Headlight Illumination Issues

[haider320]

Well, since some of you think my head lights are adjusted to high since I get flashed by traffic; I had them adjusted two turns down ward.

 

I hope this works because I'm tired of the a$$holes flashing me all the time. I also hope my visabilty remains awesome like it was on the previous setting.

[mafd2]

High beams were good on mine but low were not. All got fixed up when I installed a 2.5" leveling/lift kit.

If you leveled your truck then your headlights are too high. That's why you think it's fixed. Now it's like driving with you highs on. When lights are set from the factory, the truck isn't level (rear is higher). I leveled the back of my truck (hadn't had a chance to re aim the lights then and the same day had a heavy load in the bed and I could see great. Because it was like driving with high beams. When I switched to high beams I could see no difference except the lights were shining in the sky. That's why you're seeing better now. Remember, the low and high beams use the same bulb on the Sierra and the only difference is a shutter that raises and lowers from high to low. I have me lights tweaked with the cutoff line just right where I can still see good and not blind oncoming traffic.

[mafd2]

Well, since some of you think my head lights are adjusted to high since I get flashed by traffic; I had them adjusted two turns down ward.

 

I hope this works because I'm tired of the a$$holes flashing me all the time. I also hope my visabilty remains awesome like it was on the previous setting.

I have a good place to set mine. A level slab on a brick wall using mortar joints as a guideline. The key is to have them adjusted the same. You can tell when driving. You want to see the cutoff line and not have a lot of reflection on signs like when on bright. It might take you a few times to get them perfect.

[soltys]

Everyone has an opinion. Some believe the headlights suck, some think they're fantastic. Those that think they are fantastic haven't driven a vehicle with great lights or they just haven't spent much time with these.

 

That's a pretty bold statement to make. Just because I don't have a problem with the headlights on my Sierra means I don't know "great lights"?

I've had factory HIDs, after market HIDs, after market bulbs and everything in between in a lot of different vehicles, and I drive city streets and back roads country where cell phones don't work. Are they the best I've ever had - no. Are they the worst - far from it.

Edited October 16, 2014 by soltys

[haider320]

I have a good place to set mine. A level slab on a brick wall using mortar joints as a guideline. The key is to have them adjusted the same. You can tell when driving. You want to see the cutoff line and not have a lot of reflection on signs like when on bright. It might take you a few times to get them perfect.

 

My neighbor had a 14 Sierra and he said he never gets flashed. I'll probably line our trucks next to each other; in front of my garage. I'll align my cut off line with his.

 

Good thing about these headlights, they're super easy to adjust.

Edited October 13, 2014 by haider320

[mafd2]

Wow.... did he feel the shake or say anything about it after driving it? What speed does the truck shake @?

 

My neighbor had a 14 Sierra and he said he never gets flashed. I'll probably line our trucks next to each other; in front of my garage. I'll align mine with his.

 

Good thing about these headlights, there easy to adjust. The nice cut off line makes it super easy to adjust.

Yes that would work. If u find they are still a bit low you can always raise them a 1/4 turn at a time until you get them tweaked.

[Spurshot]

That's a pretty bold statement to make. Just because I don't have a problem with the headlights on my Sierra means I don't know "great lights"?

I've had factory HIDs, after market HIDs, after market bulbs and everything in between in a lot of different vehicles, and I drive city streets and back roads country where cell phones don't work. Are they the best I've ever had - no. Are they the worst - far from it.

Maybe the guys that don't have problems with their lights have better nighttime vision and those you who don't like them, can't see as well at night anyways.

Nothing personal, but I'm of the camp that these lights are poorly designed. I had a 6 volt VW that had worse lights over 40 yrs ago. The GMT 900 had much better lights, IMO . This is a $40-50k truck and it's 2014. The bar is set higher.

[gregross.us]

Hey folks, all of us who have the aforementioned truck know that the headlights suck! What have you found to be the best solution for the pitiful low beams?

 

Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[NitroCherokee]

Just a thought, I do not own one of these to know for sure but what I have noticed is a lot of them seem to be misaligned. I drive a Superduty and as you guys know they are tall, I almost never get lights bothering me in my mirrors or from on coming traffic unless it's the moron that doesn't turn off the brights. Recently since it is dark on my way to work now I have noticed more and more that the K2XX headlights will beam directly into my side mirrors and seem bright. I would think if they are pointed high enough to be bothering me in my side view mirror that they would not be working very good for the driver either. Just a thought and maybe something you guys could check pretty easy

[2014 Sporty Shorty]

There's more than one option, what's your price point?

[junkyardz]

$100 bucks? lol

[ChrisNJ]

Go to the 'Mods' subforum, lots of info there. Cheapest fastest partial fix, enough to see, is a HID bulb kit.

[SteveBBB]

Funny, A few days ago, I was driving home from a long trip, on a 2 lane secondary road, after dark and I was thinking...boy this truck has great headlights. Different strokes, I guess.

Edited October 22, 2014 by SteveBBB

[lefty421]

Funny, A few days ago, I was driving home from a long trip, on a 2 lane secondary road, after dark and I was thinking...boy this truck has great headlights. Different strokes, I guess.

 

Not different strokes.... different trucks. The OP is complaining about the headlights on a Sierra, which are not the same headlights you have on your Silverado. apples and oranges.

[ChrisNJ]

 

Not different strokes.... different trucks. The OP is complaining about the headlights on a Sierra, which are not the same headlights you have on your Silverado. apples and oranges.

Yup, the Sierra's use a single (crappy) projector for low and high, with just a shutter that raises for high beam. The light output, and beam pattern on low is horrible, I would call dangerous. Then go to high, which it does by raising the shutter, and the beam pattern and light output is equally as bad, with the majority of the beam pattern going 10 degrees up in to the trees. It can not be adjusted down, as you would think, because then the low beam would point to the ground, as the shutter height is not adjustable.

Again, the cheapest, easiest fix is to install HID bulbs into the existing projectors. My 35w-4500K HID bulbs have at least made the truck safe to drive at night, and took about 1-2 hours to install. This gives good/acceptable light output, but the other beam pattern problems are still not fixable. On high with the HID's the 10degree up angle problem is enough to think your going to call in planes to land, not kidding. And if you drive under a forest canopy, as I do alot, it is very distracting, but at least you can see.

Some have installed complete new projectors with great results, however this requires extensive mods.

Best of luck.