights and attempted to install them, I had the same problem. I had to change the headlight bar also and that corrected the problem. You may want to post pics of what you have and someone here will probably be able to help.
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Old 05-18-2016, 08:30 AM   #3
1930artdeco
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

Sorry if I am stating the obvious. But loosen the bolt holding the headlight buckets on and tilt them down. Or you may have the bar on backwards?

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Old 05-18-2016, 08:31 AM   #4
Bob Johnson
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

The headlight lenses should be close to straight up and down vertically. If you have to tilt them down from vertical to get the beam correct then you may have the wrong bulb/reflector combination. Do you have a Fluted lenses or a Twolite system. If you have a low and a high beam does the high beam shine higher vertically than the low beam. What kind of bulbs do you have? Are the filaments positioned equally above and below the centerline of the bulb. Or is one filament centered and the other offset? Do you have original reflectors or reproduction reflectors.

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Old 05-18-2016, 09:25 AM   #5
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

try to post a pic.

as stated the large nut that holds the headlight to the bar involves a swivel. Loosen that nut and the headlight will swivel any way you wish, then retighten. There is a ball joint in there
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Old 05-18-2016, 09:27 AM   #6
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

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Mike (1930artdeco) is right. Loan the bolts holding the headlight buckets to the bar and tilt them down to get the desired position.

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Old 05-18-2016, 09:45 AM   #7
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

My crude method of aiming headlights involve using a carpenter's level. When the car is parked on a level spot, place a 4' straight edge across both headlights to get them pointing straight forward. (I use a 4' level). Then using a level on the veritcal plane, position each headlight so that it is about half a bubble (or less) off with the headlights pointing down.

What has been said about the wrong headlight bar may also come into play. When I bought my '31 pickup, it had a 28-29 headlight bar. When I finally realized that and put a correct bar on there, it was much easier to aim the buckets.
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Old 05-18-2016, 10:20 AM   #8
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

I had the same problem, I was using aftermarket lights (chrome dietz type sealed beams, from speedway) and they would not aim down far enough, just needed a little bit more.
I used a small flat file and elongated the swivel slot a tad, worked great.
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Old 05-18-2016, 12:04 PM   #9
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

Bratton's "new" reflectors from the Ford blueprints have a top and a bottom. Get it wrong and ...
... Get it right and, well, you'll see.
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:02 PM   #10
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

Hi Gents,
Thank you for all the suggestions, comments and questions. I have standard two lite head lights set as far forward as they can go, but they are still leaning back at about 10 degrees. I think I must have the wrong light bar.
Your suggestions are much appreciated.
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Old 05-18-2016, 02:10 PM   #11
Brentwood Bob
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

flip the light bar 180 degrees and try it that way.
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Old 05-18-2016, 02:46 PM   #12
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

You don't need to flip the bar just look if the horn bracket fits in a little square, it's
only on the right side of the bar. In the second picture you can see the latch of the headlight is hitting the headlight bar, the first picture I think is Tom W's car as it should fit.

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Old 05-18-2016, 06:07 PM   #13
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

Yes, the left one is my 28 with fluted lamps. I do recall the one on the right, but forgot the reason the guy had the problem, and how it was resolved. Does anyone recall the solution?
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Old 05-18-2016, 07:10 PM   #14
Bob C
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Default Re: Aiming head lightes

Found the other thread. http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=147678

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