Will lowering car affect xenons

[k3nnis]

Hi All,

I have an Audi A4 B8 non s-line/sport suspension, just the standard. Looking to upgrade to H&R OE Sports springs. Will lowering the car affect the height of my beam of my xenons? Or will it auto adjust?

Thanks,
K.

[droppyale]

Good question... I recently lowered my car coming from non-sport suspension and I didn't notice any difference... However I haven't really paid much attention. I'll keep a close eye to this thread!

[Allan72]

I lowered my car with KW V1s and it did reduce the range of my headlights. There is a manual adjustment of the headlights, three clicks per each side got my lights back to the correct level. Do a search for headlight adjustment, there is a thread that details the procedure.

[k3nnis]

Thanks guys. So it does affect it! droppyale: let us know what you find :)

[NPuter]

Thanks guys. So it does affect it! droppyale: let us know what you find :)

yes it does - the car will not auto-adjust them because you are lowering the entire car (not changing its angle to the ground)

Raising them is easy - open you hood, and look at the top of one of the light housings - you will see two obvious white-plastic hex screws (2-per headlight) - one is sorta around the middle of the light, and one is on the far outside of the light... One controls horizontal alignment and one controls vertical alignment (I don't quite remember which one does what...)

[k3nnis]

Thanks. So how would you know to what level you need to "raise" the vertical alignment once you lower your car? How do you know what is the OEM height to have it at? :)

yes it does - the car will not auto-adjust them because you are lowering the entire car (not changing its angle to the ground)

Raising them is easy - open you hood, and look at the top of one of the light housings - you will see two obvious white-plastic hex screws (2-per headlight) - one is sorta around the middle of the light, and one is on the far outside of the light... One controls horizontal alignment and one controls vertical alignment (I don't quite remember which one does what...)

[droppyale]

Found some useful info here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...adlight-height

Xenon headlight equipped cars have a headlight range control module and other components to control the headlight level and adjustment due to federal law so it is not as easy as just turning the adjuster screw to change the level and adjustment.

The 55 headlight range control module has to be taught a new headlight position in three steps: 1st the headlights are brought into the alignment position, then the headlights are adjusted, and finally the new position is learned by the control module. With a VAG-COM go into the 55 headlight range control module's basic settings (I think it is channel one or two), click activate or turn on the basic setting, adjust the headlights manually (there are two yellowish plastic six millimeter Allen adjusting openings on top of the headlights - one adjusts vertically and the other horizontally), and then turn off or deactivate the basic setting.

So it's not as easy as just adjusting via the screws apparently...

[NPuter]

Found some useful info here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...adlight-height



So it's not as easy as just adjusting via the screws apparently...

I'm not sure about that - I know Blake change his headlight level when he lowered his car - I don't remember him saying anything other than adjusting the screws...

and in terms of what level - what I did was aim my car at my garage door (at night w/ headlights on)
I marked my wheel positions on the ground and the cutoff line on the garage door
That way, you have something to base you adjustments off of

[droppyale]

Right, but according to that thread if the settings in the car computer (VAG COM) are not changed, it will eventually adjust to the old height and might cause problems... That's how I understood it.

[k3nnis]

Interesting that this hasn't been brought up more times since many of the forum members lower their cars :)

[dirtysoil]

Right, but according to that thread if the settings in the car computer (VAG COM) are not changed, it will eventually adjust to the old height and might cause problems... That's how I understood it.

I have been lowered on KW V1's for about a year now. Adjusted my headlights using instructions from BlakeP. Never messed with the VAG-COM and lights are still where I adjusted them to.

[droppyale]

I have been lowered on KW V1's for about a year now. Adjusted my headlights using instructions from BlakeP. Never messed with the VAG-COM and lights are still where I adjusted them to.

I probably need to adjust my headlights, willing to give it a try... Do you mind sharing those instructions? Link.

[NPuter]

I probably need to adjust my headlights, willing to give it a try... Do you mind sharing those instructions? Link.

lol - it is exactly what I described above...

[droppyale]

lol - it is exactly what I described above...

Right. I was thinking maybe BlakeP's instructions had some photos etc...

[r3zon8]

i never even thought the headlights needed adjustment after car was lowered..looks fine to me when driving

[Blake P]

Just saw this thread and wanted to chime in. There is nothing else required in order to adjust the beam height. The VAG-COM procedure can apparently be done as well, but I've only turned the screws on top of the housings and have had no problems at all. Just make sure not to aim them too high or you'll be blinding oncoming traffic and you'll get high-beamed by angry drivers. Might want to start with one full revolution per light and see if that works before going crazy like I did when I made 3 full turns and pissed off plenty of people!

[NPuter]

Right. I was thinking maybe BlakeP's instructions had some photos etc...

Here are the two screws - can't remember which one is for horizontal/vertical adjustment - Blake, do you remember?

[Blake P]

Yep, the one on the left in that picture controls height. I tried turning the other one to see if the beam would move horizontally, but it didn't seem to be making any difference so I turned it back. It's always a good idea to adjust in half or full revolutions, IMO.

[k3nnis]

Thanks :) So it's the one on the left (i.e. closer to the engine)? :)

[Blake P]

Thanks :) So it's the one on the left (i.e. closer to the engine)? :)

Yep. Turning to the right will raise the beam, left will lower.

[NPuter]

Yep, the one on the left in that picture controls height. I tried turning the other one to see if the beam would move horizontally, but it didn't seem to be making any difference so I turned it back. It's always a good idea to adjust in half or full revolutions, IMO.

ok - good to know...

When I was adjusting graphic16's lights, I remember the horizontal adjustment moving the beam left/right... you did have to rotate it a lot to notice a difference. I think I did like 5-6 rotations before noticing anything...
Good thing I counted the number of rotations - I just set it back to normal...

[k3nnis]

Thanks guys. So if I lower my non sport to sport height or H&R OE Sport height from your experiences 1 revolution is enough or more is needed?

[NPuter]

Thanks guys. So if I lower my non sport to sport height or H&R OE Sport height from your experiences 1 revolution is enough or more is needed?

It depends... Like I said earlier, mark where the cutoff is before you drop - that way you know where they were before...

[k3nnis]

ok :)

It depends... Like I said earlier, mark where the cutoff is before you drop - that way you know where they were before...