Adjusting Hymer Hella H/Lamps L/RHD

[StuartO]

I am off to France shortly and decided to look into converting my Hella 90mm headlamps to LHD to avoid causing glare or needing to apply stickers.  There is an existing Thread on here about this subject which you may care to read but I decided to start afresh to give prominence to the drawing I have obtained.

 

Conversion between LHD and RHD on their circular headlamp units (fitted by Hymer 2001 to 2006) is done by unfastening three screws from the back and then rotating the assembly.  You have to loosen the screws quite a long way to be able to pull the unit rearwards in order to rotate past a lug.  Accepted wisdom from Petrer Hambildon (Hymer expert) is that because of awkward access, it's far easier to remove the front bumper to do this job.

 

This drawing shows a rear view of the lamp unit.  Remove the top screw and loosen the screws at 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock, then pull the unit rearwards and rotate, then refasten.  There is a later variant which has torx screws and the top one doesn't need removing completely.

 

There are a baffling array of variants of these 90mm Hella lamp units, so I cannot guarantee that all Hymers are exactly like this but this drawing at least gives you the general idea.

[StuartO]

Another variant of the Hella units has a rubber bung on top and you remove this to reach a slider inside the unit, which operates a shutter or screen of some sort to make the conversion.

[Robbo]

The conversion alters the beam from an assymetrical beam pattern (with left kickup) as used in the UK to a symmetrical beam pattern (flat beam) for suitable use in mainland Europe.

 

So, if driving at night in mainland Europe just be aware of the limitations as the right-hand kerb line will be less visible (ie. no kickup to the right).

 

I keep my dipped Hella lamps on flat beam all the time and it always passes the MOT. 90% of my driving is in mainland Europe.

[keninpalamos]

Just to add that this head light is fitted to E series A class Hymers from 1996/1999. In UK mode the "kick" as you put it is to the left. When rotated to drive in Europe the horizontal becomes the kick to the right and the former kick to the left becomes the horizontal beam. I have cut off the tag so I no longer have to pull the unit backwards, just loosen the three retaining screws a bit and rotate until the L or R marks line up and re tighten I will admit 4 of the 6 screws are a sod to get to but just possible. My should add my 'van is an import left hand drive and has the original headlights.