How to Adjust the Headlight Beam in a 1996 Chevy Extended Cab Pickup
by Steve Bradley
According to Auto Channel, pickup trucks are perennially the best selling automobiles with Chevy often near the top of the list. If you still have a 1996 model year extended cab Chevy pickup you most likely know why: durability, dependability and cost. Over time, the truck's headlights can become loose in the assembly box causing the beams to become off center. Fixing this problem only takes about 10 minutes.
Step 1
Park the truck just a foot from a wall or garage door. Turn the lights on and mark the horizontal line with some masking tape. Mark from the center of the driver's side across to the center of the passenger's side. Then mark the verticals of each light with a small vertical strip of tape.
Step 2
Move your Chevy about twenty feet back in front of the garage door, wall or other large flat area. Turn on the lights so they shine on the wall. It is best to do this with low sunlight, either a cloudy day or at nightfall so that the beams show up clearly against the wall.
Step 3
Pop the hood and go to the rear of the driver's side headlight assembly. At the top center of the assembly box is a Phillips head screw. This controls the vertical angle of the headlight beam. Use a screwdriver to adjust the beam so that it is straight against the wall in front of the truck.
Step 4
Locate the horizontal control screw on the left side of the headlight assembly. As with the vertical screw, adjust the screw until the light beam is straight.
Step 5
Go to the passenger side headlight and repeat the above process with the vertical and horizontal adjusting screws.
References
Tips
- Check the headlights on your Chevy Extended Cab pickup truck every 6 months to ensure that the lights are operational and that they are aligned.
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver set
- Masking tape
Warnings
- Always engage the parking break before working on an automobile.
Writer Bio
Steve Bradley is an educator and writer with more than 12 years of experience in both fields. He maintains a career as an English teacher, also owning and operating a resume-writing business. Bradley has experience in retail, fashion, marketing, management and fitness. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and classics.
