Aligning projectors without vehicle

So what we have is little much but for someone doing a retrofit here or there we highly recommend a self leveling laser, makes things so much easier.

 

Pretty cool. With odd shaped housings, do you just index off the factory alignment pivot points?

 

Could you explain the process here and how you're using the self leveling laser for alignment?

 

All reflectors have horizontal points, most reflectors it's the pivot points, some reflectors are tricky and you have to find the horizontal points

 

I actually just did one for a motorcycle that was awkward as hell, those reflectors I had to go off several horizontal points to get them aligned perfect and had to hold them in my hand lol

 

Pretty much your using the laser as a guide to align the reflector in a perfect horizontal position. Laser stationary and is perfect, then you align your reflector to the laser

 

I guess what I'm not understanding is how you're aligning the projector pattern on the wall with the laser. From the picture, it looks like you can get the housing perfecting aligned, because that's where the laser is shining. But to align the laser with the projector pattern, are you just trying to eye ball the laser pattern to the projector pattern on the wall? Is you method to stand behind the laser and eye ball the laser to the pattern? Seems like there would still be room for error. Sorry, not trying to argue or be a dick, just trying to get a better understanding as I'm going to be doing this in the near future.

 

The laser is not shining on the output, the laser is shining on the pivot points on the reflector. See how the laser is in the middle of the top two pivot points? That means that's how the reflector will sit in the housing. When you get the laser dead center on the pivot points then you can rotate your projector to sit perfectly horizontal.

 

I think I'm understanding now, lol. So what you're saying is trying to align the ouput is pointless if the reflector bowl isn't perfectly aligned? And now you can do the output alignment now what the reflector is perfect. That makes sense now.
I'm assuming you're using this setup to save time, and maybe you don't always have the vehicle to use for alignment, but I've always seen people marking their OEM headlight pattern on a wall or garage, and then temporarily installing the projectors and aligning them to the previously OEM markings. Is that an ok method to do for alignment?

 

So tacomas are only a few of the vehicles we retrofit and we never have the vehicles we do on hand.

The other method your speaking off we never liked because there is room for error sense projectors are very intense and if you misalign them by even 2-3 degrees it will be very noticeable.

We have powered some headlights before and we could barely see anything on the wall because of how crappy they were.

 

Do you take into account and compensate for taco lean?

 

Gotten pictures back from customers and never seen a lean. Our Tacoma doesn't have a lean, just lots of rattling parts lol

 

That's for the great info and putting up with my amateur questions.

 

Another thing we know with every vehicle when you install the assemblies it's best to power them on because all lights have a minor degree of fitment rotation with the bolts still fitting where they are suppose to

Our Dodge Ram I can literally change the cut off up to 5 degrees just by moving the headlight when it's unbolted.

 

^yeah, there can definitely be play in the headlight mounting as well.
What is your preference on aligning quads? 4 individual cutoffs, or aiming each pair together?

 

Quads are a different beast lol, first we align the main projectors for both lights then we do the secondary projector and base it off the main projector beam. The design of the headlight would determine if all the cut offs can match. Most times you would have to separate cut off unless you have a headlight where the secondary projector is mounted perfectly horizontal to the first one

 

Pretty cool? Is that a d2s 4.0 projector? What bulb and ballast you using in the pic?

 

Yes sir, most popular projector this year price and performance is awesome

 

Nice! Yeah I have a set in my closet right now awaiting.... lol. What bulb and ballast is that?

 

It was a morimoto 5500k with a morimoto 35w ballast.

A little tip, don't use the adapter it comes with to align it doesn't work. We use that adapter only as a washer so trim the little nub it has.

Also I suggest using bolts and nuts or at very least JB weld in the reflector after alinging to keep the projector from bouncing