armstrongpiper Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I am looking to get some beam benders for my new Fiat X250 based MH. On eBay, and by looking via Google, there are several of a type I haven't seen before, such as Metro Super beam benders. Has anyone used this type of bender, and are they fittable to the new Fiat shaped headlight? Are they any good?!!! Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Dont know how good those are , but be aware that the headlamp lens are made from a plastic type material, and the sticky adhesive can damage them by crazing, so fit headlamp protectors first, and fix to those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulni Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I bought headlight protectors of ebay which will protect my headlamps from stones etc. These came with stickers to convert the beams and fitted on the premarked covers. I simply peeled the stickers off and keep the protectors on all year round. Hope you know what i mean. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armstrongpiper Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 Yes, I used that type with my previous Boxer based MH, but don't know if they are available yet for the new shape headlights. The Metro ones I have seen advertised are much cheaper. Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Hi Neil, I used the Halford sticky Beam Benders about £6 per set, left them on my polycarbonate plastic lenses for a full three years, took them off for the first MOT, was told not to bother by MOT mechanic as it wouldn't have made any difference to the test result, it would still have passed. When I took them off prior to the MOT there was - no damage to the lenses at all. I was going to buy a new (x250 chassis) MH this year, but decided not to because of the water entry probs - anyway I looked at the headlights, with the view of fitting Halfords beam benders, and I could see that they would fit and do the job, you just need to follow the instructions regarding fitting to lenses that are not illustrated. They don't actually bend the the beams but obscure the bit of the reflector that directs the headlight beam to the left, the overspill which normally illuminates the pedestrian pathway on our side of the road. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I believe that the idea that "sticky adhesive" causes crazing on plastic headlamps began as a theory put forward by MMM-Interchange's George Collings and related to opaque headlamp 'masks' rather than translucent beam-benders. The lights on my last (Transit-based) motorhome crazed beneath the adhesive-tape masks I had fitted to its lights, but I've always believed this was due to localised overheating (the obvious explanation) rather than a chemical reaction. Received wisdom is that white-tape masks avoid this problem, but that's what I was using. It's likely that some makes of plastic headlamps are just more craze-prone than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeePee Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I used black tape on my plastic lenses earlier this year and the lenses crazed. I have since tried white tape and the lenses crazed a little but not as bad. I would not use tape again I'd go for plastic lens covers and put tape on them if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Someone gave a website where you could buy covers for the headlights where you fit the beam benders.Would like it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limerick Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 I have used http://www.formula4.co.uk./ and received my order within a few day's limerick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Anyone seen any for the latest Transit yet? Can't find 'em on Formula4. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Tony Jones - 2007-11-16 8:24 AM Anyone seen any for the latest Transit yet? Can't find 'em on Formula4. Tony Call them, I got mine from them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Thanks Eddie, that's reassuring as my dealer wasn't aware of anyhting for the Mk7 yet. I'll probably get the van first though, I'd look really sad running round on foot holding a pair of headlamp protectors in front!!!! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 If we are all equal in Europe now how is it that at Dover the big screens warn us that its a requirement to fit bits of plastic or deflectors on the front of headlamps so as not to dazzle motorists who drive on the wrong side of the road. BUT On returning from Calais to Dover there is absolutely nothing at Calais telling mainland Europe motorists to do the same. A physical check of vehicles waiting to board the ferry each side showed none that I could see with anything fitted, deflectors or tape. I did see one brit on the ferry sticking bits onto the lenses of his car though. they sell them on board the boat, that was about it. This was this week, out on Monday and back on Wednesday. My motor has one of those twidley controls on the dashboard that lets one lift or lower the headlamps. I found that by setting this to the lowest position resulted in no one suggesting I was dazzling anybody. Am I wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Clive: You ask "Am I wrong?" - well, it all depends what you think you might be wrong about. If you are suggesting that there is no requirement for UK drivers travelling in Continental Europe, or for Continental drivers travelling in the UK, to ensure that their vehicles' 'other side of the road' headlamps do not dazzle, then you are wrong. If you are saying that using your motorhome's dashboard-mounted headlamp adjuster to deflect its dipped-beam downwards prevents any possibility of dazzle and claiming that this is an acceptable method of meeting the EU-wide non-dazzling requirement, then you are probably right. If you are observing that plenty of UK drivers, and most Continental drivers, appear to ignore this requirement, then you are definitely correct. I refer you to: http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=8342&posts=19 And, for anyone in the mood for some bedtime reading on this, try searching the forum on Keywords=dazzle, Filter by author=Derek Uzzell,Date Limit=All posts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapple Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Why do so many people refer to these "black tape masks" as beam benders. Lets be absolutely and brutally clear - THEY DO NOT BEND BEAMS. The simply mask the part of the beam that will cause dazzle when driving on the other side of the road. To understand this place you car in front of the garage doors and look at the dip beam. from one of the headlamps The right hand part of the beam is horizontal whereas the left hand part of the beam cants upwards so that the beam lights up the curb better (but will light up the oncoming traffic when abroad). If the mask is placed in the correct position (this is not always easy to do as the new type of headlamps are not marked) and the same check made against the garage door you should now find that the beam is entirely horizontal. So these masks cut off part of the beam but do nor bend it. Whilst abroad the curb will be seen less clearly than in the UK. There were some yellow lenses that could be bought which did indeed (according to the blurb) bend the beam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 djchapple - 2007-11-24 9:27 PM Why do so many people refer to these "black tape masks" as beam benders. it,s a generic term, as in why are all vacumn cleaners, hoovers, i don,t think many people think they bend light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 djchapple - 2007-11-24 9:27 PM Why do so many people refer to these "black tape masks" as beam benders. There were some yellow lenses that could be bought which did indeed (according to the blurb) bend the beam I thought people where refering to said beam benders as well as masks, are they not? I have three pairs of actual beam benders one pair are yellow 'clip on' type, another are clear clip on and the third are clear stick on. The yellow I remember buying around 1980, the clear I have no idea how I came to have them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Yes the are good and the do bend the beam unlike masks, therefore giving you more light on the road. be careful with plastic lens may cause crazing. I have got no bad reports yet. Use lens proctectors and stick the beam benders on them. Be careful going down through France the Police if stopped, esp' on the D/N roads. They will check all your documentation spare bulbs etc' they are watching for stolen motorhomes using G.B. and IRL plates. They will also issue an on the spot fine if you have not got light masks or beam benders. Good idea to bring the beam benders package with you as they did not know what the were when I was stopped in Magny-Cours last year 2007. before you ask it was not race day and I was not speeding. She told me not to even look in the direction of the race track. Best of luck with your beam benders. Regards, Brendan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.