Have seen this question posed a few times, and I posted this about a year ago in a thread back when I got HIDs. It should help a few people out. This is in the manual, but for those that don't have one or prefer pictures, here you go.



Here's how:

1. Find a level surface that can allow you to park looking at a wall from ~25 feet.





2. Pull right up against the wall and mark a horizontal line at the center of the headlights. Also mark two vertical lines...one for each headlight.





3. Measure out 25 feet away from the wall.





4. Park your truck where the headlights are on the 25 foot mark. Doesn't have to be perfect.




5. Pop the hood and find the adjustment bolt. This is for '04-'08 body styles. The bolt is right behind the headlight and is 4mm. There's not enough room to fit a regular 1/4" socket wrench back there so I used a pair of plastic-grip pliers to turn it. Don't know why they designed it with so little space in there.




6. Turn on your headlights and see where they are. As I said earlier my passenger light is pointed more to the right than I'd like, but I've already driven at night and it's not noticeable. Better off pointing away from oncoming traffic than toward. Bambi spotter.




7. Now since we can't adjust our lights left or right (only up and down), you want to get the low beams ~2" below the horizontal line earlier marked. Better to go a bit lower if you're estimating, as HIDs are powerful enough.




8. Check out the high beams and make sure they don't go over the line. You want the high beams pointing at or just below the horizontal line.






Simple as that. If you have HIDs an even easier way is to park next to a car with stock halogen lights. Aim them down until the distance the HIDs reach matches the distance the stock halogens reach.

 

I tried that but I cant get my headlights to go high enough

 

This is an excellent write-up by the way. Great job with the pictures too. My problem is when I turn the adjuster bolt, the damn lights don't move at all. I just installed a 2" level kit and need the lights lowered. I'm moving counterclockwise, and I see the bolt is turning, but no luck with the beams. I've tried slightly hitting the light assembly as stated in another thread with no luck. Anyone know what the deal is? The thought of paying the dealership to turn a bolt makes me sick. Even driving to the dealership is a pain for me.

 

so whats up with the left and right adjustment? my driver side is aiming to the left and i haven't been able to fix that?

 

Keep turning, they don't adjust much with each turn. I had to turn mine severals times as I recall.

Our trucks are not able to make horizontal adjustments.

- NCSU

 

Thanks mblouir! I think I adjusted mine correctly, feels like I can see better now, ha.

 

Just what I was looking for, thanks for digging this up.

 

You're welcome, guys. Thing thing had dropped off the radar.


As an update my OP, I figured out you can fit a small socket wrench with a 4-6" extension in there.

 

I used the needle nosed vice grips to adjust mine. Ford apparently had an intern design the distance on the adjustment screw to the frame....there is none. I haven't adjusted them since I put the leveling kit on, since 2009, and I got behind my wife the other night and she MADE me adjust them, they were entirely too bright. I would get flashed often, but never really did anything until last week. Actually, I can see alot better since I adjusted them down. Oh well, thanks for the thread.

 

Guys, Lisle makes an adjustment tool for $20 for this. its very handy to have

 

So I did this last week cause I got new headlights and they were pointing in some weird directions, I got the drivers side adjusted perfectly fine and then when I was working on the passengers side it was going up then all the siden dropped down again and then wouldn't go up at all like Trueblue was saying. My question for ya is, is there any way that the adjustment bolt could have come off and is just spinning in and out now? Just want to get it fixed so my headlight isn't pointing in an awkward direction.

 

If your new lamps are not OEM it is very possible that the adjustment mechanism is stripped. I would complain to whomever you ordered it from and issue a replacement for your passenger side.

 

If a truck is lifted or leveled shouldn't the headlights be aimed to their original vertical level when the truck was stock instead of where there are now?

You stated you should mark a line vertical to where your headlines currently are. Imagine the headlights vertical position if I had a 12 inch lift and 35" tires compared to stock with 31" tires. While I think the logic of aiming the headlights is correct I am unsure if the position or aiming point is. I believe this is only making matters worse for oncoming traffic.

Let me know if my reasoning is right or wrong.

 

I was wondering the same thing?!!!!

 

I took an "extra" unused cheap 6 point 4mm socket and slightly ground the small end and drilled a normal 1/4" nut that had a 7/16" hex on it and drove the socket into it, tight fit .... now I can more easily get my special headlight socket in place and adjust my various fords with either a 7/16 open end, box end, ratcheting wrench or 1/4 drive ratchet.