HELLA are making hydraulic headlight adjusters again

[TurtleDesignTech]

Hi all

I am sure many of you have had issues with the headlight height adjustment system in your E30's.

This system becomes particularly problematic when the MOT man gets his hands on the adjustment knob - only one light moves and the other light is looking down at the bumper.

One solution is to try and make your own electric headlight adjusters. I did try this but it didn't look great and one of the motors, being second hand, gave up after a few months.

Well there is some good news. HELLA have started producing the full sealed system again.

Knob, lines, firewall water seal and adjusters all in one kit.

I have not installed them in the car yet, but they do work on the bench and seem to be pretty good quality.

I purchased mine from AutoDoc for about £95. https://www.autodoc.co.uk/hella/10114492

Hope this helps someone

Harry

[ah]

I wonder how many zoners cars still work,I know mine doesn’t.

[Foe]

Mine doesn't work either!

[RTTBMW]

Sounds good to me. Is it hard to install though.

Richard

[Satan]

Mine doesn't work either!

Your wife said, what about the lights though..........

[Satan]

Does anyone use them, its only for when the car is fully loaded or for the analysts that want it as it came from factory.

[TurtleDesignTech]

Sounds good to me. Is it hard to install though.

Richard

The hardest part will be threading the knob across behind the dash.

I will post an update once I get around to doing this job.

[HJ1981]

Looks good, but it mentioned "for vehicles without ABS".

[Cloggy Saint]

Why would ABS have any bearing on headlight adjustment?

[paultv]

Yeah, I wondered about that - maybe the headlights rise up when you go into a controlled ABS event!!

[rix313]

That's pretty cool. I do have other things I'd rather spend the money on though. Can't say its ever been a problem for an MOT for me though it no working.

[Cloggy Saint]

If you have the levelling knob in the cabin then it has to work or it's an MOT fail.

[bab-91]

I was under the impression e30’s left the factory with broken headlight adjustment?

[Cloggy Saint]

So true, I've never heard of anyone's actually working.

[ah]

I was under the impression e30’s left the factory with broken headlight adjustment?

LOL

[Brianmoooore]

That's pretty cool. I do have other things I'd rather spend the money on though. Can't say its ever been a problem for an MOT for me though it no working.

It's a fairly recent change in the UK regs.

[terryjippo]

I converted mine back to manual adjustment and removed the adjuster knob etc from the dash area, as MOT man said if it was in it would have to work.

I know every new car has them and my wife especially always has hers set to the highest position ("I can see more") but really, its always been a "solution looking for a problem".

Unless you're Lovejoy you shouldn't really need to adjust them, or be given the chance to blind everyone else.

[Brianmoooore]

I know every new car has them and my wife especially always has hers set to the highest position ("I can see more")

Highest position is where they should be, if the car isn't unbalanced by a heavy load or towing. If the headlamps are adjusted correctly (which admittedly they rarely are on new cars), then the only adjustment you should be able to make with the knob is to lower them below the correct position.

[HJ1981]

Why would ABS have any bearing on headlight adjustment?

No idea, just what the "details" indicate for Autodoc, i just passed my local TÜV (MOT for you UK guys) and the gentleman was not too happy, how "low" the beams were.

After much searching, he informed me that the headlight adjustment needs to be replaced, but he gave me a pass since it was just barely legal beam wise.

I would need to replace it for next MOT.

I asked if i were to remove the system completely, to adjust everything manually, he said technically the car would not pass MOT due to the car being manufactured with it, it should be in working order.

[ChrisHC]

That is a fundamental difference between UK and German tests, the UK test for safety, ignoring originality, the German test is to check that the vehicle complies with its original certificate of conformity, or whatever it is called, fundamentally originality.

[HJ1981]

That is a fundamental difference between UK and German tests, the UK test for safety, ignoring originality, the German test is to check that the vehicle complies with its original certificate of conformity, or whatever it is called, fundamentally originality.

Yes, since the headlights are for safety, any changes from factory have to be TÜV approved (or with TÜV certificate/ABE). Any changes made to the factory installed safety items (headlights, wheels, tire sizes, suspension, engine, transmission, differential etc) should be reported to TÜV and get approved. Some items, such as installed a LSD, could be ignored, since it can not be proven, right there on the test bench. That is also why, it is not easy to just install racing seats, since the majority of them are not TÜV approved (except for certain recaro models) and the list goes on.

Removing the system would result in the headlights NOT being as per factory, technically. So i need to repair/replace the system to make it functional again, since i have ABS i am just curious if this kit would still work or not. In my mind, it should work, since it has nothing to do with the ABS, maybe slighter longer tubing to the driver's side due to the ABS unit, but still, i am itching to get that kit once i start fixing the minor electrical issues in my interior.

[corkie]

I removed mine years ago and replaced the knee panel under the instrument cluster to one without the headlight adjuster knob ,it has never come up on a mot in 13 years ! Does this mean if you have the headlight wipers also fitted that they must work also ?in my experience most e30s with both options fitted from factory rarely work !I've never heard of someone on here or FB complain that their e30 failed a mot on either of those !

[Brianmoooore]

There were major changes to the UK MOT test in May 2018, with further significant changes in October 2019.
Under the current regs., headlamp cleaning devices are only required to work on cars registered after August 2009, but even if they don't it's only a 'minor' on cars without HIDs.
Headlamp levelling devices are required to be in working order, if fitted, on all cars, however.

[terryjippo]

I know every new car has them and my wife especially always has hers set to the highest position ("I can see more")

Highest position is where they should be, if the car isn't unbalanced by a heavy load or towing. If the headlamps are adjusted correctly (which admittedly they rarely are on new cars), then the only adjustment you should be able to make with the knob is to lower them below the correct position.

How many people do you know change their headlight level to compensate for say several adults sitting in the rear? Mine would be zero...

[terryjippo]

There were major changes to the UK MOT test in May 2018, with further significant changes in October 2019.
Under the current regs., headlamp cleaning devices are only required to work on cars registered after August 2009, but even if they don't it's only a 'minor' on cars without HIDs.
Headlamp levelling devices are required to be in working order, if fitted, on all cars, however.

MOT man made me remove the headlight adjuster dial on the kick panel, to get thru the post 2018 MOT regs, as they weren't working.

[HJ1981]

I know every new car has them and my wife especially always has hers set to the highest position ("I can see more")

Highest position is where they should be, if the car isn't unbalanced by a heavy load or towing. If the headlamps are adjusted correctly (which admittedly they rarely are on new cars), then the only adjustment you should be able to make with the knob is to lower them below the correct position.

How many people do you know change their headlight level to compensate for say several adults sitting in the rear? Mine would be zero...

Maybe today, but not back then.

My concern is, it is a bit hard to see at night, those headlights need to be raised a bit, looks like i shall be ordering one.

[Brianmoooore]

Local legal requirements aside, there's no need to replace anything to get your headlamps pointing to where they should be.
Each (failed) hydraulic cylinder on the headlamps features both a coarse and fine adjuster. When they fail, they default to the lowest position, so the coarse adjuster has to be employed to bring them up, so that final accurate aim can be made with the fine adjuster.
The UK MOT test allows for quite a range of vertical adjustment that is considered acceptable, but E30 dipped beams have such a sharp cut off, that they need to be aimed towards the higher end of that range.

[ocde30]

Hi Brian, thanks for clarifying about the headlamp position / adjusting issue - as always useful information very much appreciated !

[HJ1981]

Local legal requirements aside, there's no need to replace anything to get your headlamps pointing to where they should be.
Each (failed) hydraulic cylinder on the headlamps features both a coarse and fine adjuster. When they fail, they default to the lowest position, so the coarse adjuster has to be employed to bring them up, so that final accurate aim can be made with the fine adjuster.
The UK MOT test allows for quite a range of vertical adjustment that is considered acceptable, but E30 dipped beams have such a sharp cut off, that they need to be aimed towards the higher end of that range.

We actually spent some times attempting to adjust those headlights at the TÜV without success, but after reading this i may attempt it myself.

How to identify the coarse and fine adjuster?

[Brianmoooore]

Coarse adjuster is the threaded steel bar from the hydraulic cylinder forwards to the headlamp rim. It has a slot for a cross head screwdriver on the ball at the end, but it's OK to turn it with grips. Screw it out about three full turns.
The fine adjuster is the knurled plastic ring around the cylinder body.

[HJ1981]

Coarse adjuster is the threaded steel bar from the hydraulic cylinder forwards to the headlamp rim. It has a slot for a cross head screwdriver on the ball at the end, but it's OK to turn it with grips. Screw it out about three full turns.
The fine adjuster is the knurled plastic ring around the cylinder body.

After reading this, i watched the headlight restoration video from Restore IT and clearly see what you mean, thank you.

[RTTBMW]

See the price of it has gone through the roof! £243!

[TurtleDesignTech]

UPDATE

Finally got around to fitting these this last weekend.

Bad news - they only reach to the passenger glove box, so they must be the left hand drive version.

I am contacting HELLA to see if they make a right hand drive version. Will see what they say....

[Brianmoooore]

They'd probably fit if you reversed them and added a small grommet for the pipes next to the engine loom to cabin grommet, but that wouldn't be OE fitting, of course

[BenHar]

On at least one of the E30s I've owned the pipes went along the other side of the engine bay and through the bulkhead by the battery.

Ben