I was messing about on evil ebay a couple of weeks ago just after i fitted a set of head lights, and i bid a silly amount on a Lucas Hartridge beam setter, and won lol. Just picked it up. Only problem is i don't have a clue how one works!

Can anyone tell me how it works and even better point me in the direction of some instructions please?

We have a laser one at work. Basically you have the car a set distance away around 50 to 100 cm from the back of the headlamp and line up the beam setter so that it is parallel to the front of the car. We then switch on the laser beam so that we have a red spot and adjust it's height to line up on the centre of the dipped beam bulb. Turn the headlamps on and check the pattern within the beam setter, it will look something like this:

Use the red lines for headlamps upto 850mm from the ground and the blue lines for headlamps more than 850mm from the ground. The Lucas one is likely a non laser one, but the principle should be the same.

The above is the most common headlamp type, there are others which produce a different image where the position of the 'hotspot' is checked and some types are checked on main beam.

hello Raf.

 

i just came across your post there while searching for a manual for the lucas hartridge beam tester and was wondering if you were able to get a instruction manual for it. i just bought one from ebay there and havent a clue how to use it any advise you have would be greatly appreciated. i dont seem to have any making on the knobs to indicate when the mirror is centered

 

Many thanks

loops

This is similar to, but newer than, what was around when I was a lad.  Hope my memory is good enough.  Have fun.

 

There should also be a pole with wheels at the end to ensure the setter was parallel/perpendicular in the required directions.

Make sure you're on flat & level ground.

Wheels straight.  Pole goes against front wheels, tester against pole.

Adjust the height so the setter is level with the middle of the headlamp. 

On old h/l's this was easy, and may be your downfall, as the centres are less easy to estimate due to paralax error.

Shine the main beam into the window and wiggle the beam tester until you get the best focused pattern. 

Use the beam adjusting screws to centre the hotspot on the up/down, left/right C/L,. 

The dip beam should drop onto the marks.

I've not used one for years, and then only on the old standard 7" and 53/4" round lamps.