Elka's and Headlight question

[Bumblebee67]

Question: With the installation of Elka shocks, do you have to "lower" the headlights?? :dontknow:I installed my new Elka's yesterday (thanks Steve!!) and drove to work this morning (about 5 am) and got pulled over by our local police dept.:yikes: He said I didn't dim my lights, I assured him I did and proceeded to show him the difference between the two. I had my frunk open to get out all my info so the lights shown on the inside of it. He said WOW, they sure are bright. Anyway, I went into "rockstar" mode :yes:and 40 minutes later :chat:continued my way on to work ticket free.:yes: :yes:I had not even run my dim lights TILL I met him but as I was leaving I toggeled between the two and discovered there is NO difference between them except that on high you just light the tops of the trees a little better. The aim on dim is what I used to have on bright. When I installed my HID's, they came pre-set and were PERFECT. I never got "flashed". I got flashed 3 times commin home tonite.:shocked::shocked: I took off a set of RT shocks (I have a GS). Has anyone else had this happen to them? Spydee is in the barn till I get time to adjust the headlights, I DO NOT want a repeat performance.:gaah: Although them blue lights sure do look awfully pretty in the dark.......

 

[pro10is]

Yes it is very common to have to readjust your headlights after you install Elkas. Depending upon how they are adjusted they may raise the front end an inch or so.

When you readjust your headlights you should also place some weight on the seat to simulate your normal load. This will ensure you get an accurate setting.

 

[donnellpj]

Definitely. I had to lower my main headlights about 12 each clicks after I installed the Elkas.

I would like to apologize, once again, for blinding all my friends from Florida on the ryde back to Lamonts. Haha! I fixed it!

Ugh,...

 

[Bob Denman]

Ok here's the RT chart. Thanks ICE for the RT headlight height.

Assumptions:
Spyder RT Headlight Height: 35.0" (This could change with a heavier/lighter driver/passenger, cargo load, tire pressure, performance
shocks, etc.)
BRP Spec for Headlight Adjustment: Adjust for a low beam height of 25.3" to 28.8" (27.1" halfway point) at 33' with a 200 lb driver.
Calculated Angle: 1.15° downward

Angle Distance Low Beam Height Adjustment
1.15° 33' 25.3" - 28.8"
1.15° 30' 26.0" - 29.5"
1.15° 25' 27.2" - 30.7"
1.15° 20' 28.4" - 31.9"
1.15° 15' 29.6" - 33.1"
1.15° 10' 30.8" - 34.3"


I hope that this helps...

 

[gypsy_100]

Ok here's the RT chart. Thanks ICE for the RT headlight height.

BRP Spec for Headlight Adjustment: Adjust for a low beam height of 25.3" to 28.8" (27.1" halfway point) at 33' with a 200 lb driver.

I hope that this helps...

The procedure in my owner's manual makes no mention of unloaded or loaded. So I assume that means unloaded, which would not be the most accurate way to do it but it probably accounts for an "average" rider. Also, the procedure very clearly states that the airbag must be bled at the valve to zero pressure. And their reference point is the "brightest spot" of the headlight pattern. Not wanting to get into all of that, I chose to mark the beam levels before installation and then bring them to the same level after installation. I used the upper cutoff as my reference as it was very clearly defined; with HID's it should also be clearly defined. I measured the cutoff height loaded and unloaded and then brought it back to the same levels after installation.

Exactly how much you'd have to change it is dependent on your installation and your before and after preload settings since that will affect how much your ride height changed. Since you don't know what your height was before installation, you either have start over by following the procedure in your owner's manual as explained here and in Bob's post or just use trial and error -- keep turning the adjustment down until no one flashes you.

 

[Bob Denman]

You've got to throw your butt on the seat for the adjustments to mean anything useful...

 

[NancysToy]

I don't measure. I point it toward the garage door and lower them a bit if they are too high, or raise them if they are too low. Mark the original center (or edge) to gauge how far you've gone, then match the other light to the first one. It really doesn't need careful engineering. JMHO

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

HEADLIGHT BEAM HEIGHT

:yikes: Measure ..Smesure...:agree:...I agree with Scotty.....it's nevvvvvvvvvvvvvvver going to perfect at all times....so why waste your time .............Mike....:thumbup:

 

[gypsy_100]

You've got to throw your butt on the seat for the adjustments to mean anything useful...

That's why I did it unloaded and loaded. I could make the adjustment while off the bike to get the unloaded correct and then get on and make sure the loaded was correct. If not, fine tune it -- the loaded setting being the more critical. Agree with Scotty's comments, too. I'm not measuring anything in the sense of precise distance and all, just putting it in the same spot on the floor and shining it on marks I made on the far wall. Simple. Haven't touched it since installing the Elka's and setting it up for that.