R4 headlight adjustment

[JohnM]

Advice please: what do the little levers below the headlights on my 1986 R4 'Clan' do ? Adjust the beam height when heavy loaded, or switch the dip beam from original/French right-hand driving to (UK) left hand? I've run the Katrel in France for some years, but never given any thought to their purpose!

But Mrs M and I having recently relocated to North Wales and brought the R4 with us, it obviously needs an MoT (as well as HMRC clearance & 'DVLA' registration - not the easiest of tasks; my 2001 Scenic RX4's going through the same 'process'!) but I realise the headlight dip direction needs changing for The Test. And if it's not with the little levers, then I guess I'll have to dig out my precision steel files, as per the excellent 'dip change' instructions here in the Forum......!

Thanks in advance for helpful contributions

John M

 

[jjad]

It's height adjustment.
If you're lucky, you might have the headlamps that have an adjustment at the back for left/right-hand drive.

But more likely you will need to do what several forum members (including me) have done, which is to rotate the bulb after creating a little notch as described here: https://www.renault4.co.uk/tech-headlamp-conversion.htm

 

[JohnM]

JJad -Hi

Many thanks for this. Having first solved the 'problem' of releasing the elderly headlight back-covers ('squeeze, twist and pull sideways'!) sadly there wasn't any built-in L/R adjustment. But having earlier experimented with 'precision'-filing a new location slot, as advised, into a new unit (bought to replace a slightly cracked one but never fitted) I had little difficulty doing the same with the existing ones - and without removing them from the car! At nearly 75 I'm no contortionist, but with a steady hand and a good 'needle' file I guess almost anyone could do it!

The proof of the pudding will come next week - when the Katrel goes for her first UK MoT! And the 'spare' unit's ready 'filed' if the Tester demands replacement of the cracked unit.... involving removal of the front Grille?

Thanks again, JohnM

 

[jjad]

Well done for doing it in situ!

On a GTL at least, I don't think there is any need to remove the grill to replace headlamp units. (I don't know about other types with earlier grilles.)

 

[Cornish4]

Hi chaps. The plastic grille does have to be removed to replace the headlamp units, as does the aluminium grille fitted to the earlier cars. Bit of a pain I know, but there's no way around it.

Regards Brian.

 

[jjad]

Thanks Brian, my memory failed me there!

 

[mr-reno-139]

You don't have to completely remove the grill just undo as many as possible because these like to spin round and round on The Captive nut once you've got about an inch or two of gap the headlamp will rotate enough to come out

 

[Cornish4]

Without being a trifle pedantic, I didn't think the unit had to be rotated to remove it Paul, I thought it just clipped in, and is held by a spring, and surely removing the grille just makes access easier.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Of course if you had your grill out quite recently and fitted a different one then obviously easy to get in there out if it's been on there since 1980 the chances of all of the nuts and doing is remote when I meant rotate it was mainly twisting at an angle I was referring to lol