# Beam Benders



## diverdavediver (May 12, 2006)

Have already posted this before under a different heading, without much response, thought I would try again under a different heading.
We are heading over to France next month, anybody got any suggestions on where to stick the head light beam benders on our Lexington RV. 
Thanks Dave & Janet


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

diverdavediver said:


> Have already posted this before under a different heading, without much response, thought I would try again under a different heading.
> We are heading over to France next month, anybody got any suggestions on where to stick the head light beam benders on our Lexington RV.
> Thanks Dave & Janet


Please don't be offended Dave  , but there have been so many posts about beam benders recently that I expect people are getting fed up of repeating the same advice over and over.

My advice is "don't bother", and if you do a search or look back over the threads you will find loads more opinions in far greater detail. 

>>Here's<<  yesterday's to start with.

Cheers


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

this may help see here 
also ask as many times as you like on any thing you like this is what the forum is for, i and many others have repeated answers over and over for the good of others 
chapter


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Chapter- of course the Forum is for helping people but from time to time it is nrecessary to remind people that there's a very useful "Search" facility" which would circumvent the need for repetition (of Questions AND answers)

This is exactly what the Search facility is for, and to that extent (not wanting to get into a row of course :wink: ) I have to agree with the point Zebedee is making.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

that all depends on your isp and if you can use the search facility also may point out that 90% of the posts are repetitive and new members ie(driverdavedriver) with only 9 post may not no this 
chapter


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> that all depends on your isp and if you can use the search facility


An issue for Nuke then perhaps?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

chapter said:


> new members ie(driverdavedriver) with only 9 post may not no this
> chapter


I don't want to get into a row either, but diverdavediver is not exactly a new member (May 12th 2006).

And the poor bu**er had only two uncertain replies to his previous post, so I thought the least I could do was point him in the right direction.


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## diverdavediver (May 12, 2006)

Many thanks to all who have taken the time to respond to my question, firstly I will apologies if I have misled anybody regarding being a new member, what I am really is, new to american RV's, and also I am a new fully paid up member.
What I was hoping for ,and I thought It is the idea of a forum was see if i could find anybody with the same or similar vehicle as me, and hopefully they could point me In the right direction!!
I had searched for the answer without finding any suitable results, although this could be down to me and user error.
I really do not want to get into any arguments or deep discussions, but if a topic is boring you to tears, why not just Ignore It. Its very simple, do not open it.
All you achieve with these negative responses is to make people like myself feel inadequate and Isolated, In future perhaps I will just search for answers, and if i cannot find the answer I'll just forget all about the problem and carry on In the Dark!!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*MIND BENDERS*

Hello,

Is this a Trick Question?
Or Am I missing Something?
Do you Mean Beam Benders for the UK?
Why do you need beam benders for a LH drive RV for France?
Should we have "Red Herring" Topic?

Trev.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> In future perhaps I will just search for answers, and if i cannot find the answer I'll just forget all about the problem and carry on In the Dark!!


ddd- (I've not got a typo stuter,just addressing to the Poster! :wink

Often when I do a search I find other info which also relates to the stuff I'm searching for, and this can be useful. If I still can't find what I want I just say.."Done a search but can't find what I want-can anyone help......?"
No need to be in the dark :lol:


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> Should we have "Red Herring" Topic?


Nah.....that's best in the Sport (Angling) Forum :wink:


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

Is it possible that you do not need beam benders if you still have the original headlights? I have read somewhere that US lights do not have the 'kick-up' part of the beam on them and so it is not necessary to change them when they are imported into this country. 

Anyway, the way forward would be to park in front of a wall and see where the beam goes and if there is an area that shines up to the left (the bit that illuminates road signs) put teh mask over the appropriate part of the lens.

I've just done that for a Mk 7 transit--it's fairly straight forward.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

diverdavediver said:


> All you achieve with these negative responses is to make people like myself feel inadequate and Isolated, In future perhaps I will just search for answers, and if i cannot find the answer I'll just forget all about the problem and carry on In the Dark!!


Dave

Assuming it's me you are aiming at, my reply was not negative at all. It merely tried to explain the probable reason why you had not received much of a response.

That's what you were complaining about isn't it, when you started off with, _"Have already posted this before under a different heading, without much response, thought I would try again under a different heading."_

You may also have noticed that I gave you my opinion of beam benders in brief, and linked you straight into a more detailed and useful thread that had looked into the question in some detail only yesterday.

I particularly chose that thread because it is relatively vehicle-unspecific, and it seemed obvious that no-one with the same vehicle as yourself was either around at the moment, or able to advise.

Now come on Dave - was that really a negative response? I thought it was as helpful as I could be, given that I wouldn't recognise your van if it parked on my foot!!


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi Dave

Please ignore the advice not to fit the beam benders - apart from being illegal, it is anti-social and dangerous to local traffic for you to drive on the continent without properly adjusted lighting, you have a moral responsibility when driving in somebody else's country. I would love to zap the 'NL, D etc' motorhomers who drive up here without any regard for the locals, who are put at risk when dazzled with unbended dipped beams straight in their eyes. Please don't lower yourself to their level.

We also have a Lexington, have fitted the 'benders' and have learned from experience to leave them on permanently, you will not dazzle in this country with them left on and MOT will not be affected. Best way to fit the usual type (circle with a trail to one side) is to wear a pair of good sunglasses, switch your lights on to dip beam, keep the trail bit horizontal and to your right, and then fit the circle bit centred on the bulb. When I did last remove them, I was advised to use a bit of the wife's vodka - and it did work!

As an aside, I am new to MHF and there does seem to be a bit of ill will about, I think that your question is perfectly valid, you have a unusual rig for this country, which other threads do not cover, so why should you not ask a perfectly valid question without bad natured retorts. 

I have PM'd you regarding your dometic post - thanks for that.

Regards, Roger


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Erm. I presume you have an RV, have your headlights been completely replaced or were they just ajusted?

if the latter, wouldnt it be easier to just put them back to original?







I ask this in case mine can be just adjusted when I go to the continent. cunning plan huh?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

RogerMillar said:


> Please ignore the advice not to fit the beam benders - *apart from being illegal, it is anti-social and dangerous to local traffic for you to drive on the continent without properly adjusted lighting, you have a moral responsibility when driving in somebody else's country*.


Absolutely correct Roger, with emphasis on the "_properly adjusted lighting_". Nobody with any sense would argue with you on that point.

However, *if* there is sufficient adjustment available to lower the lights so they clearly do not dazzle, why bother with a bit of sticky plastic which cannot possibly work effectively if nobody knows where to position it - as evidenced by the frequently repeated questions to that effect?

How often do you see cars waiting to board the ferry with the tape or benders just dabbed on anywhere, or upside down, or even on the wrong side of the glass!! 8O 8O 8O

Doh!!!


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi bandaid

I don't know if your question is meant for me, but will input my sixpennyworth. I have a Lexington, just had the first MOT and accepted as conforming with UK regs.

When US thingies are imported then the lights have to be 'adjusted/replaced' to conform with UK regulations, have then to be accepted by the DoT, and have then to conform to the MOT regulations. 

How this is done is magic to me, all I know is that to drive on the continent I have to assume that I need to add 'benders' as there is no other adjustment to my system. I do understand that Euro cabs (my last cab was a Fiat) have the ability to switch between UK/Euro standards without needing the benders.

My point is - no matter where you are registered, you must conform with the laws of the country that you are driving in. 

Would you be happy with killing somebody because of your defective lights?

Regards, Roger


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Richard, I agree that you should conform. I was curious about your RV as I get mine in on Wednesday and short of replacing my headlights the only way it can conform to our MOT and be registered, is to adjust the beam angles. I just thought, if they've been adjusted from er.. driving on the left to driving on the right, surely, they must go back the other way? 

Maybe , as you say, its some magical thing the converters do to the vehicles, and Ill accept that 'cos I'm as useful as a chocolate teapot when it comes to that sort of thing..as you may see by my thread questions. I was merely hoping to use your thread without asking for myself, which was, in fact, my cunning plan...unfortunately, it wasn't cunning enough


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## 90487 (May 1, 2005)

cronkle said:


> Is it possible that you do not need beam benders if you still have the original headlights? I have read somewhere that US lights do not have the 'kick-up' part of the beam on them and so it is not necessary to change them when they are imported into this country. .


Cronkle is correct American headlights are not like European lights. We have a Dodge B class and the lights will pass a UK MOT and be perfectly acceptable in mainland EU. The headlights dip straight down and do not have the flick to the left (or to the right on LHD). :lol:

This is why European cars imported into the US (until recently) like the old Volvo's and XJ-S had to have special round headlamp conversions. 
a) the euro LHD with the "flick" headlamps were not US DoT approved
b) Americans can overtake on the inside lane so you get dazzled from behind.
c) No other shape headlights were approved only the 7" round or the rectangular ones, none of the fancy modern shapes. Also they were silly sealed units not replaceable halogen bulbs until long after us 8) *Again I stress until recently the last few years.*

Having said that American headlights were always very crap and lower powered (45w sealed beam units 8O ) compared to superior Euro H4 beam patterns. The US DoT has now allowed Euro LHD headlight units to be allowed on imported cars. Can't remember when it changed or if American made headlights now have the "flick"

I would be interested to know it indeed newly imported RV's have lights which dip straight down (US Spec) or are either RHD Or LHD euro spec. I suppose the clue would be if they have H4 type bulbs?

Carol


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Carol

More interesting information and thanks for that.

This is another example of how muddy the waters can get when legislation is "shared" over many different countries.

Unfortunately it seems almost impossible to find any *official *recommendations for the use of beam benders or masking tapes - which was the whole point of the original (and repeated) question from Dave. Both St Aubyns and I spent time yesterday trying to find something "official" and we couldn't - which suggests that these devices *may not* even be legally approved. _(By that I mean the "0fficials" may be being careful *not *to make any specific recommendations for fear of getting involved in litigation surrounding the use, or non-use of these devices.)_

I rang the AA and got nowhere. The (very pleasant) girl I spoke to said she had no advice to offer on either beam benders or masking tapes - *after *I had explained to her what they are! I didn't like to bully her further, but assumed she meant that she couldn't find any advice on her "crib sheets".

This is why I (and others) have advocated going back to First Principles of physics, because it's very easy to understand and every member can easily satisfy themselves that they are fully complying with legal, moral and social responsibilities.

When you dip your lights, that is precisely what you do. You dip, or lower the light beam. _(When I started driving there was only one single filament bulb and the whole light assembly was on a swivel. It was worked by springs and electro-magnets, and you could watch the light beam slowly lower or raise.)_

OK. So that leaves two options - well three maybe, but the easiest first.

*1).* Lower the dipped beam setting if you can, either with dashboard controls, little screws in the light housing, cunning Continental levers or whatever. That will do the job perfectly, especially with fairly recent vehicles which have flat topped dipped beams (i.e. no "flick up" at top left).

*2).* On older vehicles, blank off the "flick up" part of the beam with tape or whatever. Nothing like so easy as the tape needs to be positioned very carefully *(but where precisely??), *has to be the correct shape and size for your headlight type, and may not do the headlight "glass" a lot of good if it has the wrong adhesive.

The biggest problem with this is that the beam has not been further (dipped) lowered, and is potentially still high enough at top left to dazzle oncoming foreign motorists if some of that portion of the beam has not been effectively blanked.

*3).* Fit the so-called beam benders, which come with even more problems - assuming in the first place that they actually work effectively. They not only need to be the correct shape, size and in precisely the right position, but the angle to the horizontal is also important. Slant them a little the wrong way and they will bend the beam the wrong way!! Again, if they are out of position by only a fraction the oncoming driver will still be dazzled.

I also wonder if the "one size fits all" type which are so common can actually be effective when there are so many different shapes and sizes of headlamp??

So I'm sorry Dave, I still can't offer a definitive answer to your question and I doubt if anyone else can either or it would not keep coming up with such regularity.

Interesting problem though, and one that surely should be addressed in some way before venturing abroad.

Cheers


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Someone, and obviously not me, 'cos I know notthing, needs to invent a device to place on the entire headlight, which will put the beam in the right place, and then with application of a quantity of Stuff ( see previous definition) the device will come off the light and be stored until needed.

This would be done thusly.

Brit invents said gizmo, and tries to get Brit manufacturer to make it. Cant find a manufacturer, ( at all, they've all popped off to Asia or China) so goes oversees, finds finance and maker, sells loads, foreign company makes a fortune and so does the Brit inventer.

Clearly, these devices would conform to World wide VLR, and be available, as a unique item per vehicle. Unless marketed by M*cr*s*ft, in which case there would be 17 updated versions as each version would fall off, or cloud over when used for the 6th time, once a perfected version had been developed, a new universal fit Gizmo would be invented and the system would start again. allegedly.


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