Headlamp adjustment.

[NigelB]

Question: How do you rotate and level the headlamps on the E36 Chassis.

Answer: You start by pulling the front suspension to bits.........................!!


Headlamp fitting and adjusting by MarlinBuild, on Flickr


Headlamp fitting and adjusting by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

The clamping nut is inside the suspension turret and I'm not aware of any tool that will access it without at least unbolting the top of the coilover and moving it away. Even then you can't use a socket and wrench as the loom comes down the middle of the mounting shaft which the clamping nut screws on to. I had an old plug socket with an external hex profile on the wrench end so was able to use that. But it will be a pain when it comes to adjusting the lights for the MOT.

Is this another special Marlin design feature or am I missing something obvious??

[MartinClan]

I have to say that the new front suspension design looks a lot prettier than the old one. Pity about the headlight adjustment LOL.

Mind you, even the previous design was not easy to adjust. I made up a special tool by butchering a ring spanner cutting about 1/3 out of the ring so it would pass over the cable.

Could you not do something similar but using a long socket and cutting a slice out of the side? Or perhaps remount the headlight slightly outboard on a small plate - but that would look a bit ugly....

Robin

[peterux]

Hmmmm, nice one!

Like Robin, I was thinking of an old fashioned steel box spanner with a slot cut lengthways to allows the cable to pass through.
Or you could just drill a hole in the back of the lamp bowl and pass the lead through the hole with a grommet.
You can then run the cable round the back of the chassis strut out of sight or through some S/S tubing if you want more bling.
This is exactly what Marlin did on their last car. If you look at the first photo in the CKC article you can see the wiring conduit. The lamps they used are quite different to yours as they have an adjusting nut above the chassis strut.


...peter

[NigelB]

After looking at the access issue again today I realised that the question is academic.

The clue is in the photos. Any more than about five degrees of steering lock and the wing stays will crunch the headlights. So the lights are going to have to move inboard by a couple of inches and rearward by about an inch (or prehaps be fitted on 3" stalks .................!!) to accomodate any sensible amount of steering lock.

So it looks like some sort of mounting plate is the right way to go with the clamping nut for the lights just behind the turret which will give the required access for headlight adjustment.

Wrong choice of headlights.?? Or a poorly though out design.?? I know where my money is.

[peterux]

Originally Posted by NigelB

Wrong choice of headlights.?? Or a poorly though out design.?? I know where my money is.

Here's the picture I was refering too. I hope it's some help understanding your issues?


Marlin Sportster 2012 customer car by marlinpeter, on Flickr

...peter

[NigelB]

Originally Posted by peterux

Here's the picture I was refering too. I hope it's some help understanding your issues?

Thanks Peter. (And Robin) And if you look at the headline photograph in the May / June 2012 copy of TKC it looks like Mark has moved the headlights off the top of the turret.

So I have made a mounting plate out of 6mm ali that moves the lights inboard by about three inches and rearwards about an inch and a half. (It needs another small bolt to stop the plate rotating) There's now plenty of clearance at full steering lock and easy access to the adjuster clamp nut.


Headlamp mounting plate. by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

It needs a bit of paint but I think it will do the job.

[MartinClan]

Neat solution! Suggest you also take the opportunity to check headlight height. Quite a few of the previous builders had minor issues with height and had to wind up the front suspension up to pass the SVA. When I made my mounts I also raised the headlights by about an inch so I didn't need to do that.

Cheers, Robin

[peterux]

Originally Posted by NigelB

Thanks Peter. (And Robin) And if you look at the headline photograph in the May / June 2012 copy of TKC it looks like Mark has moved the headlights off the top of the turret.

Your absolutely right, how odd? (Incidentally, I also noticed a front anti-roll bar in the TKC photo?)

Robin's right to mention the height issue as it's a bit marginal. You might also think about putting a radius on the edge of your new mounting plate if you can get near it with the IVA test tool.


...peter