Bixenons installed.....little problem - Page 2

Jan 9, 2005 | 10:12 AM

#26

noka

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Joined: Aug 2004

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From: MA

'24 Porsche Macan

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBenzNL

That is eaxactly what I get to read a lot on these kind of forums as well...and that is 100% BS...that is just one of those (many) things forum members have been lead to believe...

greetingz,

I will admit, my experience is mostly with BMW. However, I know the alignment is more involved with xenons compared to halogens on those cars. So you say this is completely not true for MB. Just what part of what I said is total BS? Seems like you are a self-proclaimed expert (and maybe you really are), so rather than say how much BS there is on the board, why don't you explain? Also, note that I did say "I could be wrong", because I am not a self-proclaimed expert and also will freely admit when I am wrong.

Rgds,
Norm

Last edited by noka; Jan 9, 2005 at 10:58 AM.

Jan 9, 2005 | 02:25 PM

#27

MBenzNL

Former Vendor of MBWorld

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 4,011

Likes: 3

From: global traveller

some slow@$$diesels

Quote:

Originally Posted by noka

Just what part of what I said is total BS?

The part where people say that the driverside light is aimed lower then the pass side light when one has (bi) xenons...
As for the rest of the aiming of the lights it is the same for halogens and xenons...just a simple 13mm nut that is to be used to level the lights...

greetingz,

Jan 9, 2005 | 03:04 PM

#28

noka

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Joined: Aug 2004

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From: MA

'24 Porsche Macan

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBenzNL

OK, maybe you are correct, I do not know for sure. Perhaps there is a lighting expert who could comment. BTW, when I said that the alignment was more involved, I didn't mean it was physically more complicated to perform, just that the spec (aimed at a wall at some specified distance with some specified drop over that distance) is more precise because of the sharp cutoff of the xenons ... at least for the BMW I owned.
Your comment about the bi-xenon is interesting, however (i.e. with high-beam on, why doesn't oncoming traffic get blinded then). Hmmm ... unless maybe the pattern for the high-beam is narrower.

Rgds,
Norm

Jan 9, 2005 | 04:26 PM

#29

smgC32

Super Member

Joined: Dec 2003

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I have never seen a driver's side lamp be set lower than the passenger side on any car. My Bi-Xenons were perfectly alligned across a horizontal plane. Once I corner balanced the car, the lights were off, and a simple adjustment put them back in place. Remember that lowering the car also puts the lights lower than the factory intended also necessitating an adjustment. Like any high performance lamp, including those from Hella and Cebe over 30 years ago in both T55 and T100, the lamp beam characteristics always have more of a level left side beam angle, while the right side tapers up to around 30 degrees, helping to iluminate the right side of the road.

Jan 9, 2005 | 04:31 PM

#30

noka

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Joined: Aug 2004

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From: MA

'24 Porsche Macan

Quote:

Originally Posted by smgC32

All I can say is that my M5 had the driver's side lower, so you see a step going from driver's side to passenger's side. On the BMW boards, this is known normal alignment. My C55 (stock, no mods) appears to be the same. That's all I know.

Rgds,
Norm

Jan 9, 2005 | 05:53 PM

#31

MBenzNL

Former Vendor of MBWorld

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 4,011

Likes: 3

From: global traveller

some slow@$$diesels

Quote:

Originally Posted by noka

is more precise because of the sharp cutoff of the xenons
Your comment about the bi-xenon is interesting, however (i.e. with high-beam on, why doesn't oncoming traffic get blinded then). Hmmm ... unless maybe the pattern for the high-beam is narrower.

In europe the halogen headlights have the same sharp cutoff as the (bi) xenon lights...US spec lightpatterns are slightly different the the patterns for the rest of the world...
Having bi xenons with high beams on, uncoming traffic definitely gets blinded...no matter how low the lights are aimed.

greetingz,

Jan 9, 2005 | 05:58 PM

#32

noka

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Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 1,367

Likes: 3

From: MA

'24 Porsche Macan

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBenzNL

Thanks. Although I travel to Germany 1-2 times a year and have friends there, sometimes I forget to widen my view and remember that things can be (and often are) different than US spec. I didn't know that about Euro halogens.

Rgds,
Norm

Jan 9, 2005 | 07:25 PM

#33

smgC32

Super Member

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 815

Likes: 2

Now I am curious. For those people with cars that are not alligned the same left and right, is this the case because this is what you observe and what other people on any board say is so, or is this the factory spec for Mercedes, BMW, and other manufacturers? Maybe someone has a factory service manual or CD and can look this up? My 2003 C32 was delivered with perfectly alligned left and right light assemblies aiming at the same horizontal target. Maybe the C55's different light cluster has something to do with it?