What healamp changes needed for European roads

[WRX bankrupt]

Hi Guys,

Advice sought here.

Having never driven outside the UK and now contemplating the same, I have a question regarding the regulations for UK headlamp setup when driving on European roads.

I've been told that the WR1 has no mechanical adjustment facility to make it Europe compliant and that I need to get some sticky things to put on the healamp itself to block out the bit that would potentially blind oncoming drivers. Can any of you guys advise please if there is anything specifically available for the WR1/Impreza headlamps that would make them Euro compliant during a short visit and what it takes to fit etc.

Thanks

[WRX bankrupt]

Further update... Having used the link to the Workshop Manual, kindly posted earlier by jd, I see that the Impreza does not use the Headlamp glass to re-direct the light but uses reflectors within the unit. I also read on the AA website that on some make of vehicle it is possible to adjust the reflectors to suit European road requirements.
Does anyone know if or how this could be be done ?

[Gee Wr1]

No idea on this, but if you adjust the reflectors would you not have to open the whole light unit up?

[WRX bankrupt]

One guy at work metioned that an old BMW he had years ago had this ability and it was a case of removing one screw, rotating the bulb unit reflector and screwing back in again. Sound a great idea but don't know if the Impreza has this.

[chris]

I'm sure someone on here will know. I'd PM or email Torrekins, he has a UK car and lives in a far off land.

[chelspeed]

Every few weeks someone asks this. And when you get to a english ferry port there are streams of english cars diligently fitting little black bits of tape to their headlights.

But when you see a french, german or italian car in uk on holiday do any of them have deflectors to avoid dazzling us? Do they f***!

So get your own back just go over there and drive round dazzling the cheese eating surrender monkeys. Serve them right for driving on the worng side of the road.




Only joking of course.......

[chelspeed]

And iof you really want to then you can still do it with the clear lens headlamps where beam pattern comes from the reflector.

Park your car about 6 foot from a wall or garage door. Put dip on. There's a distinct cut off in the light pattern at the top that's generally flat on the right to the middle but then from the centre of the light spot it ramps up to the left side. It's this ramp up that's designed to light up the curb on the left and is alleged to dazlle oncoming cars if they're on the worng side of the road.

Get a bit of card approx 2 inch square and move it round on the lens until it blanks off this rising bit and leaves the light flat all the way across. Then put your black tape there. I think it wants to be top right corner of the where the bulb is inside the lens (looking at it from in front of the car) but that's from memory and I could be worng.

[WRX bankrupt]

Thanks, I'll try out the sticky tape thing since it sounds the simplest thing to do