Drivers flashing headlights because they think your high beams are on
 

Does anyone else (particularly lifted Ranger owners) have this problem?


I've had this problem with the Ranger since I've had it and I'm trying to understand what to do to fix it.


At night, many drivers will flash their high beams at me or leave their high beams on because they think my Ranger's high beams are on, but they are the low beams.

I often will flash them real quick as a way to say, "Hey, sorry. Those aren't my high beams."

Is it because of the truck being lifted? Is there any way I can adjust them?

Yes, the 98-00 headlights are entirely adjustable. Here's a video with the mazda b-series, however these headlights and ours are very similar. Same video I used and nobody flashes me.

Nice. Gonna give this a shot and maybe do this against the garage so I can see where the line of the headlight beams are.

Driveway needs to be level of course.

Yes garage door or any dark wall.
You for sure need a tape measure, you will be wasting your time without that.
And a roll of masking tape can be handy

Also with pickups you often will need to haul a load or a trailer.
When you put weight in the back head lights will start going up higher as the back end gets lower.
So if you load the back often adjust lights with a load in the bed

^^^^ +1

Garage door, tape measure, and masking tape is my tool of choice. 4mm wrench or socket turns the bolts. I recommend an open ended wrench, personally.

Solid advice, Ron.

Thanks to Artic too. No more headlight beam issues.

You're welcome, glad to hear your issue is resolved.

Its funny. I get it from behind. Just going to add tint to the window to fix that. I do like having the little window open.

autodimming mirrors are your friend. I have one from a crown Victoria, and I love it.

I don't have a power mirror. I have manuel locks and windows. Very basic. :icon16:

It would be wise to retrofit one. Three wires (power, ground, reverse-sense) and pop it onto the windshield. Done. All of my stuff is manual, too, lol. Well, except for retrofitted locks.

Thank you. I'm just going to use the left over tint from my front windows on the back 3. At 35% added to whats there I should be good with the lights. I like fixing the stuff. Like my projects are the instrument cluster new lights. Adjust the shifter indicator to make it line up. Fuel filter replace. Fog lights under front grill and in stock holes. Then tint windows. As of now nothing more planned. Just want to see and not be blinded. Of course with the new fogs I could melt someone off the road. 55Watt ones go in factory holes. 100Watt ones go behind grill. When I go to the dark areas around here. That will help. The tint will help on my side roads. At night it is so bright I can wear shades. Not just a line. I needed a police man to tell me I had a head light out. Funny but couldn't tell while driving on the side roads. To much light around me. I have to go to less populated areas if I want to see stars at night. I live in the suburbs not a major city. Never had this many street lights ever. For the most part you are visible with your lights out. Then when I can I need to get the flash meter. I have been learning a lot about trucks. Never did much beyond tint and fogs. Doing maintence blows me away. Love it. :biglaugh:

Be careful with that tint. You'll find out real quick at night that it's like driving in a fish bowl. Your interior lights will reflect off the tint, and make it impossible to see behind you without extra light, and even then it's lacking.

It is an extended cab. Got jump seats. Is this a problem with trucks only? I have done it to a pontiac Fiero and a Bonniville. On both of those the back window was at 2.5% really dark. Driver passenger was about 20%. The Fiero being a 2 seater. Zero space behind the seats. Dash lights aren't bright. The instrument cluster is half dead. When I replace those it will be with the cheapest lights. Don't need fancy lights in the cab. Don't even have a dome light. I like that.

Mine is also an extended cab. I believe it to be the curvature of the glass itself (or lack there of) causing a mirror effect. The whole point of tint is to reflect light away, causing the darkening effect. You won't see this during the day, because there's so much ambient light on the outside of the window, thus washing out the mirror effect. In contrast, with a black background, it's able to reflect and cause the 'fishbowl' effect, as I like to call it. The less light you have the better, but even with dim dash lights, the problem of not seeing out the back remains.

Of course, it's your truck and therefor your decision, but that's my experience and my hypothesis thereof. One of these days, the tint I have will come off and a lighter tint will likely take it's place.

That is very interesting. I never thought the angle of the window could cause trouble like that. If I have issues seeing out the back window. I will just open the slider. Thank you for the information. I will need to think about that now.
Thank you again.

You're welcome.