Tacoma headlight adjustment for UK

Hello!

So, I've made it to Scotland and so has my Tacoma-baby!

I'm trying to figure out how to adjust the headlights so that they meet UK standards. I know there is a horizontal and vertical adjustment in the headlight casing...will that allow me to move them to the proper side of the road? (seeeee..."proper"...I'm already adjusting!) LOL

If anyone out there has any input on converting left-hand-drive headlights to UK standards, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!
Heather

 

I think the big problem you're going to have is that they drive on the other (left) side of the road over there. This means that your US spec headlights - designed for driving on the right side for the road - have the wrong kick up in the pattern for illuminating roadside signs. No amount or re-aiming is going to fix that issue. You may have to change out your headlight housings for those used in other left hand drive countries where the Tacoma is sold.

 

Since they probably sell Hiluxs over there, you might not be able to find OEM RHD headlight housings that fit your Tacoma. You may have to go aftermarket.

 

OP, took a US Spec LHD Toyota LC 80 series to New Zealand (RHD country) for a couple of years back in the 90's. Had the same issue, and they would not grant a Warrant of Fitness (NZ MOT) till I had it resolved. I took it to the local Toyota dealership in NZ and they sorted it for me by re-aiming the lights. The service manager told me they had to go to full adjustment to meet the spec. Those guys were some real pros as I recall, and were jazzed about getting to work on a US spec version. I ended up having all my service done there while I was in country and it was a pleasure. Just a suggestion. Hope you can get the same results. Oh yeah, they also put the headlights back to US spec before I shipped the vehicle home.

 

The easy (and probably one of the least desirable) options is to fit the black self-adhesive stickers designed to screen the part of the beam not cut off. They have them for people in the UK going to the continent and from the continent to the UK, with the blocking patterns reversed depending.)

Sort of turns the beam pattern into an overall cutoff, with no rise into the verge (or into oncoming traffic in your case.)

 

I’m surprised they didn’t simply fit RHD lights onto your LC. That model was sold in both RHD/LHD markets, of course, so the parts were readily available.

 

Retrofit with RHD projectors.

 

That's one of the reasons I wish Toyota would adapt one model for the entire world, instead of having a Hilux and a Tacoma. Adopt one model, and run with it!

 

Yeah, since they were able to adjust the stockers to meet the spec, this was the cheaper alternative for me. My sponsor paid to ship the vehicle there, they were not paying to have it meet NZ WOF standards tho...

 

I'd be shocked sh*tless if that would pass an MOT. The UK vehicle inspection program is *tough*!

(It's probably a reasonable suggestion, though.)

 

The headlamps would be SAE/DOT “approved”, according to the stamping on the lenses lol. Would they know any better, since the Tacoma is not a common truck?

 

Hello all... thought I would post an update here so people have the info...

I took my truck down to a local garage that does MOT and they pulled it into their bay and used the tool to check the headlights...and turns out they don't have to be adjusted at all!! So the only modifications I'll have to do is to install a fog light in the rear with a switch in the truck, reroute my current running/parking lights to my front fog lights...those will be my new "parking" lights... and then, I can re-purpose the running lights to be a second blinker as it wraps around the front of my truck and can be viewed from the side. Much easier than I thought it would be!