[MrJeepR44]

What is interesting is I notice a distinct cutoff of the headlights on the road ahead of me, but I still see the freeway signs above that cutoff glowing. I think a lot of it has to do with the massive circular headlights and the lens design. I think that oncoming drivers are seeing lots of indirect light because the headlight is so big and there is still light going out beyond the cutoff, if that makes sense. I lowered my aim a little bit and I don't get flashed as much, but it still happens from time to time. I am not lowering them any more because I start to notice it driving at night and don't see as far down the road...

Also, I've seen other Patriots driving at night and the light are bright, but nothing out of the ordinary. I think there are a lot of over zealous people out there starring at on coming headlights instead of at the road ahead. Case in point: driving back from Amarillo on a 4 lane divided interstate with a median wider than both sides of the highway combined, I noticed a couple people flash me in 250 miles of driving. One person flashed me, and when I didn't turn my low beams down, he flipped on his high beams and left them on. I could have flashed him for the remainder of the 4 second blip of my life that I would see him, but instead I looked ahead at the road and didn't even notice him.

Now on a two lane highway, that's a different story.... The road is narrow and if you can't see because some idiot is trying to blind you, well flashing them may help, or it may cause the both of you to be blinded and run off the road.

Generally people who flash me with my low beams on, are the same stupid people who stare at oncoming traffics headlights just to see if they have low beams on so they can police them. I find my night vision is better when I look away so my pupils stay dilated, then when the car passes I still have great vision

Rant over. I bet the new Compass doesn't have issue though with projectors

 

[MrJeepR44]

Hey handyman, would you do me a favor and measure your fenders at the center to see how high they are off the ground? I can't imagine it's different than mine, but I would still get flashed before I adjusted my lights... Especially with adults sitting in the back seat.

Also do you have a hitch on the back? How heavy is your push bar?

Before my hitch, I measured 32.25" at the rear and 32.0" at the front:

 

[MrJeepR44]

Yup, Just got pulled over for "not dimming my lights"... and going 6 over. I think it was mostly for the "bright lights".

Yikes. Did you get a ticket or explain those were your low beams?

 

[MrJeepR44]

Sorry for the late response, haven't been following this thread. I guess no two are alike. I just measured about .4 below 32 in the front and about .1 above 32 in the rear. This explains why mine looks like it has a higher lift in the back.

I have the same Mopar hitch I was using on my '08. Not sure how heavy the push bar is.

31.6.... Interesting. Thanks for the follow up. That would explain why you are not getting flashed as much I guess

 

[MrJeepR44]

...I looked to see about readjusting the headlights on my '09 FD1 but it isn't obvious where the adjuster screw is....

On the 2011 its pretty obvious. On top of the head light housing there is a white plastic screw that takes a hex wrench, and a half turn is enough to help with the flashing... at least for me