# 1998 Subaru Legacy: eyeballing vs measuring headlight tilt

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-legacy-eyeballing-vs-measuring-headlight-tilt/125331>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** legacy, subaru\
**Created:** [September 20, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-legacy-eyeballing-vs-measuring-headlight-tilt/125331 "2018-09-20T13:53:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Amy15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Amy15](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Amy15)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-legacy-eyeballing-vs-measuring-headlight-tilt/125331/1 "2018-09-20T13:53:17Z")

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My headlights are aiming downwards, & I know the can be adjusted by turning the adjusting screws. I’ve seen the procedure for getting them right, & it looks a little time consuming for me to do on my own. The shops I’ve called have said they could get them aimed properly in a very short amount of time just by “eye-balling” the light on a wall, but not really doing the whole “drill” of taking measurements & putting tape on a vertical wall. Do you think their methods are “good enough”?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-legacy-eyeballing-vs-measuring-headlight-tilt/125331/2 "2018-09-20T14:19:32Z")

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> [@Amy15](#):
>
> Do you think their methods are “good enough”?

I’ve done the “eyeball” technique on my garage door but I know where my lights hit on a dark street and I can easily go back and re-adjust until I’m happy. Unless you and they are willing to go through those motions, I’d say find a place that actually measures the lights instead of “eyeballing.”

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-legacy-eyeballing-vs-measuring-headlight-tilt/125331/3 "2018-09-20T14:42:50Z")

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If you can reach those adjusting screws without much trouble why not just turn each one a full turn , try it and if needed you can turn it again .