Pulled over for lights!?

Alpharex MK2 NOVA. Not sure how far away from the wall I was but I adjusted them up because they were too low out of the box. I need to make a final adjustment with a proper distance from a wall.

 

Here, convenient tool for you while it is best to aim at 25', in case you can't find such wide area, conversion I made Download excel file and enter distance to wall and lamp height It will spit out your target cutoff height on the wall whatever the distance you have available.


Distance Unit is feet
Lamp height Unit is Inches
then, Cutoff height on the wall will show your target height based on wall distance.

for example, if you only can find wall distance 18.5' away then type 18.5 in Distance to wall
Lamp height is same, 40" for example in this case.
Then your cutoff shall be 37.8" from the ground on the wall that is 18.5' away.




This conversion only work with 4Runner or lamp mount height higher than 40" Feel free to use but don't suggest for other community Lower position mounted lamp has different aim reference. ( for example, Corolla or Camry can't be aimed based on this converter)

 

Nope. He was looking for you to make some sort of infraction so he could pull you over for it and have it on camera or to put in his notes. He was also running your plates during that time.

it’s not like the dukes of hazard where they flip the rear end around and start the flashers as soon as they see something they don’t like.

 

My question would be “why do you need to read my plate?” Or sending them to the optometrist. These cops have nothing else to do? No crime in the area or what?

 

You are assuming non-defective headlights. When you don't have a functional cut off, because so much light bleeds over it, you have to measure from the highest point that still produces light.

 

Of course any guide line is based on functioning lamp. When lens are faded, no aim can help due to surface scatter kick up glare to angle beyond aiming range can handle. It's just information for VOR lamp, all variation of 5th gen headlamp is VOR. If lens are already degraded, no reliable way to aim, VOR means visual aim. Blurred cutoff due to lens degrade already is out of service condition technically. If someone really want to make sure, only way to assure glare prevention is to take photometric measurement. In such case, measure 1.5L-L 0.5U, make sure that is below 1000Cd That's 2.6" up from cutoff, 7.85" to left zone from beam center line Anything above 17.2lux@25' at this specified zone is considered as glare. If no detectable cutoff on the wall at 25' then take another -3" from that point which is 1.6" down from lamp height 7.85" from left at 25' wall, make sure this is below 1000cd ( 17.2lux @25') Other than that, no reasonable method to aim or prevent glare, Weak gradient makes too much subjective guessing. Bring highest point produce light still does not assure 0.5 degree above that point remain under glare limit.

 

You can't fix the defective cutoff, but treating the color-band as blinding and adjusting up from what point to measure the cutoff would help reduce the glare. Less blinding is still better, even if you are not street legal with your headlights.

More so, cops won't have photometric measurement equipment with them, they will write a ticket based on a subjective guess.

 

So random question: what about the fog lights? I feel like my fog lights need to be adjusted.

 

It's certainly cop won't even fully understand LB2V regulation, I can agree that. First step is to share correct protocol, from there case by case advise I will suggest.

For AlphaRex Nova, G-max is almost 4.9 ( required minimum 0.13) Even tho, color band is one of the worst, size of the cutoff step down also is designed ridiculously large at 1.3 degree down. On-coming traffic glare issue won't be much of concern at VOR aim + additional 3" aim down

This is per cutoff required illumination and glare zone. red box is Glare Orange is required minimum 500cd, allowable up to 2700Cd Green is required minimum 200Cd, allowable up to 1400Cd
Lower red box, can't exceed 1000Cd upper red box, max allowance is 700cd
Nova color band average was about 750Cd



Now below is aiming for lamp mount height above 40", 0.57D aim ( 3" down at 25') then actual issue is not having enough light above cutoff ( on the right)
and no beam reach on the left. Left to elbow only reaches about 30m from lamp. Fog lamp beam cover range almost. So aiming using g-max for 0.57D of this beam is very reasonably sufficient, was my point.
Glare zone is way above cutoff even much higher than color band.

I understand no one shall use none-compliance headlamp, but also there are tons using such unaware. I won't support none-compliance design lamp, but making best overall assessment advise, for him and for other drivers on the road in general, I suggested G-max as cutoff.
Making thick color band upper edge as cutoff is bit too much for 0.57D aimed scenario I believe. Likely make his lamp either aiming clip stripped or nothing in distance illuminating at all.
no distance reach, evaporating above cutoff. Equality unsafe for driver in this case.

And if this was subject of lower lamp mount height, straight VOR aim community, then my advise would have been " top of the visibly recognizable blue color band to be cutoff equivalent"
That was the reason I said converter only intended for high lamp mount config.




I hate aftermarket lamp has no consideration to optical functioning design,, can't even really advise.
Only thing I can say to community in general is learn about lamp and be able to tell what lamp is bad and what is OK.
In short, vast majority of aftermarket lamp are not designed correctly at all.

Learn aiming per protocol and keep their lamp clean.

From optics designer stand point, best advise is to use OE new lamp And photometric test verified aftermarket replacement at least, even CAPA certified lamp are considerably less desirable performance compare to OE.
Avoid sharp cutoff, avoid blue color band pretty much.

 

Cutoff to be 4" below fog lamp height at 25' Make sure lamp is actually designed to SAE F or F3 lens shall say SAE F or F3 If not, those aren't allowed to use on the road.

 

at 25'

 

Thank you for your help. The Morimoto product does look like it projects a cleaner light. I kinda wish I went that route but I didn’t like the style of the lights before.

 

Are you talking about XB Gen2?? Those are OK, but OE LED projector is far better performer. for style of the lamp, that's totally personal preference, but make sure to research about actual performance. Light after all is very important safety device for both driver, yourself and others on the road For styling, not sure if you will like or not, but I made new XB Evo line up, those will perform much stronger than OE LED model. Well, pricing also is another factor, but if you considered XB Gen2, it's about same. If you haven't seen, look it up XB Evo This is first line up I fully designed entire detail from projector to every design elements. Very much different from any past gen XB Headlight. However tho, I do need to mention, it uses advanced DOT VOR aim optimized dip style cutoff. Some freaking out because it does not look like cutoff most accustomed to. If interested, reach me out in some other thread talking about Evo line up.

 

The first thing I did was slap a LaminX yellow cover on my fog lights. I have heard that the yellow-ish lights are easier on the eyes than white lights. Plus they reflect better off snow.

 

The new XB Evo. I didn't like the styling of the Gen 2 so I went Alpharex. Of course one of the high beams failed right out of the box and I'm trying to get a replacement.

My 19 Runner didn't have OEM LEDs or else I would have stuck with them.

 

^^this is almost certainly what happened. but check just to be safe. never had and issue with ours being too high but it definitely can happen

 

I've got a little of this weird shelf-like as well. I got my car used with OEM like this and I've only had it for 3k miles. I'm not driving around a lot at night, but I've definitely noticed. I'm probably in need of a readjust as well, unless anyone has other thoughts to why the weird off shapes.

 

That photo is NOT OEM optics output. OE LED projector output look like this. One of the best compact Bi-LED projector designed by Koito. Very strong performance. High beam is bit modest but low beam really is top notch performer.



Pairwise, it will look like below.




What kind of "weird off shape" concern you have? take photo and share, I can have better idea address what can be your concern

 

This thread is a good example of why updating the location in your profile may be important. This is almost all state-specific. People who post the "answer" may not be posting the correct answer in your state.

 

State? you mean outside of USA?? Aiming advise I posted is for US DOT FMVSS to be clear. sorry didn't specified so If talking about US DOT, then FMVSS is federal reg and it matters not whatever state you are in, all US DOT spec vehicle must comply FMVSS and headlamp regulations are all same across, there is no state specific aiming method nor variation of optics.

 

FMVSS are generally a safety standard manufacturers must meet, not the laws that effect drivers.

Your driving is mandated, typically "locally," meaning state, county and city-specific. A "state" issues a driver license, and vehicle-specific equipment is mandated at the state level. For example, the state may say how many rearview mirrors you have to have, or whether you are required to have doors installed, or the minimum number and color of forward facing lights, but the lights have to be federally certified to meet DOT/SAE equivalent standards.

The vehicle manufacturer must meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, but you get a ticket based on the vehicle, equipment and driving based on state specific law.

 

I have looked up and there is no state documented saying go against FMVSS adopted J599 aim protocol However, I think I found issue,, J599 aim protocol itself was severely outdated, not safe standard to follow actually. So follow old rule was bad practice optically speaking. I had chance to learn this tonight. Thanks! It's not interpretation per state level, simply this outdated standard is giving much more chance to actually glaring with modern headlamps. Regulation need update, vehicle specific study is needed,


Here is better reference I concluded in short
3" down @25' for stock lamp height is strongly physic supported reference to follow, conservatives conclusion same way I advised

But I will update to say, if you have lift more than 5" total, even 4" down aim can't prevent glare. This is where J599 absolutely failed on. Probably regulation table too old, maybe for the time when lamp were much less potent.

if you worry about for those who has mild lift, 4" down but don't hope much, probability of glare isn't that much difference with lift. Vehicle getting taller, larger, lamp height getting higher is really a root cause. So if you have more than 5" or more lift total, good to remember lamp glare is very much urging probability.


This is the reason many latest model start placing headlamp much lower ( some has DRL at higher position but actual headlamp is much lower part of the bumper)




Here is background of conclusion

To advise this OP concern, I dive in bit deeper making 5th gen 4runner specific optical model and run latest IIHS glare evaluation model, Because IIHS glare evaluation model is much more consistent to if other driver will feel it as glare or not. And here is my finding.


Below is is critical line between lamp mount height vs aiming amount and glare probability
This is when ideal flat road driving situation Based on IIHS glare model, if lamp height is higher than 47", even 4" down can't prevent glare.
(J599 as allowing lamp height upto 54"!! No wonder glare issue is chronic with high potency headlamp) this definitely will cause severe glare. The reason I said table already is outdated!!

On the other hand, modern high gradient headlamp can handle glare free upto 43" in ideal condition. Of course, lamp will certainly degrade and turn some scatter into glare,






So here is average lens condition calibrated glare probability chart ( by me, nothing in regulation nor any authority, just a study. So take this information as data based reference tip)

Stock height is 40" so if you have unmodified OE lamp in good condition, 2" down should be fine, but to be conservatives 3" down to be safe is the reason of my conclusion.
This is consistent to how I advised, stock lamp shall be aimed 3" down from lamp height, this stand as valid.
strongly reasonably glare preventing aim




In summery, 3" down aim for stock height vehicle is reasonably conservatives than J599 aim standard, and more confidently less glaring aim.
If you want to push for it, IIHS models says 2" down is fine up to 43" but of course, risk of blinding others will be higher.

If lifted by up to 4", 3" down aim will be tight rope dancing, glare chance become exponentially high. Better aim 4" down aim but still chance aren't small Keep this in mind.
If lifted more than 5", then certainly glaring despite effort aiming down so far.

The reason I chose IIHS standard is because they are assessing including most modern high performance headlamp, such as 4runner OE LED lamp.
In much more in depth various drive situation analysis, this includes vehicle pitch shift beam bounce probability and turn radius, hill probability all in consideration.


Hope this help community somewhat enjoy your light with responsibility!

 

@yoshi i it seems you chose to quote a post of mine that was not related to your post. Here is an example of state specific "law" regulating the use of lights, and why someone might get pulled over for brights (California Vehicle Code related to vehicle lighting). Every state having their own specific vehicle code:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/...24409.#:~:text=Whenever a motor vehicle is,37.)

 

I am bit lost,, That is rule definition for usage of upper beam and lower beam function, not aim of low beam. I was advising about aim of the VOR lamp per lamp mount height. I am not sure what I am not understanding exactly tho.. hope I am giving community right advise for aim/glare subject. All VOR follow J599 but what I added discovery was J599 is outdated, and by following J599 won't solve glare issue. If such aiming requirement changes state by state, interstate DOT truck driver must visually aim very state border. To further help OP's concern how to prevent possible glare concern, I made 5th gen 4runner specific aiming/mount height based glare probability chart, based on specific optics selected for 4runner, so community can get idea what kind of aim is less chance cause glare. Aiming from factory is not precise, there is large number of cases IIHS assessed glaring lamp just because aimed wrongly. Many cases, if it is considered as glare, it's not because some state has different glare definition, it's simply is glaring most of the time. How to aim, I learned J599 isn't sufficient per modern vehicle lamp performance and mount height tendency, so there is chart I made for. Using most up to date assessment model beyond current J599 can provide. Probability chart shall help user to have some reference aim guide to minimize glare issue.

 

You and I were addressing different things. You quoted me out of context. That's all.

 

State law ranks below federal law in the legal hierarchy. European cars typically have a longer beam on the right side to better illuminate the roadside—supposedly to help spot hookers on the side of the road. In Great Britain, it’s the opposite, with the left-side beam being longer. In the U.S., headlights are symmetrical. This difference explains why Mercedes-Benz has separate versions for the U.S. and other markets, largely due to regulations on headlights and bumper standards.

 

I guess I misunderstood the original post, as I didn't realize the OP was pulled over by a federal law enforcement agent for a violation of federal law. My bad.

 

Another example:
At the federal level, seat belts are regulated under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), specifically FMVSS 208, which mandates that all vehicles manufactured in or after 1968 be equipped with seat belts. This ensures that car manufacturers install seat belts in all passenger vehicles.

However, enforcement of seat belt use by passengers and drivers is left to the individual states, not the federal government. Thus, while there is a federal requirement to include seat belts in vehicles, each state determines the laws and penalties for their use.
Similar with the headlights.