I cant adjust my headlights help

[codycode]

Okay so I just purchased this truck last weekend and I know this one night when I was driving home the headlights were aiming low so tonight I tried to adjust them and thewill not move up or down BTW it's a 2004 explorer

 

[gtyates]

Do the light housings move easily? It could be they are not seated properly which would cause the adjustment screw to not work. They are a bit tricky to get seated properly because the housings have to be removed when replacing the bulbs.

 

[codycode]

No they don't move

 

[gtyates]

That is good to see that the housings are good and tight. In hate to ask what may seem obvious but are you using a 4mm socket (or 4.5mm) to turn the adjustment screw? I had bad luck trying to adjust mine with something like pliers but with the correct socket they worked well. Also another suggestion is as you are turning the adjustment screws apply a little pressure on the headlight itself, towards the top if it. I had to do this to help get the lights to move.

 

[swshawaii]

AIMING THE HEADLAMPS (Pages 39-40)
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/04expog3e.pdf

 

[codycode]

Yes I'm using a 4 mm socket I tried again tonight same thing if I can't fix it I'm not going to be able to drive his vehicle at night cause I live out in the country where there is no lights at all

 

[swshawaii]

Spray penetrant on the adjusting rods and let it soak into the threaded blocks. Probably the first time they will be moved.

 

[codycode]

Yeah I was going to spray some WD 40 on it I'll try again tomorrow is there a place I can buy a new adjusting rods

 

[College Student]

yeah im sorry to inform you that it is probably like mine where the adjusters are broken. There is no way to buy them new without buying the entire headlight assembly. I went to a local junkyard and checked all the explorers till a found a set of adjusters that worked properly. here's what mine looked like when I opened them up. The gears were stripped

once I got "new" ones I soaked them in oil for a couple weeks hopefully they never break again