Headlight converter

[Nuala Wright]

Just sorting new Cali ocean for trip to Spain. How do I adjust headlights? I’ve been advised not to use the stick on ones I’ve previously used.

 

[AlanC]

The shaping of the beam is done by the reflector at the back of the lamp, so using stickers on the front lens is very much a 'hit or miss' affair in my view.

I bought a set of headlight protectors from VW which clip on easily and also provide a set of black stickers to apply to the protectors. There are small markings on the front of the protector to help place the stickers in the right place.

The joy of these is that you can use them time and time again. My set cost £40 including the blackout stickers some 5 years ago. I seem to remember that the official VW headlight stickers were £30 back in 2014, so I thought the protectors were a bargain I suspect the price has gone up now, but still worth it for the lack of hassle.

Alan

 

[Nuala Wright]

Thanks - VW garage advised that I should not use stick on converters and there was a way of changing the beam through the car computer system. Has anyone tried this, and how do I do it?

 

[Loz]

Thanks - VW garage advised that I should not use stick on converters and there was a way of changing the beam through the car computer system. Has anyone tried this, and how do I do it?

Sorry, what @AlanC meant was a set of acrylic headlamp projectors to which you add the blanking stickers and not directly to the headlamps themselves.

 

[andyinluton]

Which headlights do you have? LED, xenon or “normal’

 

[kp64zl]

I'd like to know too.
Just back from France & Spain -- in the end didn't change anything - probably broke some law but no-one flashed me....most of the driving was in the daytime....is this a real issue? I don't notice stickers on EU cars in UK

 

[Nuala Wright]

Which headlights do you have? LED, xenon or “normal’

Normal I think

 

[Loz]

Normal I think

see this to identify which you have.

 

[andyinluton]

For H7 and H4 the acrylic protectors are best. You can leave the stickers on all the time and just remove the protector when back in the uk.

As to the necessity, I wouldn’t want to give a grumpy French cop any excuse especially something that can be easily seen & used as a reason to stop you.

 

[kp64zl]

For H7 and H4 the acrylic protectors are best. You can leave the stickers on all the time and just remove the protector when back in the uk.

As to the necessity, I wouldn’t want to give a grumpy French cop any excuse especially something that can be easily seen & used as a reason to stop you.

Has anyone here ever had probs with French cops? I've been pulled over a number of times, both with and without headlight protectors and always perfectly civil. More often it's when I'm in a hire car with French plates than with UK plates. Cops seem to soon lose interest when they realise I can't speak French. (The Iranian cops kept me a bit longer but that's another story)

(learned early on only to allow to be interrogated in my own language)

 

[Kernowboy]

Ce n'était pas moi, honnête gouverneur .......

 

[Nick.C]

Hi, we have LED lights and they can be adjusted through the vehicle computer, just switch the travel mode to on in the lights and vision settings

 

[Sandyvan]

LEDs can be adjusted as above but conventional cant. Buy the acrylic protectors apply the stickers, use then peel off put back on the backing paper and use again, I had these on our first van reused the stickers four times no problem.
Don't take the protectors off the clues in the name. I wish there were protectors for LEDs as a stone through one often offends the wallet.

 

[B J G]

Has anyone here ever had probs with French cops? I've been pulled over a number of times, both with and without headlight protectors and always perfectly civil. More often it's when I'm in a hire car with French plates than with UK plates. Cops seem to soon lose interest when they realise I can't speak French. (The Iranian cops kept me a bit longer but that's another story)

(learned early on only to allow to be interrogated in my own language)

Spend about 3 months per year in france (7 trips) and haven't used deflectors for the last 8 years. Do have my headlights set as far to the right as possible in UK and use the levelling motor to keep them as low as possible to avoid dazzling.
In the low technology days some vehicles had a simple lever system that changed the bulb position from left to right dip pattern. Now you need a £1700 LED option - progress?

 

[Sandyvan]

Spend about 3 months per year in france (7 trips) and haven't used deflectors for the last 8 years. Do have my headlights set as far to the right as possible in UK and use the levelling motor to keep them as low as possible to avoid dazzling.
In the low technology days some vehicles had a simple lever system that changed the bulb position from left to right dip pattern. Now you need a £1700 LED option - progress?

I don't think you need LEDs for cab swapping but its a good feature. I bought LEDs because they look cool and because they were an option.

 

[Nick.C]

Spend about 3 months per year in france (7 trips) and haven't used deflectors for the last 8 years. Do have my headlights set as far to the right as possible in UK and use the levelling motor to keep them as low as possible to avoid dazzling.
In the low technology days some vehicles had a simple lever system that changed the bulb position from left to right dip pattern. Now you need a £1700 LED option - progress?

Avoiding beam converters is probably not the main reason for going for LEDs!!

 

[B J G]

I don't think you need LEDs for cab swapping but its a good feature. I bought LEDs because they look cool and because they were an option.

Cab swapping?

 

[Sandyvan]

Cab swapping?

Being able to swap the LEDs at the push of a button from the driving seat (sorry ex truck driver) its the cab to me.

 

[B J G]

Avoiding beam converters is probably not the main reason for going for LEDs!!

Didn't mention having LEDs as a reason for avoiding beam deflectors!!

Had I had a knowledgeable salesman I'd probably have had LED lights ordered for their ability to switch over from the controls.

 

[B J G]

I may be wrong but only headlight protectors that I've found online are for H4 ones. T6 that is.

 

[B J G]

Being able to swap the LEDs at the push of a button from the driving seat (sorry ex truck driver) its the cab to me.

Only LED lights can change H4 and H7 can't. Option only with LED lights.

 

[Sandyvan]

I may be wrong but only headlight protectors that I've found online are for H4 ones. T6 that is.

Don't know mate, I had them on the T5.1 and thought they were great just bobbed the stickers on when we went over the water. I kept the protectors on all the time just removed the stickers and put them on the backing then kept them in the glove box. Have had LEDs on both T6s, TBH I don't really go out at night anyway but as said just look cool.
Funny thing is I spent years driving abnormal loads all over mainland Europe, and never had beam benders, even with police escorts and never had an issue.

 

[Sandyvan]

Only LED lights can change H4 and H7 can't. Option only with LED lights.

Unless I'm wrong that's what I said LEDs can be adjusted from the driving seat at the push of a button.

 

[andyinluton]

I wish there were protectors for LEDs as a stone through one often offends the wallet.

Isn't the actual shape of the headlight exactly the same? its only the insides that are different so wouldn't the standard protectors fit?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Honestly buddy, don’t bother...
I’ve travelled over the water for years and never had a set. I do scroll the lights down to avoid blinding other drivers.
So far never had an issue.

I actually have some headlight covers which I took off which came with the vehicle.