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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
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Busterboo
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by Busterboo » Wed Dec 20, 2023 2:49 am

(This post is in the context of "Night Breakers? Ball breakers, more like.")

1 I rarely, if ever, drive on full beams. Not least because I hate being blinded by oncoming drivers flashing theirs because they've been blinded by mine.
2 I need stronger dipped beams.
3 Is it possible, please, to adjust full beams down, so that in effect they become strong dipped beams?
Vidi, vici, veni

matsmith749
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by matsmith749 » Wed Dec 20, 2023 9:47 am

They are auto levelling (legal thing) - although there is a white screw adjuster on the back of the headlight unit for fine tuning.

They don;t have the kind of adjustments we used to see in teh good old halogen world.

the dream would be full led matrix lights - you can drive in high beam all the time withough dazzling anyone. Brilliant if you get chance to try them.... but not a thing on an e89.
From Jan 2023 2016 e89 Z4 35is / mineral white / coral red interior / all the extras
SOLD 2010 e89 Z4 35is / space grey / coral red interior / all the extras
SOLD 2007 e85 Z4 3.0 si sport / midnight blue / champagne interior

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B21
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by B21 » Wed Dec 20, 2023 9:49 am

You can wind the mechanical beam adjusters down which will have the net effect of moving both beams down..however..

The dip has a very well defined cut off to avoid dazzle to other road users..the main does not..so you’ll likely dazzle other users by using main as a dip..

Of course this is merely my opinion….
We choose to go to on with this endeavour at this time and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…
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javis20
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by javis20 » Wed Dec 20, 2023 3:37 pm

You might want to confirm your level sensors are working properly. If they are, manually tweek the alignment of the dipped beams to spec. .
Here in the USA your car would fail inspection with full beams dipped low.

flybobbie
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by flybobbie » Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:48 pm

Adjust the beams enough not to annoy drivers, just done this. The problem is sharp cut off, eye accommodates for the bright but rest looks black, not like the old halogens where there is a blending out.
Try adjusting the nearside only to illuminate more of the gutter.

flybobbie
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by flybobbie » Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:48 pm

Full beams have a vertical hot spot.

Busterboo
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by Busterboo » Wed Dec 20, 2023 9:39 pm

Thank you all very much for the crucial and helpful points you've made so far.
Vidi, vici, veni

Pondrew
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Advice, please. Adjusting full beams down ...

Post by Pondrew » Wed Dec 20, 2023 10:31 pm

If you can adjust them enough for what you want, it WILL fail an MOT, as you will never be able to get them back correctly for the test.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
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Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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