DIO replied:

1. Trial & error
2. Yes if you don't want to blind on-coming traffic and also if you want maximum illumination down the road.

disco driver replied:

Hi Bruce,


IMHO you would set the Driving lights marginly below horizontal with your most common load on board.

Laterally,it would depend on personal preference: some like 2 Spots and others prefer 1 Spot and 1 Spread beam. Some using 2 spots aim them straight ahead, others aim them marginly to the side.
Using 1 Spot and 1Spread, they are generally set with the spot horizontal or slightly lower and straight ahead and the spread beam much the same as it fills in behind the Spot and also covers the verges for a fair distance.

There is no way to set them up to suit yourself than to find a dark street of some length and, using blankets or black plastic (mind the heat from the lights) black out all but the beam you are setting and adjust it to suit your preferences. Repeat for the other lights as necessary.

Good Luck

Disco

Sand Man (SA) replied:

Mate,

If your driving lights "head for the sky" when you load up the rear of the vehicle, you have a serious suspension problem.
It should not be necessary to adjust the lights everytime the vehicle load changes.

Either you need to replace the rear suspension (springs, shockers), or add airbags, or do both.

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HooRoo ! I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe! Member: My Profile

Member - Oldplodder (QLD) replied:

Two solutions.
1. I havn't found a bit of road yet that is continuously flat for the whole trip. So I set one light a bit high and one a bit low.
I also have my lights slightly crossed horizontally for the same reason, to help with corners and seeing into the verge.
2. I have a stiffer rear suspension and air bags for heavy loads, so I can get it back to roughly standard height.

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John C - aka Oldplodder In touring mode, the way it should be. Member: My Profile

Member - Chris R (NSW) replied:

Mate of mine has a short steel strap attached to the top of the light. the other end is slotted and attached to the top rail of the bull bar. This takes some of the vibration stress out of the bottom bracket and allows him to make fine adjustments. In fact he now bends that strap to make fine adjustments - obviously a perfectionist.

We only got to talking about this when comparing notes about our experiences with cracked light support brackets - his being ARB bar and mine (I think) TJM. My solution to stop cracking in future was to weld vertical supports attaching from rear of light bracket down to the top surface of bumper. (These make for very stable lights. Did similar for front HF aerial support which got knocked around by scrub.)

I cross beams - so not such aproblem - but I do need to get another light for straight up the middle.

Cheers
Chris

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Peace and smiles Member: My Profile

Axel [ the real one ] replied:

How friendly are you with your local road worthy certificate service station / mechanic , correct way is to have the lights aimed using the "light box" and chart , otherwise just use a dark night and lots of fiddiling , a flat place to park and a large wall and a dark chalk to mark the increments up-down-side to side ,,

Opinions are like "bleep" ,everyone has 1 , mine works. Member: My Profile