Headlamps on a 2004 ML.

[Danspain]

Done to death, the subject of Ml headlamps.
Non the less, I need to find a solution.
Has anyone gone to the trouble of taking these things apart?
The main beam is great, but on dip I think I'm driving on a Toc H lamp.. ( for those of you old enough to know what that is).
Its extremely dim.
I have stripped out the glass lens and reflector assembly.
Not particularly dirty but the reflector is a little scorched and not all that reflective.
Now, right in front of the headlamp bulb covering at least 50%, so the complete bottom half of the headlamp is a metal plate that has a minute adjustment lever, that raises a shield approximately 1mm on the left side of the bulb.
I haven't touched it, it is in the down position as it was when I removed the assembly.
My question is, surely it must be reducing the reflectable light.
Having discovered these things are infact an american built car, meant for american roads and have american specs to the headlamp set up....
American roads are substantially better lit than European roads.
I'm going to cut it out!!
See what a difference it makes, it is obviously going to alter the beam pattern going into the glass lens, anyone know what I can expect??

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Having discovered these things are infact an american built car, meant for american roads and have american specs to the headlamp set up....
American roads are substantially better lit than European roads.

I think the car and headlamps were designed and built for European roads too.

No idea what will happen if you cut it out, but you can always get a new unit if it doesn’t my go well.

Is it a pre-facelift with frosted lenses, or a facelift with clear lenses?

 

[Deleted member 149005]

You can probably expect a roadworthy (MoT in the UK) test fail...

 

[Blobsta]

I expect that is plate could be to adjust the L/R hand drive aspect. If you cut the plate from the bottom, the reflection. will go upwards. I expect you will dazzle lots of oncoming traffic and give yourself no additional benefit aside perhaps from meeting new (and probably angry) people.

Some pictures may help you explain what you are looking at though. We could easily be misinterpreting what you're saying.