# Headlamp adjustment



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

Can someone tell me how to adjust the headlights on our Ducato year 2000. I'd just like to know how it's done. I don't see an ajustment.


----------



## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hi John!

Do you not have a knurled knob on the dash, that allows the lights to raise or lower when on dipped beam?

Or are you talking about adjusting each light beam separately? I recall moving the light beams on my 2001 Peugeot, same as your Fiat. There were some hexagonal nuts to adjust, one of which was extremely inaccessible! I think it was under the light, beneath the bonnet. I also recall adjusting mine too high to the point where the threaded bolt came out if its nut and I couldn't fix it.  I still got the MOTs afterwards, however!

Good luck with it!


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

I have a knob on the dash that is supposed to lower the beam, but it has never worked. I'm talking about the actual permanent adjustment of the lamps.


----------



## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hello again John!

With head under the bonnet, dipped headlights on, have an assistant move the knob. Can you hear the motors that move the headlight units?

If NO then it sounds like a failure in the electrics somewhere. Expert help now needed! :roll: 

How long have you owned this MH? Has it had any previous owners? 
I recall our Peugeot Boxer, AS Pollensa, being high at the back-end so the lights had short beams. I wonder if someone has over-adjusted?


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

The up/down load variation headlight adjustment on vans of this vintage works on a vacuum principle, there are small bore plastic tubes running from the dash control to slave cylinders at each headlight. There are no electric motors involved. The plastic tubes come off or leak and the cylinders seize up, poor system altogether. Some vans don't have the facility to adjust from the dash. Permanent alignment is via 3 nuts around the headlight units. Beam adjustment for continental use isn't possible but it's easy to block the dip beam offset by shining the headlights against the wall then using black tape to cover the prisms on the lens. It soon becomes obvious which bits to tape over when you look at the beam pattern on the wall.


----------



## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

There you are John! I said expert help was needed and up pops Gaspode! :wink: 

Well done Ken. I hope I'm as clever as you when I'm your age! :roll: :lol:


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

Thanks, Gaspode, I was aware of the vacuum system which is what I have, that doesn't work. Now there is a screw that sticks out with a plastic knob on the end. It seems to limit the movement of the vacuum system. Don't know which way to move it. And I don't see any screws around the lights, will look again. My lights are lighting up the tops of trees. I wanted to adjust them when on the road but couldn't.

How can it be that there is no adjustment, doesn't compute.


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

UncleNorm said:


> Well done Ken. I hope I'm as clever as you when I'm your age! :roll: :lol:


Cheeky monkey, I'll tell Auntie Sandra about you if you don't behave. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm struggling here John, it's a while since we had that model of van. I do remember the vacuum devices quite well, I bought a set of RHD units from the scrapyard and swapped them, I remember being surprised that the scrapyard units had no vacuum cylinders or dash control fitted. IIRC they had a fixed link instead. I did manage to adjust them but I can't for the life of me remember how I did it, maybe I just did it on the vacuum unit link. :? In any case I do remember they were easy to swap so why not take one out for a quick look?


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

Thanks again, I will probably take it to my local electrical shop, they are quite good, though I'm embarassed to talk to them as on a trip a blub went out and I bought a replacement in a gas station, in a hurry I put it in upside down. When I took it in they asked who put in the light and I had to confess.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Guess what. I just HAD to go try my 2000 headlamps adjustment.

Couple of months ago I had to change the headlights from RHD to LHD and obviously noticed the vacuum tubes with a large knurled knob at back. Was a struggle to change em over.
I have just tested and adjusted lamps up and down several times after the van has been standing idle for weeks. As you say Gaspode it's a vac system but being able to adjust after weeks of sitting idle is odd.

Ray


----------

