Converting LHD headlights

[60six]

Hi

I need to get hold of a set of headlights for a saab 9000 - poor quality wobbly children's play pony excrement - I can get hold of left hand drive units, but need to know if the internals are different, or if it's just the glass lense which is different.

I was thinking I could put the rhd lenses over lhd headlights to convert them without use of 'beam bender' black stickers.

Would anyone know if this is possible?

[stuey]

Its a common practice in the fiat 126 community for the same reason- the light buckets are the same just the glass is different and its usually the buckets that rot and fail mots, people tend to carefully hot gun the glass off and glue it (clear mastic) to LHD buckets. (the last set of RHD ones I bought cost me £100!)

[glenanderson]

Check the bulb orientation carefully. Main beam is the central filament, to give a light that shines straight up the road, dip beam is the offset one that in the lamp holder sits above centre to make the beam bend downward. RHD lights normally have the dip filament at around one o'clock (looking from the rear), to make the beam bend left, and LHD ones have it at eleven o'clock to push it to the right.

[surprisingskoda]

If you'd use used ones, LMK. I have a friend who is a SAAB specialist in southern Ireland who might be able to help.

[60six]

Nov 28, 2015 21:56:13 GMT surprisingskoda said:

If you'd use used ones, LMK. I have a friend who is a SAAB specialist in southern Ireland who might be able to help.

All saabs have a system where the ignition turns everything off dead - most people just keep the headlights on, or forget to use the switch ever again - All saab 9000 headlights for the facelift model are these crappy plastic lenses that degrade within 10 years. Been looking at lots of secondhand and all have poor reflection - Just bought a pair of LHD but will give you a shout if they're no good.

Used aluminium foil tape on mine to see if it improves things - It did, but now the beam has no definition and no matter how calm and slow you apply the tape to a a convex shape, you WILL always get parts that will never be smooth, and they will do strange things to the beam pattern.

[60six]

Nov 28, 2015 20:49:42 GMT glenanderson said:

Check the bulb orientation carefully. Main beam is the central filament, to give a light that shines straight up the road, dip beam is the offset one that in the lamp holder sits above centre to make the beam bend downward. RHD lights normally have the dip filament at around one o'clock (looking from the rear), to make the beam bend left, and LHD ones have it at eleven o'clock to push it to the right.

Do you have a photo - I think I know what you mean but I need to see also.

The bulb holder has a dark plastic cover that appears to direct the beam as well - Sits over the top of the bulb with about aa 5mm gaap all round. Will this need adjustment?