Fiat Ducato beam deflectors

[Dezi]

When I bought the current Murvi in 2009 it came on the latest Fiat Ducato van so had the sloping front headlights. These have no markings as to where you have to place Continental beam deflectors so bowing to the perceived wisdom at the time I also bought these plastic headlamp covers that do have place markings for beam deflectors, plus protect the headlight glass.
FIAT DUCATO HEADLAMP PROTECTORS,BEAM DEFLECTOR,06to10 | eBay

For 5 years things have been OK, but arriving home from Devon on Wednesday I find that my pair of plastic covers has been reduced to a plastic cover. The other one is somewhere on the motorway between Plymouth & Exeter.

So what to do?

Despite these headlights being around for 6 /7 years now I still cannot find any alternative than the plastic covers for accurate placement of the beam deflector & they are still £50 or £60 a pair.

Any ideas?

Dezi :help:

 

[steco1958]

You could always, use someone elses covers to make a template, then use permanent marker to transfer to your headlight, I am thinking of doing this as the plastic has gone very cloudy, and starting to affect the effectiveness of the lights.

 

[Dezi]

You could always, use someone elses covers to make a template, then use permanent marker to transfer to your headlight, I am thinking of doing this as the plastic has gone very cloudy, and starting to affect the effectiveness of the lights.

This one of the reasons that I am reluctant to shell out another £50 / £60

Dezi

 

[El Veterano]

bought mine at a show for £45 about 2 years ago. Blumin expensive even at that just so that you have some marks to stick some black tape to. And I am sceptical as to whether they actually do what they are supposed to anyway. I am curious as to what Fiat/Peugeot/Citroen might suggest. And I am even more curious to hear what our European neighbours do when they come to the UK. I cannot recall ever seeing 'beambenders' for sale in Auchan or Carrefour. As I walk around Stratford this weekend I may just be taking note of the situation with the hundreds cars from overseas that will be parked in the streets. But I think that I may already have the answer

 

[Solwaybuggier]

. And I am even more curious to hear what our European neighbours do when they come to the UK. I cannot recall ever seeing 'beambenders' for sale in Auchan or Carrefour. As I walk around Stratford this weekend I may just be taking note of the situation with the hundreds cars from overseas that will be parked in the streets. But I think that I may already have the answer

This crops up as an aside on MH forums from time to time - I think it did again last week, but I can't find the thread at the moment. If I remember right though, this country is the only one where the dipped beam pattern is down to one side; elsewhere in Europe the dip is straight up & down, hence no requirement to modify. Or something like that. Does make you wonder why we can't simply follow suit with our lights.

 

[Tezza33]

This crops up as an aside on MH forums from time to time - I think it did again last week, but I can't find the thread at the moment. If I remember right though, this country is the only one where the dipped beam pattern is down to one side; elsewhere in Europe the dip is straight up & down, hence no requirement to modify. Or something like that. Does make you wonder why we can't simply follow suit with our lights.

It was on this forum, I pointed out that UK headlights dip to the left so we dazzle oncoming traffic when we are in Europe, elsewhere car headlights dip straight down so they do not dazzle us, there is no need for them to modify anything
http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...chat/35242-peugeot-boxer-beam-deflecters.html

 

[El Veterano]

This crops up as an aside on MH forums from time to time - I think it did again last week, but I can't find the thread at the moment. If I remember right though, this country is the only one where the dipped beam pattern is down to one side; elsewhere in Europe the dip is straight up & down, hence no requirement to modify. Or something like that. Does make you wonder why we can't simply follow suit with our lights.

A very good point indeed. But I'm not completely convinced that they dip to the left on a newish Ducato? They most certainly do not dip to the right after putting the black masks on the lamp covers.

 

[Dezi]

It was on this forum, I pointed out that UK headlights dip to the left so we dazzle oncoming traffic when we are in Europe, elsewhere car headlights dip straight down so they do not dazzle us, there is no need for them to modify anything
http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...chat/35242-peugeot-boxer-beam-deflecters.html

All of which is fine until you happen across a Continental law enforcement officer who's corns are playing up.
As I did a year or two back in Colmar.
One of the black plastic covers had come a bit loose & he threatened me with all sorts of dire consequences for flouting the law unless it was put right.

Dezi.

 

[Tezza33]

All of which is fine until you happen across a Continental law enforcement officer who's corns are playing up.
As I did a year or two back in Colmar.
One of the black plastic covers had come a bit loose & he threatened me with all sorts of dire consequences for flouting the law unless it was put right.

Dezi.

When I posted 'there is no need for them to modify anything' I meant there is no need for cars from mainland Europe to modify headlights to come here, we have to modify ours for travel in Europe even in daylight

 

[Deleted member 8180]

Most 'headlight convertors' are just expensive black tape... Drive up to a wall at night and stick tape on until the beam no longer dips left. Take a photo for next time. There are some deflectors with actual prisms to bend the beam, I use these and replace the double sided tape when I take them off.

 

[Dezi]

When I posted 'there is no need for them to modify anything' I meant there is no need for cars from mainland Europe to modify headlights to come here, we have to modify ours for travel in Europe even in daylight

Awfully sorry

Dezi

 

[Deleted member 8055]

After a few years and many abortive conversations with Hella and Hymer regarding left/right dip, I eventually found a lever at the back of the dipped headlight which deflects the beam one way or the other . Have a look it may save you some cash.