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i've been meaning to knock this post together for awhile and finally got around to it. these 121 parts have been accumulated over years, mostly through Ebay Germany. i always liked the front end treatment on the 121 more than the Festiva or Pride. it became an option or maybe a requirement in West Germany that vehicles be equipped with a system to adjust the headlamp beam to compensate for heavy loads in the vehicle that could cause the rear end to squat and the front end to rise, blinding oncoming drivers if the headlamps were in use. i suppose a car manufacturer could design a set up that used air shocks and sensors or do what Mazda did for the 121 which was to add servo motors to the headlamp assembly that would dip the headlamp itself.
it is a little fascinating to me that European countries would allow a motorist to have control over headlamp aiming on the fly. it is hard for me to imagine our FMVSS giving the American motorist that freedom and responsibility.
the following series of pics show the drivers side lamp assembly. these load levelling lamps incorporate an extra frame over the non-motorized version. the lamp is mounted to this frame and pivots within the main headlamp bucket on 2 ball studs. the motor is a 3 position stepper type that pushes/pulls the pivoting frame at the bottom. these lamps will fit the 88 or 89/90 121 grille but require a different radiator support that has an additional cut to clear the motor. the motorized headlamps are about 3# heavier than non. they still pop up on Ebay.de and will be listed as "schweinwerfer mit stellmotor" or headlamp with synchro motor. the radiator support is much rarer but a standard festiva support can be modified for clearance.
the Kia Pride also became available with this type of leveling system but no parts, other than the radiator support and maybe the switch are interchangable with the 121.
Mazda used a barrel type rotary switch with positive stops at 0 through 3 settings. at setting 0, the headlamp motors are not activated and this is considered the "normal" setting used when the car is level and the setting used when the lamps are aimed to factory specs. it is not lit. each setting above 0 will cause the motor to lower the lamp .5 degree for a total of 1.5 degrees at setting 3. interestingly, the headlamps do not return to normal or 0 when the car is shut off, adding a little more need for driver awareness. as best i can determine from German wiring schematics, the motors will only operate when the headlamps are ON. i bypassed that for the video. the switch is normally installed in the rightmost slot in the dash to the left of the steering column. i bypassed that for the vid so as not to have to drag around a dashboard.
the Kia Pride switch for motorized lamps is ergonomically easier to use with a knurled rotary knob. it is backlit also and the knob can be pushed in where it will stay until pushed again. i am not sure but i am just guessing that pushing the knob in turns off the leveling system. i did not use this switch since i am not sure it will be compatible with the Mazda motors but i hope it is since it is easier to use and i think looks better. i am including pics of the wiring schematic for both systems.
MAZDA wiring diag
KIA
and now, what you've all been waiting for, DANCING HEADLAMPS. i really hope there is no trouble using this link. i had a bear of a time trying to get PB to upload this with no success so i opened a Vimeo account and had no problem with it. their method of linking a vid seems a little different than PB.
i cycled the lamp from 0-3 and back and also in steps. not much movement but dang noisy.
it is a little fascinating to me that European countries would allow a motorist to have control over headlamp aiming on the fly. it is hard for me to imagine our FMVSS giving the American motorist that freedom and responsibility.
the following series of pics show the drivers side lamp assembly. these load levelling lamps incorporate an extra frame over the non-motorized version. the lamp is mounted to this frame and pivots within the main headlamp bucket on 2 ball studs. the motor is a 3 position stepper type that pushes/pulls the pivoting frame at the bottom. these lamps will fit the 88 or 89/90 121 grille but require a different radiator support that has an additional cut to clear the motor. the motorized headlamps are about 3# heavier than non. they still pop up on Ebay.de and will be listed as "schweinwerfer mit stellmotor" or headlamp with synchro motor. the radiator support is much rarer but a standard festiva support can be modified for clearance.
the Kia Pride also became available with this type of leveling system but no parts, other than the radiator support and maybe the switch are interchangable with the 121.
Mazda used a barrel type rotary switch with positive stops at 0 through 3 settings. at setting 0, the headlamp motors are not activated and this is considered the "normal" setting used when the car is level and the setting used when the lamps are aimed to factory specs. it is not lit. each setting above 0 will cause the motor to lower the lamp .5 degree for a total of 1.5 degrees at setting 3. interestingly, the headlamps do not return to normal or 0 when the car is shut off, adding a little more need for driver awareness. as best i can determine from German wiring schematics, the motors will only operate when the headlamps are ON. i bypassed that for the video. the switch is normally installed in the rightmost slot in the dash to the left of the steering column. i bypassed that for the vid so as not to have to drag around a dashboard.
the Kia Pride switch for motorized lamps is ergonomically easier to use with a knurled rotary knob. it is backlit also and the knob can be pushed in where it will stay until pushed again. i am not sure but i am just guessing that pushing the knob in turns off the leveling system. i did not use this switch since i am not sure it will be compatible with the Mazda motors but i hope it is since it is easier to use and i think looks better. i am including pics of the wiring schematic for both systems.
MAZDA wiring diag
KIA
and now, what you've all been waiting for, DANCING HEADLAMPS. i really hope there is no trouble using this link. i had a bear of a time trying to get PB to upload this with no success so i opened a Vimeo account and had no problem with it. their method of linking a vid seems a little different than PB.
i cycled the lamp from 0-3 and back and also in steps. not much movement but dang noisy.
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