Adjusting headlights in a new 200 (1 Viewer)

[Last200]

Hi Guys,

I'm an engineer for TJM here in the USA. I talked with our customer service guy about this and we are going to try to get some of the 658LINK34E headlight adjuster linkage sent to us by air. We are just trying to figure out how many to have sent. How many of you would want one? This should be a regular stocked item in the future.

I just started looking for this part and found this thread. I’ll try to reach out and order one.

 

[Markuson]

I've arranged for my dealer to install the OEM front spacers and do an initial oil change on my 2020 LC. I asked that they also adjust the headlights accordingly so I'm not blinding oncoming traffic. Even without the spacers, I get a lot of cars flashing me, so I know the headlights will need some adjusting downward once the spacers are in.

Here's the rub: Dealer quotes me $175 to adjust the headlights. That number seems silly to me. I'll look at the manual and do some online research on adjusting the lights when I get home this evening, but I was hoping to also get some guidance/insight from the Mud gang on the topic before I dig in. I adjusted the headlights myself on my 2007 Tundra when I leveled it, but I know the new LC has some fancier headlights and I'm wondering if it's a very different process than with the Tundra.

Thanks in advance!

To adjust mine, I like to park on a very flat lot…..usually behind a grocery store with a white wall at a distance. Great and easy way to get them just below on-coming driver eye level.

Just need a screwdriver.

 

[AZLC200]

I am wondering if I am missing something here--is the adjustment to in the rear just if you have a higher lift? I have a 2021 and just got mine back from having a new suspension/wheels/tires installed and noticed last night that the headlights lights were shining too high.

I looked in the owner's manual and it said I need a screwdriver to adjust the screws on the back of the headlight assemblies. Except I couldn't find any screws. There were two bolt heads where the manual said the screws would be--took a socket and rotated them like it said to do with the screws and the headlights tilted down. Will see tonight how that worked out.

 

[bloc]

I am wondering if I am missing something here--is the adjustment to in the rear just if you have a higher lift? I have a 2021 and just got mine back from having a new suspension/wheels/tires installed and noticed last night that the headlights lights were shining too high.

I looked in the owner's manual and it said I need a screwdriver to adjust the screws on the back of the headlight assemblies. Except I couldn't find any screws. There were two bolt heads where the manual said the screws would be--took a socket and rotated them like it said to do with the screws and the headlights tilted down. Will see tonight how that worked out.

There is a rear ride height sensor that is intended to tell the vehicle when it has significant load in the back that causes the suspension to sag. In this condition, you'd want to point the headlights down, so oncoming traffic isn't blinded. On previous years there was a manual adjuster knob on the left side of the dash, but you 16+ guys got some extra features.

In the case of a lift, the sensor interprets it as the rear of the vehicle sitting higher than normal, so it points the headlights up. Plus, your front is higher as well, with no feedback to the "brain", so they end up extra high. This is what happened for you.

 

[nakman]

Well heck, I'm glad I found this thread... thanks to everyone who has contributed to it. I had the same issue as everyone else here- got a lift and then 1 in 4 oncoming cars flashes me, also I get the finger a lot from the guy in front of me at the light. Never would have thought the headlight adjustment would be at the rear axle, but hey go figure still getting used to the 200. But I belive I fixed it tonight, for next to nothing in cost. here's my quick play by play..

The before pic- note the masking tape on my motorcycle cover. The light cutoff is just over the top edge of it.

Found the little linkage deal, driver side rear axle, in front of the coil spring.

I then watched the TJM video from page 1 here, and it looks like I need about a 2" extension. Looked around the bench, and found a U-bolt I wasn't using, so I robbed the strap from it.

Got another nut/bolt from the parts drawer, then bolted it up, using that U-bolt strap as my extension. Couple pics...

The bolt that's now in the middle of the assembly will still allow this to twist, as I ran out of thread when tightening the nut. But the top one is really right, I don't think it's going to twist at all. I'll drive for a bit then peek under there to see if it moved at all.

And here's the after pic. I dropped probably 3" compared to where it was before

guessing I'm about 12 feet away? I didn't measure, here's the side shot, and another view of the "after" cutoff:

So there you go, hopefully this helps the next person. And hopefully I don't blind anyone else on the highway!

 

[samster747]

Bump, any updates on these?

Yes, any updates on these? I'd like to get the part before jerryrigging something.

 

[redeye]

Hi Guys,

I'm an engineer for TJM here in the USA. I talked with our customer service guy about this and we are going to try to get some of the 658LINK34E headlight adjuster linkage sent to us by air. We are just trying to figure out how many to have sent. How many of you would want one? This should be a regular stocked item in the future.

Would love one. I just stumbled across this thread after getting flashed so many times on the road LOL.

 

[christianleeboy]

I got this Weber Carb Universal Adjustable Throttle Linkage Rod (5”) from eBay and works perfectly on my 2016 LC200 lifted with Ironman FOAM CELL PRO STAGE 3. I’ll post few photos tomorrow.
Weber Carb Universal Adjustable Throttle Linkage Rod - 5"- Swivel Wnds w/5mm End

 

[Roscoes]

purchased this, but haven't had time to install it.

https://amzn.to/30WEeH0

 

[jefo13]

Another option/method

Headlight Levelling Kit Toyota Landcruiser 200 Series

Headlight Levelling Kit Toyota Landcruiser 200 Series - RoadSafe 4WD

www.the4wdshed.com

 

[Phil Damon]

We have the order in with TJM Australia to have about 25 of them air-freighted to the US. Just waiting for them to show up.

 

[calixto]

I got this Weber Carb Universal Adjustable Throttle Linkage Rod (5”) from eBay and works perfectly on my 2016 LC200 lifted with Ironman FOAM CELL PRO STAGE 3. I’ll post few photos tomorrow.
Weber Carb Universal Adjustable Throttle Linkage Rod - 5"- Swivel Wnds w/5mm End

I thought the linkage needed to be somewhere in the 2-4" range?

 

[Bighead]

We have the order in with TJM Australia to have about 25 of them air-freighted to the US. Just waiting for them to show up.

Do you have a waiting list I can get on?

 

[christianleeboy]

I thought the linkage needed to be somewhere in the 2-4" range?

The throttle linkage rod that I got from ebay is adjustable from 4.5" to 5.5" and my Ironman FC PRO STAGE 3 (2" kit) lifted my truck pretty high up like 2.5"+ so I needed the extra length/ range

Adjusted to about 4.25" by over-tightening the ends

Weber Carb Universal Adjustable Throttle Linkage Rod - 5"- Swivel Wnds w/5mm End

 

[Tex68w]

Well heck, I'm glad I found this thread... thanks to everyone who has contributed to it. I had the same issue as everyone else here- got a lift and then 1 in 4 oncoming cars flashes me, also I get the finger a lot from the guy in front of me at the light. Never would have thought the headlight adjustment would be at the rear axle, but hey go figure still getting used to the 200. But I belive I fixed it tonight, for next to nothing in cost. here's my quick play by play..

The before pic- note the masking tape on my motorcycle cover. The light cutoff is just over the top edge of it.
View attachment 2845985

Found the little linkage deal, driver side rear axle, in front of the coil spring.

View attachment 2845986

I then watched the TJM video from page 1 here, and it looks like I need about a 2" extension. Looked around the bench, and found a U-bolt I wasn't using, so I robbed the strap from it.

View attachment 2845988

Got another nut/bolt from the parts drawer, then bolted it up, using that U-bolt strap as my extension. Couple pics...

View attachment 2845989
View attachment 2845990

The bolt that's now in the middle of the assembly will still allow this to twist, as I ran out of thread when tightening the nut. But the top one is really right, I don't think it's going to twist at all. I'll drive for a bit then peek under there to see if it moved at all.

And here's the after pic. I dropped probably 3" compared to where it was before
View attachment 2845991

guessing I'm about 12 feet away? I didn't measure, here's the side shot, and another view of the "after" cutoff:

View attachment 2845992

So there you go, hopefully this helps the next person. A

What's under the cover? Africa Twin?

 

[82SC]

Count me in for a Tjm one.

 

[bloc]

Just occurred to me it wouldn’t be too hard to do the math to figure out link length for a given front and rear lift.. at least to start with.

 

[bloc]

Then, I realized the front and rear lift are both going to need a downward adjustment of the headlights, and that got me wondering if the motorized adjuster within the headlight has a limit before things go bad..

Does the tjm part advise doing manual adjustment of the screws along with the link?

 

[nakman]

What's under the cover? Africa Twin?

Man, good eye! Yeah 2017 with the DCT... I seem to only get out 1-2x per year but it's a real good time.

Ok back on track here, I realized after a few night drives this past week that I over-shot the adjustment... my beams now cut off pretty low, definitely not blinding anyone but also not really the best lighting setup. So I need to make an adjustment to my rig, gonna drill a hole about midway and try again.

 

[jefo13]

I’ve realized that just moving the adjuster up within the stock range gave me the adjustment I needed. Maybe because I have about 0.75” rake?