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      05-16-2012, 09:01 AM   #1
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Headlights Too Low After Suspension Install

I made sure to disconnect the sensor rod from the control arm joint and reinstall afterwards yet the headlights are aimed way too low. At night can't really see more than 10 feet ahead. I know the fix is to just get them aimed higher but is this the norm for those who've lowered their cars?
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      05-16-2012, 09:12 AM   #2
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It would have more to do with rake, rather than just lowering the car. Drop the rear a little or get the headlights aligned again.

My .02 cents.
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      05-16-2012, 09:20 AM   #3
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Rake was the issue with mine when I lowered it. Just adjust the headlight aim, should take about 5 minutes.
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      05-16-2012, 09:21 AM   #4
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You MIGHT have auto aiming headlights, and the rod you removed is part of the assembly and not connected properly. Do you remember if your headlights do a "down then up" move when you turn the car on with the headlights on?
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      05-16-2012, 09:23 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle View Post
You MIGHT have auto aiming headlights, and the rod you removed is part of the assembly and not connected properly. Do you remember if your headlights do a "down then up" move when you turn the car on with the headlights on?
I could've swore they are auto leveling, which is why I posted. Would've thought the auto leveling would've adjusted for the fact the car is lower. Either way I'll take a look at the rod again.
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      05-16-2012, 09:54 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle View Post
You MIGHT have auto aiming headlights, and the rod you removed is part of the assembly and not connected properly. Do you remember if your headlights do a "down then up" move when you turn the car on with the headlights on?
sorry to threadjack but my headlights are a little googly eyed. They do the dip down and up but looks like my right one is looking like this. How do you fix this?

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      05-16-2012, 10:34 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shakib View Post
sorry to threadjack but my headlights are a little googly eyed. They do the dip down and up but looks like my right one is looking like this. How do you fix this?

I have no idea
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      05-16-2012, 10:42 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle View Post
I have no idea
seriously. Every time I get home looks like one is looking ahead and the other one is wandering off somewhere! I want to be more like
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      05-16-2012, 11:09 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shakib View Post
seriously. Every time I get home looks like one is looking ahead and the other one is wandering off somewhere! I want to be more like
If you mean your right side aims further ahead that is correct, so you don't blind on coming drivers
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      05-16-2012, 01:06 PM   #10
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right one is higher if that makes sense
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      05-16-2012, 01:12 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shakib View Post
right one is higher if that makes sense
yeah, so you don't blind incoming traffic on your left side. normal if within stock specs
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      05-16-2012, 02:27 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle View Post
yeah, so you don't blind incoming traffic on your left side. normal if within stock specs
Interesting and all these years I thought my car was "special"
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      05-16-2012, 03:27 PM   #13
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my car is low and they level out perfectly..unfortunately I am blided every evening on my ride home. If this keeps up i will end up like ray charles.
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      05-16-2012, 07:16 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by CJW2OO4 View Post
my car is low and they level out perfectly..unfortunately I am blided every evening on my ride home. If this keeps up i will end up like ray charles.
How low was your drop? You didn't notice the beam pattern was lower than before?
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      05-16-2012, 07:52 PM   #15
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I have a similar issue - except mine is the driverside headlight seems like its always on highbeam. And this was only occuring after I got the car back from a front bumper respray at the body shop... which means they didnt align it when they re-installed the headlights.... are you guys doing a headlight alignment session nearby?
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      05-16-2012, 08:07 PM   #16
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Park against a wall and see if the steps in the cutoff are at the same level. Looking at the car from the front, and kneeling down the cutoff should show up first in the drivers side headlight. Auto leveling calibrates the projector itself, it doesn't re-align the projector. You have to manually adjust them with a hex key after lowering. Takes 5 minutes
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      05-17-2012, 09:30 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dubsesd View Post
Park against a wall and see if the steps in the cutoff are at the same level. Looking at the car from the front, and kneeling down the cutoff should show up first in the drivers side headlight. Auto leveling calibrates the projector itself, it doesn't re-align the projector. You have to manually adjust them with a hex key after lowering. Takes 5 minutes
Dubsesd - can you elaborate a little? "Steps in the cutoff?"

I have these autoleveling on my e39... and have noticed that they stopped autoleveling and that the headlights are exhibiting the same problem that Dubbed describes... hoping i can fix mine too.
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      05-18-2012, 11:38 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubbedown View Post
How low was your drop? You didn't notice the beam pattern was lower than before?
I never measured the drop I can see perfectly fine the pattern seems normal to me. Its the headlights of oncoming traffic that piss me off to no end.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dubsesd View Post
Park against a wall and see if the steps in the cutoff are at the same level. Looking at the car from the front, and kneeling down the cutoff should show up first in the drivers side headlight. Auto leveling calibrates the projector itself, it doesn't re-align the projector. You have to manually adjust them with a hex key after lowering. Takes 5 minutes
Damn although the process sounds easy Im happy I didnt have to do that when I installed my new suspension.
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      05-18-2012, 12:28 PM   #19
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I'll take pics of mine tonight and describe what I mean better
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      05-28-2012, 07:04 PM   #20
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So I realized the auto leveling isn't functioning and most likely because I forgot to disconnect the rears (only did the fronts). But in case anyone needs the part numbers for both front and rear they are parts 5 & 10 in the diagram

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...37&hg=33&fg=30

Front: 37146766778
Rear: 37146752797
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Last edited by 3002 tii; 05-28-2012 at 07:16 PM..
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      06-02-2012, 04:18 PM   #21
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I forgot to disconnect my rear too when I changed springs and shocks. I got lucky though, auto leveling still working fine for me. Were you able to fix it? What part gets damaged?
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      06-02-2012, 10:48 PM   #22
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I forgot to disconnect my rear too when I changed springs and shocks. I got lucky though, auto leveling still working fine for me. Were you able to fix it? What part gets damaged?
Front rod broke, just a lapse in judgment. I remembered to disconnect/reconnect but I later had to unbolt the front suspension a week later in order to install some reinforcement plates. It was that 2nd time around I forgot to disconnect the rod. Have not fixed yet, parts were ordered but haven't arrived yet.
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