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Thread: Headlight Help Needed

  1. #1
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    Headlight Help Needed

    20+ years in our family, our '92 alltrac has traveled all across Europe and Greece where it lived for a year. Never a missed beat, never a problem, ever. Averaged 110 mph across France with 1500 lb of family, luggage and dog!
    However the one totally screwed up design flaw by Toyota is the headlights. Ours came with prehistoric 9003 bulbs with poorly designed reflectors. There have been times when driving in a mountainous area far far away from civilization that the darkness has overwhelmed the headlights so that we could not exceed 30 mph!!
    Changed over to 9004 and 1996 units which was somewhat better but still not good.
    Now with the advent of HID and LED I can put a strong bulb into the units BUT in the meantime both of the headlight units have turned yellow and sour. Bad plastic.
    What I am writing for today is to find a source for brand new replacement assemblies of the 1996 design. I know that there must be an aftermarket manufacturer but I cannot find them
    Please HELP!
    Thank you

  2. #2
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    Re: Headlight Help Needed

    You are now in Texas? - you could hardly be better placed to find a salvage Previa. (Houston is where I found body parts (from a 96) for my 91.)

  3. #3
    Van Enthusiast pdgizwiz's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight Help Needed

    I renewed a pair of badly yellowed '91 headlights using a 3M kit (described better in the "a few questions" thread.)
    Here's a before/after shot.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by pdgizwiz; 11-28-2021 at 03:41 PM.

  4. #4
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    Re: Headlight Help Needed

    I polished my headlights and then bought Hella bulbs from Rock Auto for less than $2.00 each. Then I aligned my headlights and now they are great. I'll bet the problem most people are having with the headlights is that they are aligned too high. When I brought my down, it was a world of difference. There is an instruction on the internet from Autozone how to align and I used it and the change in my visibility was amazing. Hella bulbs from Rock Auto are a bargain too. I bought a bunch.

    here's the instruction from Auto Zone

    HOW TO ADJUST YOUR CAR’S HEADLIGHTS

    1

    LEVEL THE VEHICLE

    Before adjusting your headlights, make sure the car is level. This means checking the tire pressure and removing any excess weight from the cargo area or trunk. It's also a good idea to adjust the headlights when your gas tank is half-full. If possible, have someone sit in the driver's seat to mimic the weight that would be present when you're on the road driving at night. Position the car on level ground by parking 10 to 15 feet from a dark garage door or wall with the headlights aimed toward the wall. Bounce the car on all four corners a few times to level out the shocks, then measure the distance from the ground to each headlight to make sure they're level.





    2

    MEASURE THE LIGHTS

    Now that the car is level, turn on the headlights. Just use the low beams, not the high beams or fog lights, as those can give you an inaccurate reading. Mark the headlight beams vertically and horizontally on the wall with masking tape. This should create a cross. Using the taped marks, measure the lines (cross) to check that they're even. If they're uneven, note the difference in measurements and lower the highest center line marker to the same height as the lowest center line marker. Make sure these center lines are no higher than 3.5 feet from the ground.





    3

    BACK THE CAR AWAY FROM THE WALL

    Use a tape measure to make sure you back the car exactly 25 feet from the wall. Turn off the headlights. It's now time to make your adjustments. Remove each headlight's trim ring and locate the headlight adjustment screws. You should notice marks for both the horizontal adjuster and vertical adjuster. If you're having trouble finding any of these features, refer to the owner's manual. You can then adjust each headlight separately using a screwdriver in and the adjustment screws. Remember to block out the light from one headlight while adjusting the other using a heavy fabric or object; having both headlights shining against the wall can make it difficult to distinguish between them.





    4

    ADJUST THE VERTICAL FIELD

    If you can enlist an assistant, have someone sit in the driver's seat to turn the lights off and on as you make your adjustments. When turning the vertical field's screw or bolt, turning clockwise typically raises the lights while turning counterclockwise lowers them. Your model, however, might work differently, so check the owner's manual. When adjusting the headlights, the most intense part of the beam should hit at or just below the center tape line you created on the wall.





    5

    ADJUST THE HORIZONTAL FIELD

    Do the same thing with the horizontal field as you did with the vertical one. Turn the side screws or bolts carefully until the most intense part of the headlight beam is just to the right of the tape's vertical line. You can then check to see if both headlights line up close enough to the tape marks you've created on the wall. Continue to make any necessary adjustments until they look right.





    6

    PERFORM A ROAD TEST

    After making any headlight adjustments, test the alignment on the road at night. Simply take the car for a test drive and note any problem areas. You can then readjust as needed. Adjusting your car's headlights is a straightforward job. Adhere to recommended instructions and test the alignment as you go to ensure your beams are precisely where you need them to be.







    Once you’ve got your headlights adjusted, you’ll be able to see better and drive safer in the dark. If your headlights are looking dim, or it’s been a while since you’ve changed the bulbs, it may be worth taking the time to adjust and change your headlights at the same time. Regardless of your automotive needs, we’ve got you covered here at AutoZone.

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