Swapping my Old Headlight Units back on my LHD X250

[paid2travel]

I'm hopefully going to spend a few months down in southern Europe soon so as it's my first venture I was thinking of maybe putting back my old headlight units (after getting them removed for it's first UK MOT) instead of using beam deflectors for EU driving.

 

Looking at some previous threads, I think Brian Kirby and maybe Derek Uzzell had some experience with this.

 

If I did decide to swap, would the units need any alignment adjustment or are they good-to-go ?

 

Or, if I chose just to put beam deflectors on, are there any clear instructions on doing this, and how I can verify the correct placement of the deflectors has been achieved ?

 

Thanks

Martin

[Derek Uzzell]

Replacing headlamps on Ducato X290 vehicles (built mid-2014 onwards) is very simple and quick (assuming the fixing screws aren’t corroded!) and, in fact, the headlamp has to be detached to change bulbs.

 

Changing headlamps on earlier Ducato X250s (like yours) is a bit more fiddly and the method was described in detail here

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/replacing-nearside-headlight-assembly-ducato-x250/37016/

 

(Note euroserv’s warnings.)

 

In principle, if your original LHD-pattern headlamps were correctly aligned for driving-on-the-right, they should not need adjusting if you put them back in.

 

“Eurolites” beam adapters (sample advert here - but cheaper through ebay)

 

http://www.travelspot.co.uk/product-eurolites.html

 

come with fairly comprehensive instructions on how and where on the headlamp to fit the adapters and there’s a YouTube video here

 

 

If you envisage doing a lot of night driving abroad it might be best to reinstall the LHD units - otherwise fit Eurolites.

 

The (crude) DIY way to check if the beam deflectors have been correctly fitted would be to use the ‘white wall’ ploy, checking the beam pattern before and after the deflectors have been put on.

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/beam-deflectors-benders/12307/

[Brian Kirby]

Regarding the Ducato headlamps I can't add anything to Derek's post, as I have no experience with the X250 headlamps.

 

What I would say is that as a personal preference I would swap in the right dippers rather than use benders - although that preference would be influenced strongly by what Nick (euroserv) says in his linked comments!

 

My reasons are twofold.

 

First, headlight use is pretty much obligatory in all European road tunnels, and beam benders can leave one a bit blind on the right hand side (Euroland nearside) when confronting on-coming traffic all with headlights on, compared to the beam pattern of proper right dippers.

 

Second, from your post, you will be travelling in late autumn/early winter, so after the clocks change, and all you'll need is a delay somewhere to leave you finishing your day's drive at least after lighting-up time - if not actually after dark, so the same disadvantage of "benders" obtains.

 

So, if reasonably feasible, I'd swap over the headlights to benefit from that right hand "up-kick" on the LHD beam pattern, and the consequently improved nearside kerb illumination that it provides.

 

Finally, don't lose sight of the 90 days in 180 days Schengen time limit that seems likely to come into force on 1/1/21 when we leave "transition".

[Keithl]

Martin,

 

Whichever way you decide to play this you are going to have to use beam deflectors/blockers.

 

As you have said, if you stick with your LH traffic headlights you will need deflectors when abroad but if you do swap for your RH traffic lights then you will have to fit deflectors when driving on UK roads (ie to/from the port) to remain legal.

 

Keith.

[paid2travel]

Thanks Derek, Brian & Keith for the links and valid pointers.

 

I've ordered some benders for Europe then found a pair of deflectors at home which I'd bought just before we imported the van into the UK but didn't need to use them in the end. Didn't realize though that the benders for Europe and the UK are essentially the same, just fitting positions differ.

 

Still undecided which way I'm going to go at the moment, I am tempted to swap back but need to judge exactly how much night/tunnel driving I'm really likely to do, to warrant it.

[colin]

AFAIK the benders(or masks as we use) only stop the lefthand kick up, I've driven many miles in the dark with them in position, even in UK when I forgot to take them off for 9 months, and never had cause to worry that there was a drop in light output that made it 'difficult' to see.

I would note there have been comments about the masks, or the glue from them, causing problems with the lens. I got some clear covers which I stick the masks on. I had noticed the covers where starting to look a bit worse for wear last year, then they where ripped off by cross winds during one of last autumns hurricanes, underneath the 9 y.o. lens are like new, I've now got some more covers.

[Derek Uzzell]

The purpose of a ‘mask’ on a left-dipping UK-norm headlamp is to block off the ‘kick-up’ on the headlamp dipped-beam pattern’s left-hand end that helps to lluminate the verge on a UK road.

 

A ‘beam bender’ (as I understand it) is supposed to alter the dipped-beam pattern so that the kick-up is deflected downwards so that it will not dazzle when driving on the right.

 

(I’m sure I remember a MMM review of ‘beam bender’ products years ago and that none of them proved to be partticularly effective.)

 

There’s a long FAQ section about “Eurolites” beam adapters here

 

http://www.motoring-into-europe.co.uk/faq.html

 

When I imported a Ford Transit-based LHD Hobby motorhome in 2005 it came with right-dipping headlamps, which suited me as I planned to only use the vehicle for motorcaravanning outside the UK. Within an email dialogue with a VOSA representative I moaned about the UK requirement to replace the Hobby’s headlamps with left-dipping ones as (in my case) it would be expensive, difficulult to do and the result would be inferior lighting when driving abroad. He said (essentially) “Serves you right, the UK regulations aren’t there for someone who buys a LHD vehicle, registers it in the UK but doesn’t intend to drive it there.” I mentioned swapping between LHD and RHD headlamps and the potential illegality issues Keithl has highlighted above and he jokingly suggested that I might swap them over during the ferry crossing. I never changed the Hobby’s LHD headlamps (nor its km/h-only speedometer) but the DVLA was much less strict then when it came to UK vehicle registration.

[Brian Kirby]

Keithl - 2020-10-12 1:22 PM

Martin,

Whichever way you decide to play this you are going to have to use beam deflectors/blockers.

As you have said, if you stick with your LH traffic headlights you will need deflectors when abroad but if you do swap for your RH traffic lights then you will have to fit deflectors when driving on UK roads (ie to/from the port) to remain legal.

Keith.

Keith is right, in that driving in UK with un-masked right-dipping lights would make your van non-compliant with Construction and Use etc. But the extent to which this might become a problem will depend on the nature, and timing, of your return trip. Unless this would involve travelling past "lighting up time" in UK, there should be no necessity to use headlights, so you will not be dazzling (which I understand is the actual offence) anyone else. If you did have to use headlights, say in bad weather, providing you have the dashboard headlamp alignment adjustment, set that to maximum depression, and you should still not cause dazzle.

 

At least, that is the basis on which I swap the headlamps around. For continental use (invariably during "daylight saving time") I fit the right dippers, and make the journey to/from the port/shuttle in UK, in daylight, with them in place.

 

Then, once back home in UK, in go the left dippers. About the only times we drive for any distance in UK when on GMT is for service, MoT, or damp ingress checks. Otherwise, we only drive relatively short distances in UK during good weather, in daylight, on familiar roads, just to warm things up.

[Casimir]

I also have a Ducato X250 which is LHD so my experience with the headlights might be of interest.

 

I have two sets of headlights but most of my touring is in Europe. When returning to the UK for an MOT test I used to swap the headlights over until I discovered that fitting beam adapters (to the LHD headlights) was acceptable for the UK MOT test. It takes very little time to swap the headlights but I decided not to bother in future if it was not necessary.

 

I have never had to make any adjustments to the beam alignment with either sets of headlights. My van has always passed the UK MOT test and more recently the Spanish ITV test. And as Derek has said if your original LHD headlights were correctly aligned for driving on the right they should not need any adjustment.

 

If you already have a set of LHD headlights suitable for Europe I think it would be much better to use them rather than beam adapters which inevitably cut off some illumination, especially if you are going to be spending a few months in Europe.

 

Depending on your future plans you could even consider keeping the LHD headlights and just fitting the beam adapters when you return to the UK. As you have discovered they are exactly the same, only the fitting position is different.

[Brian Kirby]

paid2travel - 2020-10-11 9:45 PM

I'm hopefully going to spend a few months down in southern Europe soon so as it's my first venture I was thinking of maybe putting back my old headlight units (after getting them removed for it's first UK MOT) instead of using beam deflectors for EU driving.

................................Thanks

Martin

Martin. A belated thought, for which my apologies, but have you investigated health/travel insurance? Many firms are restricting, and some withdrawing, their health cover offer due to Covid. Unless the "deal" permits, no EHIC after 1/1/21 either.

[Guest pelmetman]

paid2travel - 2020-10-11 9:45 PM

 

I'm hopefully going to spend a few months down in southern Europe soon so as it's my first venture I was thinking of maybe putting back my old headlight units (after getting them removed for it's first UK MOT) instead of using beam deflectors for EU driving.

 

Looking at some previous threads, I think Brian Kirby and maybe Derek Uzzell had some experience with this.

 

If I did decide to swap, would the units need any alignment adjustment or are they good-to-go ?

 

Or, if I chose just to put beam deflectors on, are there any clear instructions on doing this, and how I can verify the correct placement of the deflectors has been achieved ?

 

Thanks

Martin

 

Just a thought ;-) ........

 

If you're going for months, why would you need to drive at night? :-S .......

 

Unless you intend to wildcamp which will mean you may need to do a runner or get moved on by the local fuzz.......or a local with a rock 8-) ........

 

Spain like the rest of the world is struggling with the virus :-| ........

 

We were the penulitmate campers to leave our campsite when Spain went into Lockdown........The journey back was interesting, coupled with knowing that in a Lockdown you can expect to be left on the side of the road for days if you breakdown in a lockdown 8-) .........

 

 

[paid2travel]

Brian Kirby - 2020-10-13 6:04 PM

 

paid2travel - 2020-10-11 9:45 PM

I'm hopefully going to spend a few months down in southern Europe soon so as it's my first venture I was thinking of maybe putting back my old headlight units (after getting them removed for it's first UK MOT) instead of using beam deflectors for EU driving.

................................Thanks

Martin

Martin. A belated thought, for which my apologies, but have you investigated health/travel insurance? Many firms are restricting, and some withdrawing, their health cover offer due to Covid. Unless the "deal" permits, no EHIC after 1/1/21 either.

Yes, got a few months cover via our existing bank policy which provides decent enough cover and an option to extend if necessary. No mention of increased restrictions after 31/2020 either, (well not yet anyway).

 

Insured MH last year with Saga and have also taken out their add-on overseas breakdown cover (with no weight/dim restrictions). Had to clarify that with them though, as they still had an older version displaying the old restrictions.

 

Have to say, I couldn't have done any of this very easily without the sterling work carried out by our forum members in previous posts ;-)

[Albertslad]

Brian Kirby - 2020-10-12 2:03 PM

 

So, if reasonably feasible, I'd swap over the headlights to benefit from that right hand "up-kick" on the LHD beam pattern, and the consequently improved nearside kerb illumination that it provides.

 

.

 

So is there an equivalent “up-kick” on the RHD beam pattern of RHD headlamp units?

 

Otherwise: could I take my LHD Ducato to a Kwik-Fit type of garage in say Calais, and have my headlights adjusted for driving on the Right, and then, on my return to UK, do the reverse, I.e. have my headlights adjusted back to driving on the Left?

Obviously, I would have to avoid night driving in either situation until my headlights had been “localised”, but it ought to be possible to time my channel crossings to give me a reasonable period in which to get to a garage.

 

Thinking about it, I generally manage not to have to drive in the hours of darkness, in fact, in 10 years I’ve never had to drive in darkness once I’ve crossed the channel.

Regards

[Brian Kirby]

Albertslad - 2020-10-18 5:52 PM

Brian Kirby - 2020-10-12 2:03 PM

So, if reasonably feasible, I'd swap over the headlights to benefit from that right hand "up-kick" on the LHD beam pattern, and the consequently improved nearside kerb illumination that it provides..

1 So is there an equivalent “up-kick” on the RHD beam pattern of RHD headlamp units?

 

2 Otherwise: could I take my LHD Ducato to a Kwik-Fit type of garage in say Calais, and have my headlights adjusted for driving on the Right, and then, on my return to UK, do the reverse, I.e. have my headlights adjusted back to driving on the Left?

Obviously, I would have to avoid night driving in either situation until my headlights had been “localised”, but it ought to be possible to time my channel crossings to give me a reasonable period in which to get to a garage.

3 Thinking about it, I generally manage not to have to drive in the hours of darkness, in fact, in 10 years I’ve never had to drive in darkness once I’ve crossed the channel.

Regards

1 Yes.

2 No, in either case.

 

The configuration of the light beam is built into the reflector, and is not adjustable. Left dipping lights dip left, and right dipping lights dip right, and both have the up-kick in their dipped beams to illuminate their respective nearside kerbs.

 

It is the up-kick that causes dazzle to oncoming traffic if the headlamps do not dip correctly for "native" left, or right, hand traffic.

 

The (much!) cheaper, legal, alternative is to use a deflector (beam bender), or a mask, to eliminate the up-kick and eliminate the dazzle.

 

The OP and I both have LHD vans that came with right dipping headlamps, which have been replaced, for UK registration, with left dipping headlamps, so we both have two sets of headlamps, one set left dipping and the other right dipping. These eliminate the need for masks etc. and, because they have the appropriate up-kick for left hand or right hand traffic, will give better night time illumination of the nearside kerb in their "native" countries should circumstances demand.

 

3. The only times I have driven using dipped headlamps with a van were in rain, in fog, and in tunnels. I too make a point of not driving after dark. I want to be parked and settled by the time it's dark!

[colin]

And now we get back to my earlier post, I've driven many miles after dark with the masks on, it's no big deal at all. Prior to a couple of years ago it was not unusual for me to travel a couple of hundred miles at a time in the dark as we transited to an we wanted to be on holiday in.

[Albertslad]

Thanks for the detailed explanation Brian; very clear.

Having used beambenders and not gound them very easy to position, I bought some headlamp protectors with the intention of fitting beambenders, or blanking tape to the inside of them, so that it would be a more consistent and durable solution. It would also avoid the claggy adhesive removal problem.

Is anyone still doing this, and what’s the best way to do it?

Thanks

[colin]

Now on our second set of x250 headlamp protectors, both where marked to show where the masks should go, not yet had to fit masks to the new set, but on last set at first used the masks that came with the protectors then used gaffer tape, to remove glue use meths.