Headlight adjustment question - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Gent · 04-23-2010, 04:20 PM

Hi gang,

I've done some searches, but I can't find an answer to this situation I've encountered.

I recently bought some clear headlights for my MY00 986, they were in good shape and I popped them in and lit them up. The right one was pointing at the ground in front of the bumper.

No big deal, I figured some adjustment would be required; however, it took a LOT of adjustment to get it barely acceptable. By the time I was done, the typical gap between the inner lens and the reflector in the housing was effectively nil.

I'm cautious about adjusting it further. It almost seems that the inner assembly is forward in the housing. Nothing appears broken, and the headlight isn't rattling. I trust the seller, and he is also looking for answers to this odd situation.

Thoughts on adjustment?

jcb986 · 04-23-2010, 04:33 PM

Sounds like you did not get it back on it's track correctly. I also replaced mine and missed the track a couple of times until I saw how it should slide back in. You need to press down a little on the lens or else you will be on top of the track it slides in. Good luck.

Gent · 04-23-2010, 04:47 PM

I had considered that; however, I inserted and removed the assembly several times. I will check it again just in case.

Can it lock in place and sit flush with the bodywork if it's not in the rails?

jhandy · 04-23-2010, 05:00 PM

also the black plastic tray can be adjusted so you dont have to adjust the light to the limit.

jcb986 · 04-23-2010, 05:08 PM

Can it lock in place and sit flush with the bodywork if it's not in the rails?

Now that I can not recall. Did mine last year, but it needs to sit back it its craddle. I believe it needs to slide under some tabs at the back.

Mark_T · 04-23-2010, 05:48 PM

Can you post a pic of how the headlight sits in the body? When I changed headlights I found I had to make a substantial change to the tray adjustment on one side in order for the headlight to align properly with the fender, hood, and bumper.

I don't think you could lock it down without breaking something if you were not properly in the rails.

Mark

Gent · 04-23-2010, 06:09 PM

Thanks guys, I will take photos of the fit tonight. The seal is tight and the headlights are flush with the bodywork.

Gent · 04-24-2010, 12:17 AM

Just home from work, here are some pics of the light. I'm going to go back down to the garage and take another look at things.

Boxtaboy · 04-24-2010, 02:52 AM

The headlamps look like they're popped in right. Are you sure you turned the correct set of knobs? There's a set for vertical adjustment as well as horizontal beam aim. If you turned the horizontal knobs by accident, the beam would not roll up or down at all.

Mark_T · 04-24-2010, 06:08 AM

Yeah, the fit to the body looks perfect, which would indicate that the aiming issue is internal to the headlight itself. The bulb is properly seated and clipped down in the housing and there is nothing wrong with the bulb itself?

jcb986 · 04-24-2010, 11:23 AM

have you put the old unit back in and see if it works correctly.

Gent · 04-24-2010, 12:20 PM

Yep, bulbs are in well, and the old headights still align properly when they go back in, thanks.

I am following the manual's instructions for adjustment, so that should be good. It's definitely adjusting the height of the beam and not laterally changing anything.

One thing I notice in comparison when I compare the old units to the new. On both old and new, there is a third hex socket aft of the lateral and vertical adjustments. On my old headlights, this was filled with a pop rivet but the new ones it is still accessible. What does that one do? I can't find reference to it.

Also, inside the housing under the cover is a round twist fitting below and towards the outside of the 3 bulbs. What does that do?

... still working on it...

Gent · 04-24-2010, 01:00 PM

One of the inner mounts is loose. When I took the headlight out and shifted it to take more pictures, things moved with a clunk. See pic.

Now then, how do I tighten this up? Its not broken - more of a ball and socket effect to steady things. Just really, really loose.

Gent · 04-24-2010, 01:21 PM

The round adjustment knob that I was asking about earlier seems to be the culprit, as it is proud of it's seat when I set the ball and socket properly. Turning it seems to accomplish nothing.

Gent · 04-24-2010, 02:21 PM

The third adjustment hex on the side seems to adjust the tab that protrudes through the inner lense. Thought I'd mention it.

Gent · 04-24-2010, 02:39 PM

#@$&*!

Alright, I think I got it.

The loose white switch like thing that looks like an adjustment knob inside pushes in and twists to lock. I had that squared away.

There are two ball and socket arrangements - one black, the other white - I took a pic of the white one earlier. The black one slides into a groove on the housing unlike the white one which is more of a cup arrangement. Both were loose.

I tried with a fabricated tool (mole wrench grasping a hex key) to hook the distal end of each and pull them towards me and into their housing, suspecting a compression fit arrangement.

Couldn't quite do it. Then I released the white knob again. That had been providing counter pressure to the ball and socket arrangements. This wiggle room allowed me to pull the headlight back into the sockets on either side. Twisting the white knob in and locking it afterward I discovered I now had a stable lens inside the healight housing.

Huzzah.

Now to see if that fixed the alignment problem, lol.

jcb986 · 04-24-2010, 03:15 PM

Looks like you got one from 05 and up. 97-04 are all the same as I was told. I have 2000 and my lights came from and 02. Exactly the same. Great you found the problem. :dance:

Gent · 04-24-2010, 03:19 PM

Yep! Just got back upstairs and I've finished adjusting the headlights. Went exactly as expected.

I'm going to hit some bumpy Vancouver streets and make sure it stays that way before I pronounce complete success.

I'm tempted now to play with that focal adjustment to get some nice, crisp lines on the pattern that is cast on the wall at 25 feet, but that can wait.

Thanks for the suggestions people!

rdymond · 04-02-2016, 02:51 PM

Thanks for posting @Gent! I am having this exact headlight alignment problem. The internal positioning of the headlight is the issue, and the white "ball" on the housing is not staying seated in the socket on the headlight. Still haven't gotten it seated with the white twist knob fully seated. Will continue to play with it.

rdymond · 04-02-2016, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gent

#@$&*!

Alright, I think I got it.

The loose white switch like thing that looks like an adjustment knob inside pushes in and twists to lock. I had that squared away.

There are two ball and socket arrangements - one black, the other white - I took a pic of the white one earlier. The black one slides into a groove on the housing unlike the white one which is more of a cup arrangement. Both were loose.

I tried with a fabricated tool (mole wrench grasping a hex key) to hook the distal end of each and pull them towards me and into their housing, suspecting a compression fit arrangement.

Couldn't quite do it. Then I released the white knob again. That had been providing counter pressure to the ball and socket arrangements. This wiggle room allowed me to pull the headlight back into the sockets on either side. Twisting the white knob in and locking it afterward I discovered I now had a stable lens inside the healight housing.

Huzzah.

Now to see if that fixed the alignment problem, lol.

OK will fabricate a tool and try this technique on the left (white) side. Did you have a tool for the right (black) side as well?

At this point the headlight sits on the white socket only when the white twist knob is unlocked and its keys are visible above the black mount.