Technical Car/Motor Issues > Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe Legal Questions
Thread Author: Perky Penguin Replies: 20
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New Tue 16 Mar 10 10:39 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
How does one set about adapting UK beam pattern for use in France when there is no pattern on the lens to indicate which area needs masking off, please. Ford dealer said come back and we might be able to download or supply you with a template for making your own mask. New Audi A8's Sat Nav knows where you are switches the beams automatically which is a nice change from going to a dealer to have the front bumper removed, twice, to get the beams set for a foreign trip and the re-set!
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New Wed 17 Mar 10 20:37 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Robin the Technician
Hi,
I'm sure a trip to your local Halford's will give you the answer. I'm sure they will have a set of stick on's to convert your headlight. I dare say the instructions will be included as to where to stick them (no pun intended).

Hope this helps

Robin the Technician
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New Wed 17 Mar 10 22:15 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
Thanks RTT. On an earlier car I had the area for masking was marked on the polycarbonate headlight protectors that I bought plus 2 pieces of black sticky tape, the right shape, were supplied but there was nothing on the plain headlights lenses, supplied as OE, to indicate what should be stuck where. Also no offence intended!
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 16:19 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Telb
My Kia Sorento has got plain lenses too. I bought (at great expense) some masks from Kia, which had full instructions on positioning. I think regular "beam benders" do too.

As I go abroad quite frequently, I also invested in a pair of polycarb lens protectors, which these masks are now stuck to, making a quick and easy job of converting. Trouble is, payback time for the investment is probably about 5 years!

HTH

Terry
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 07:52 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - sherlock47
>>>>payback time for the investment is probably about 5 years!<<<<

Payback time might be only weeks - last summer there were stories of visitors being fined €90 at Calais if 'effective' masking was not in place. (Even day visitors!).

I must make sure that my black tape is still in place.
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New Sat 20 Mar 10 07:23 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
Visited my Ford dealer yesterday who said there was no information available re headlight conversion for Continental use, apart from buying and fitting two LHD headlights! There was a suggestion that there might be a downloadable template on the internet, giving the shape and location of tape masks! I think that the Le Plod Francais would be happy with likely looking bits of tape stuck on the clear lenses somewhere sensible - they could hardly prove that they were not effective.
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New Wed 24 Mar 10 19:26 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Dave_
I would park about 12ft. away from a wall at night, chuck a coat over one headlamp to block it, and using trial and error work out the best places to stick your black tape to eliminate the "kick up" to the nearside - then chuck the coat over the other headlamp and repeat. It worked for me on a '53 Pug 406 and an '05 VW Caravelle, both with clear polycarbonate headlamps, halogen bulbs and complex reflectors.

You should be looking to end up with two areas masked off on each headlamp, in an area roughly similar to the blue bits of a BMW badge.
Last edited by: Dave_TD {P} on Wed 24 Mar 10 at 19:27
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New Sun 11 Apr 10 17:26 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
Thanks Dave I will give that a try.
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New Fri 8 Oct 10 20:59 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - V50DRIVe
I have a Volvo V50 (wrong thread I know!) and I bought a set of beam benders for a recent drive to Switzerland. Before the journey and after 12000m from new, I actually looked in the manual for the first time to see how to change the front bulbs if I ever need to whilst abroad. It was then that I noticed that you can flick a lever over to change the UK beam pattern to a flat pattern for Europe. I know it's a bloke thing, but check your manual sometimes! This I did in the boarding queue at Dover whilst people wandered about asking each other about where to put beam benders on clear plastic lenses!
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New Sat 9 Oct 10 08:16 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - jc2
Ford used to show areas to be blanked in the workshop manual;don't know if they still do.
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New Sat 9 Oct 10 09:56 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Collos
Just turn them to the lowest setting and you will have no problem if they are zenon you can't do it anyway.
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New Sat 9 Oct 10 14:33 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
Yes, but if Le Plod Francais find you driving around in an RHD car with no evident attempt at fitting masks or deflectors they may make your journey unpleasant. In response to my original query I went to France with the beams set low and put a couple of bits of black tape on the headlights to make it look as though I had done something to sort out the beam
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Sat 9 Oct 10 at 14:33
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New Sun 10 Oct 10 10:58 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Collos
Le Plod have better things to do like eat Brie and drink red wine.
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New Sun 10 Oct 10 19:37 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
Not around Calais they don't - allegedly
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New Sun 10 Oct 10 19:46 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Runfer D'Hills
Well for what little it's worth and not to especially recommend the following. I've driven to and from Italy a minimum of four times a year for 30 odd years. Never bothered with beam deflectors, hi-vis jackets, warning triangles or any of the other apparently compulsory stuff. I do carry spare bulbs but then I always do even in the UK.

Been stopped for "hurrying" a couple of times but never been asked about or challenged over the other stuff.

As others have recommended, as a courtesy and if your car allows it, I'd aim the beam down a bit though.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Sun 10 Oct 10 at 19:47
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New Sun 10 Oct 10 19:54 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
HD - don't forget taking your original V5 and, if in Spain, spare glasses if your wear them for driving. As a born pessimist and believer in s*d's law I worry abour driving out of Calais and finishing up 200 euros+ out of pocket before I get to |Dunkerque!!!
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New Sun 10 Oct 10 19:56 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Runfer D'Hills
Fair enough.

:-)
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New Sun 10 Oct 10 20:28 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Kevin
>Yes, but if Le Plod Francais find you driving around in an RHD car with no evident attempt
>at fitting masks or deflectors they may make your journey unpleasant.

Very true.

Last time I went through Calais they were using minor infringements to pull drivers for more intensive checks. We saw one guy taking a breath test at about 9am.

Kevin...
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New Mon 11 Oct 10 12:26 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Collos
Nothing wrong with that should do it more often,they used to breatherlise everybody coming off the P&O NSF at Europort.But like Humph I have been travelling around Europe by car for forty years and have also been pulled for going to quickly twice but never asked to show anything other than my driving licence. There is a lot of mythology about Calais and the French police they have their hands full policing genuine driving misdemeanours without bothering drivers on the the off chance they may have their handlamps not set correctly many people who get stopped and charged with this offence fail to tell you about the speeding or crossing the centre line while approaching a junction or other numerous serious offences.
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New Thu 14 Oct 10 07:58 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - L'escargot
I googled for headlight beam adaptors. These beam adaptors claim to be suitable for all cars and vans from 1980 to the present. click-parts.co.uk/files/details.php?id=267

There were lots of other advertised on Google.
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New Mon 18 Oct 10 19:26 
 Ford - 09 1600 Headlamps adjustment for Europe - Perky Penguin
Same item(s) also very cheap and free delivery on Amazon
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Mon 18 Oct 10 at 19:26
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