Adjusting Roadster headlight aim point

[ecarfan]

With the assistance of @strider my factory low beams were recently upgraded to 55W 5000K Xenons using the DDM Kit and now I want to aim the headlights slightly higher. I found the post shown below in an old thread about headlight fogging.

Can anyone offer advice about which direction to turn the white adjustment knob to raise the headlight aim point, and does turning that knob simultaneously change the beam angle in the horizontal plane as well (@cinergi says it does), and in which direction?

I'm disappointed that the Roadster Owners Manual does not contain any info on adjusting the headlights.

Thanks!

Turn the wheel out:

So you can access this (and 3 other 10mm) screws:

So you can access the white 10mm plastic adjustment screw in front of the white cap (IOW, the closer of the two white objects) here:

Turn to adjust the height (and at the same time, left/right throw). Not sure how to adjust only the height. This was the screw the tech was adjusting -- it's possible there's another one that's height-only as I was getting changes I didn't really want by turning this screw.

 

[Panicopticon]

I believe there are actually a total of three adjusters (SAM_0622.JPG - Google Drive & SAM_0626.JPG - Google Drive). Two white plastic ones and one metal one (note that most of the white things in the photo are vent caps). Sadly, I'm not sure which controls what.

Looking at the rest of the pictures I have, specifically those with the light dissembled (2, near SAM_0658.JPG) may help.

Looking at those pictures again, I think the adjusters are configured in a triangle. The top one is going adjust the up/down tip. While the bottom two are going to move the light left/right. However, its going to be a bit of a balancing act as the bottom to screws will also effective change the tilt...

Be curious to know if I've got that right.

 

[wiztecy]

Beware not to force any of those three adjusters! I stripped one by accident, it really didn't give me any warning either. Luckily I was very close where I wanted to have the lights! I have an extra set of lights I can swap parts but that will entail splitting the lights apart! So be very very careful when adjusting them.

As for turning the white knobs and which way they go, you need to experiment. I believe they manipulate the 3 access points of the round projector.

With my TRS projector/HID setup I angled the passenger side slightly higher so it projects a little further out in the distance and the drivers lower. That way I don't blind on coming cars but still have the greatest depth of coverage. I notice its the drivers that's usually in the driver's eyes and haven't had issues with cars the way its currently dialed. I don't know if you'll be able to do this with the DDM. I compared the DDM vs the TRS on a garage wall and the DDM did have bleeding/scattered light as compared to the TRS.

Video provided by TRS on how to properly adjust your HID/Projectors:

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks for the comments and great photos! But now I am reluctant to start messing around turning screws not being sure which one does what. I'm a new Roadster owner and am surprised that Tesla appears to not have released information about something as basic as headlight adjustment (and yes I have seen various posts complaining about the lack of a Roadster Service Manual for owners, I assume there is internal service documentation).

I should ask my local Service Center how much the charge would be for Tesla to adjust my headlights. Anyone ever paid Tesla for that service? For someone who knows how the adjustments work it should only take an hour or so.

But now that I have replaced my low beams with Xenons, Tesla may not want to do it...

I believe there are actually a total of three adjusters (SAM_0622.JPG - Google Drive & SAM_0626.JPG - Google Drive). Two white plastic ones and one metal one (note that most of the white things in the photo are vent caps). Sadly, I'm not sure which controls what.
Looking at the rest of the pictures I have, specifically those with the light dissembled (2, near SAM_0658.JPG) may help.
Looking at those pictures again, I think the adjusters are configured in a triangle. The top one is going adjust the up/down tip. While the bottom two are going to move the light left/right. However, its going to be a bit of a balancing act as the bottom to screws will also effective change the tilt...

 

[wiztecy]

Didn't mean to scare you from the job, just take it easy. You'll feel the resistance if you go too far. I'd use your hands on the socket to adjust if you can. If not, use the smallest ratchet/handle you can find so you don't have excessive leverage. I used a 3/8 ratchet, next time I'll use the 1/4.

 

[Panicopticon]

... But now I am reluctant to start messing around turning screws not being sure which one does what. I'm a new Roadster owner and am surprised that Tesla appears to not have released information about something as basic as headlight adjustment...

I think I'd had mine less than three weeks when I took the front end apart, baked the headlights and replaced the optics. Scary business.

Go slow, be gentle, and use your brain -- it'll (probably) be fine. Worst case, you might have to take the headlights apart and replace the adjusters. They're pretty simple.

 

[ecarfan]

Well, thanks for the words of encouragement. I do have a 1/4" drive ratchet set. But I really want to know how the adjustment screws work before I start fiddling with them. Won't Tesla tell me if I ask at my Service Center? That information should be available to all Roadster owners.

My other problem is I have no readily available large flat area where I can park the car and shine the headlights on a wall to see how the beam pattern changes with adjustments. I have a small garage with a short sloped driveway.