Headlights- To stick or not to stick?

[Sleuth-Hound]

Can you/Do you apply headlight deflection to these lights for travelling in France/Spain/Portugal?

 

[Googlebot]

Lots of them have levers on the back to change the beam pattern.

If not, have a best guess and hope it’s right.

 

[Tombola]

I do..

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

You can buy off Ebay the clip over headlight protectors. These come with the area to be blacked out pre-outlined ready to make your van compliant. This means you can apply the blackout tape inside of the clip over screen, so less effected by weather. The protectors are a good investment in and of themselves IMO.
Mike.

 

[Landy Andy]

I just drive a set of stick on things around with me, and have been for about 12years. Never fitted them.

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[Rapido925M]

I just drive a set of stick on things around with me, and have been for about 12years. Never fitted them.

WHY?
Assuming that you mean you have driven abroad with illegal lights but “got away with it”, are you offering this as good advice?

OTOH I have beam deflectors which I haven’t removed for approximately 8years. My MH has passed the MOT comfortably and the dipped light may be less effective but I don’t notice.
(One deflector washed off during a very heavy storm near Benidorm and I couldn’t get a replacement so I now carry a spare set.)

Gordon

 

[Sleuth-Hound]

Lots of them have levers on the back to change the beam pattern.

If not, have a best guess and hope it’s right.

I’ll have a look into that….. thanks.

 

[Sleuth-Hound]

I do..

Errrr thanks.

 

[funflair]

I’ll have a look into that….. thanks.

If they were just a dip beam unit I would say that they most likely adjust by turning them but not sure if that is the same with combined Dip/Main.

EDIT I will add that they might be difficult to get at , they usually are so a bit of tape might be easier.

 

[Sleuth-Hound]

If they were just a dip beam unit I would say that they most likely adjust by turning them but not sure if that is the same with combined Dip/Main.

EDIT I will add that they might be difficult to get at , they usually are so a bit of tape might be easier.

Certainly nothing’s easy when trying to get in under the bonnet…..

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[Spriddler]

I just drive a set of stick on things around with me, and have been for about 12years. Never fitted them.

Me too. They've been in the glove box for many years. I've never fitted them and since I'm travelling during BST I'm rarely driving after 'lighting up time'. They've probably lost their stickiness by now so I ought to check them.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

We had a Bustner Aviano which had similar headlights, but not necessarily the same. On the Aviano the headlights could be switched between UK & EU beam pattern as per these ‘Tourist Solution’ pages from a Hella manual…

 

[seasideBill]

Me too. They've been in the glove box for many years. I've never fitted them and since I'm travelling during BST I'm rarely driving after 'lighting up time'. They've probably lost their stickiness by now so I ought to check them.

Tend not to drive after dark either, but circumstances can change so I always fit them.

 

[Verteuil Man]

I do not. I work on the theory that if it is dark I will be parked up and will have partaken of vino.

 

[Sleuth-Hound]

We had a Bustner Aviano which had similar headlights, but not necessarily the same. On the Aviano the headlights could be switched between UK & EU beam pattern as per these ‘Tourist Solution’ pages from a Hella manual…

View attachment 738526View attachment 738527

Just had a look….. I’d need to be a Borrower to get in about the front lights! Impossible! Hey ho, stickers it is…..

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[Barryh]

I just drive a set of stick on things around with me, and have been for about 12years. Never fitted them.

Me too. They've been in the glove box for many years. I've never fitted them and since I'm travelling during BST I'm rarely driving after 'lighting up time'. They've probably lost their stickiness by now so I ought to check them.

I do not. I work on the theory that if it is dark I will be parked up and will have partaken of vino.

What about those times when headlights are compulsory? Such as tunnels or rain or it just gets unexpectedly dark? I’ve got them on, not sure if they are in the right place though because the instructions were really complicated. Never failed the MOT either.

 

[steve69]

I just keep night driving to a minimum.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Just had a look….. I’d need to be a Borrower to get in about the front lights! Impossible! Hey ho, stickers it is…..

I had to send Cindy in there to do it.

 

[LesW]

Not all headlamps require beam deflectors, our Inca doesn't.

 

[Old Gibber]

WHY?
Assuming that you mean you have driven abroad with illegal lights but “got away with it”, are you offering this as good advice?

OTOH I have beam deflectors which I haven’t removed for approximately 8years. My MH has passed the MOT comfortably and the dipped light may be less effective but I don’t notice.
(One deflector washed off during a very heavy storm near Benidorm and I couldn’t get a replacement so I now carry a spare set.)

Gordon

Oh dear!

I carry a set but never use them. I just keep the headlights dipped low, after all I'm only using them most of the time in tunnels. I've never been flashed by oncoming traffic.

Its interesting to note that you go on about "illegal lights" abroad, but surely don't your beam deflectors make your lights illegal in the UK? Or perhaps the things are rather ineffective anyway. I take it you are offering this as good alternate advice too?

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[SpeedyDux]

My headlight protectors have marks to show where to apply black tape. Tape is easy to remove once back in the UK. X290 with RHD headlights.

 

[Spriddler]

What about those times when headlights are compulsory? Such as tunnels or rain or it just gets unexpectedly dark? I’ve got them on, not sure if they are in the right place though because the instructions were really complicated. Never failed the MOT either.

I've only motorhomed abroad (for more than 20 years) and I've never been in a tunnel that's sufficiently long for there to be no daylight at all (except twice in Switzerland on a 65 yr old motorbike with a feeble Lucas 'Prince of Darkness' headlight).
As for heavy rain or fog, in the daytime the vis is sufficiently poor that it wouldn't be noticeable whether or not my headlights had beam benders fitted.

(You worry too much ).

 

[Just smiffy]

I’ve had a rapido, hymer (fiat) and bmw car driving all over Europe in the dark for years and years and have never ever been flashed, most modern lights now have straight beams and don’t kick up to the left… another tourist tax like the breathalyser..

 

[Old Gibber]

On the other hand, anyone ever seen a foreign vehicle in the UK with beam benders?

 

[Old Gibber]

I've only motorhomed abroad (for more than 20 years) and I've never been in a tunnel that's sufficiently long for there to be no daylight at all (except twice in Switzerland on a 65 yr old motorbike with a feeble Lucas 'Prince of Darkness' headlight).

There are many tunnels on the continent where headlights are obligatory.

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[Rapido925M]

Oh dear!

I carry a set but never use them. I just keep the headlights dipped low, after all I'm only using them most of the time in tunnels. I've never been flashed by oncoming traffic.

Its interesting to note that you go on about "illegal lights" abroad, but surely don't your beam deflectors make your lights illegal in the UK? Or perhaps the things are rather ineffective anyway. I take it you are offering this as good alternate advice too?

Perhaps your understanding and mine are different?
Main beam is straight ahead and level. Beam deflectors don’t affect that filament.

UK dipping sends the beam to the left and down; European beams deflect down.
Because we drive on the “wrong” side when on the continent, our lights dip towards oncoming traffic which isn’t helpful!
Beam deflectors simply result in the light going downward: no light causing problems in Europe and nothing to affect oncoming traffic at home.

Many folks say they don’t drive at night. Escaping from covid restrictions stopped that from being true. Other emergency situations can easily arise. Given the cost and effort involved, I strongly recommend fitting deflectors if altering the light is difficult.

Gordon

 

[gus-lopez]

On the other hand, anyone ever seen a foreign vehicle in the UK with beam benders?

There is no need .ours just go down & do not 'dip' to the right.

In spain lights are obligatory in any type of tunnel or underpass however short or long.
When visibility is reduced.
Any type of roadworks were they have changed the white lines to yellow.

 

[pappajohn]

If the outer cover is plastic DONT stick anything to them.
The adhesive reacts and eats into the plastic.

Drive up to a wall or garage door etc when is quite dark and turn on dip beam.
Look at the light pattern, it may be flat in its entirety so doesn't need anything.
If it kicks up to the right it needs adjusting.
As said, there's usually a lever to swap the bias over

 

[1967bowesj]

Perhaps your understanding and mine are different?
Main beam is straight ahead and level. Beam deflectors don’t affect that filament.

UK dipping sends the beam to the left and down; European beams deflect down.
Because we drive on the “wrong” side when on the continent, our lights dip towards oncoming traffic which isn’t helpful!
Beam deflectors simply result in the light going downward: no light causing problems in Europe and nothing to affect oncoming traffic at home.

Many folks say they don’t drive at night. Escaping from covid restrictions stopped that from being true. Other emergency situations can easily arise. Given the cost and effort involved, I strongly recommend fitting deflectors if altering the light is difficult.

Gordon

Do you not mean uk "dipped" sends the light to the left and "up" to light up traffic signs etc, that is why it is an issue when we travel on the wrong side of the road as the beam is up towards the traffic.
Hence the use of the blanking tape or beam benders ( not that they bend the beam) so that thete is a shadow in the position of what would have been the upturned light source.

 

[Spriddler]

On the other hand, anyone ever seen a foreign vehicle in the UK with beam benders?

TBH I've never noticed, and I doubt that any 'law enforcers' do either. They're probably too busy stopping overweight motorhomes or those abroad without 'Angles Morts' stickers or towing a car on an A frame.