Properly aligning PIAA 510 fog lights...

OK, got the All Pro bumper, IFS skid plate and PIAA's wired up and installed last night. I went for a drive today, and to my surprise, the bumper really lowered the front of the truck (about 1/2" on the drivers side ). I noticed this because the wheels were rubbing the pinch weld under no load.

I adjusted (raised) the front suspension and realized that the fog lights need to be aligned. So with that out of the way I get to my question...

What is the proper way to align the fog lights? I've searched on 3 separate forums and found the instructions for the head lights, but not the fog lights. I know I can 'rotate' the PIAA's but I'm not sure what is the correct position and how far back from a wall I need to be.

Thanks!

 

this may not be the total correct way, but when i adjust fog lights on anything, i'll get on level ground, about 20 feet from a wall, and adjust them to where the top of the beam barely comes over the bottom part of the wall......that way, the beam is concentrated pretty low to the ground and isnt hitting high on anyone's car/truck sightline.

 

So I didn't totally follow the post above so if anyone can help, it will be getting dark in another hour or so...

 

Ok, Park 20' back from a wall/garage door and aim the lights down to where the beam washes at the bottom of said wall/gd. Right where the vertical line meets the horizontal line.

Some geometry whiz will know exactly what you call that meet point. "The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side." That Scarecrow was such a SmartyPants

Basically like the letter "L"....right there at that intersection is where the beam should wash if not slightly above.


(2) Fog lamps must be aimed so that the top edge of the high intensity zone is set at the horizontal centerline and the left edge of the high intensity zone is set at the vertical centerline. (Same as low beam headlights.)
NOTE: Fog lamps must be aimed using the optical headlight aimer. A tolerance of four inches in 25 feet is allowed in both the horizontal and the vertical adjustment.

i. Driving lamps are not aimed so that the center of the hot spot drops three inches in 25 feet so that the hot spot is directly ahead of the lamp;
NOTE: Driving lamps must be aimed using the optical headlight aimer. A tolerance of four inches in 25 feet is allowed in both the horizontal and the vertical adjustment.


http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+19VAC30-70-160 Look through this, it'll help you out.

 

By "wash" do you mean the top of the fog light should just hit the "horizon" of the wall at 20 feet or do you mean the light should be centered on the "horizon" at 20 feet?

Thanks for taking the time to try to 'splain me... you gotta type slower.

Also, want to get this done quick... UFC 101 comes on at 9:30!

 

Centered.....

But then again maybe you should wait till it gets foggy...

 

um.....i figured it was pretty explanatory.

 

I too Will thought your explanation was spot on. I hope I didn't intrude on your help by trying to draw a visual.

I guess we're not the rocket scientists he was looking for to aim those lights.

I've done a few in my days, just hit a nice dark back road, pull over, dump the body and then proceeded to aim the lights to my preference.

Easy squeasy cheesy....

Still have to get to Rock Hill to check out that BBQ joint you referred me to many a moon ago. Sundays are my only real day off. Vacation coming first week of Sept., maybe then.

 

So, one thing to mention... I don't think there really is a 'proper' way to adjust the PIAA's... they're strictly Off Road use only and i'm pretty sure that's 50state. Just aim them where they cover the terrain the best for what your off road needs are... and don't use them on the roads with oncoming traffic...

 

nah.....no intrusion man....i thought the both of us explained it pretty spot on.

hell yeah.....you gotta try the bbq place here in rock thrill...........Burk's BBQ......damn good eating. on sundays tho.....they are opened from 11 to 2.....weird hours i know. best damn ribs around here tho.

 

OK guys. I reread all of the posts and understand everything pretty clearly. For some reason it makes more sense today than last night. Thanks for the help.