Headlights too high with rear weight

[MoFoCo]

We took a trip to the mountains this weekend with 4 bikes on the hitch mounted rack. On the 2-lane road at night, I got a lot of high beam flashes and I could see that my low-beam cutoff was way too high.

Adjusting the headlights lower would put them too low when the car isn't loaded. I've used Sumo Springs in other vehicles but I really don't want to change the ride characteristics or off-road handling of the BS. Any ideas?

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[Mark S.]

We took a trip to the mountains this weekend with 4 bikes on the hitch mounted rack. On the 2-lane road at night, I got a lot of high beam flashes and I could see that my low-beam cutoff was way too high.

Adjusting the headlights lower would put them too low when the car isn't loaded. I've used Sumo Springs in other vehicles but I really don't want to change the ride characteristics or off-road handling of the BS. Any ideas?

Try Airlift helper springs.

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/installed-air-lift-helper-springs-on-bronco-sport-badlands.7471/

 

[Rockboz]

As a motoring enthusiast I would like to commend you on caring enough to fix the issue, unlike others who put in aftermarket NOT D.O.T. LEDs that sear your eye balls.

 

[Bucko]

I agree with Rockboz's post.

In the mean time, place a big dude or dudette in the front passenger seat.

 

[Quashish]

I'm surprised 4 bikes was enough to do that.

OFF TOPIC: most people are just so annoying and clueless. every day I see so many people driving with their high beams on in the day time. or their rear wiper just on for no reason.

the airlift helper is definitely the way to go.

 

[MoFoCo]

I'm surprised 4 bikes was enough to do that.

OFF TOPIC: most people are just so annoying and clueless. every day I see so many people driving with their high beams on in the day time. or their rear wiper just on for no reason.

the airlift helper is definitely the way to go.

It's a pretty heavy rack to begin with: Kuat swing-away hitch carrying a North Shore Racks NSR-4...the whole assembly is probably 100 lbs. Then there's another 120 lbs of bikes, and it all hangs way off the back. I should probably just use our Transit van for these adventures, but the MPGs and safety are so much better in the BS. I'll take a look at the airlift solution.

Some folks don't realize their high beams are on. People with limo tint on their windshields can't see a damn thing without their high beams. Some folks just don't care about anyone else.

 

[BritNowInOhio]

In Britain, all cars have a dial to adjust the angle of the headlights depending on the load in the car.
Along with no rear fog lamp, the absence of this dial is one of many things I find baffling in this country.

This is a headlight switch from a 2004 Ford Fiesta…

 

[Quashish]

That’s sick!

the thing with the rear fog is Americans don’t know how to use these features like the high beams situation. They don’t notice the blue icon on the gauge cluster on or don’t know what it means.

i also see folks driving around in the dark with just drls on with no tail lights. Clueless

 

[Bucko]

I'm surprised 4 bikes was enough to do that.

OFF TOPIC: most people are just so annoying and clueless. every day I see so many people driving with their high beams on in the day time. or their rear wiper just on for no reason.

the airlift helper is definitely the way to go.

Add to that their fog lights. They are designed to be used for fog.

 

[BritNowInOhio]

I’m not going to take some invented moral high ground and claim that every British motorist bothers or remembers to use headlight adjustment, but it’s a nice thing to have for the people that do.

 

[Quashish]

Add to that their fog lights. They are designed to be used for fog.

i am guilty of that haha set them as drl with the headlight drl in auto for visibility purposes a lot of stupid distracted drivers in california,

 

[Quashish]

I’m not going to take some invented moral high ground and claim that every British motorist bothers or remembers to use headlight adjustment, but it’s a nice thing to have for the people that do.

i would take those features over the auto stop start any day.

north america doesn't get anything good. europe got diesel focus ST and RS and even an estate version.

 

[cprcubed]

a lot of stupid distracted drivers in california

As a former Cali resident for over 60 years, Cali doesn't even come close to Texas in this regard. Cheers!

 

[BritNowInOhio]

i am guilty of that haha set them as drl with the headlight drl in auto for visibility purposes a lot of stupid distracted drivers in california,

I’m guilty of this too, having the front fogs on with the regular headlights at night. My logic is that it isn’t dazzling anybody and it’s putting more light onto the road. The police here don’t seem to give a toss, in Britain it’d be kind of 50/50 on whether you’d be pulled over for it.

 

[BritNowInOhio]

i would take those features over the auto stop start any day.

north america doesn't get anything good. europe got diesel focus ST and RS and even an estate version.

You mean like this?
2015 Ford Focus ST-2 TDCi estate [wagon], diesel, 6spd manual, full Ford service history, 96,000 miles, no dents or rust, £8,999 [about $11,500]

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