| SNIPER
|
Electronic
aimer |
| No batteries required for aiming. |
Battery powered aimers require constant
recharge and periodic replacement. Chargers are easy to lose
and the recharge cord frequently gets tangled and damaged. |
No electronics for aiming.
Not affected by dust and overspray in body shops. |
Sensitive electronics built in, these
components are vulnerable to failure from moisture, overspray,
and dust in the repair shop environment. |
|
Technician sees the headlight adjustment and visually determines
if it is correct.
He can make adjustments for plow lights, driving lights,
or other special use lights.
|
Aimer interprets beam patterns and
location of light. Aiming is limited to pre-programed positions. |
| Technician determines correct aim.
|
Pass-fail system does not allow technician to aim the light.
The aimer fails a headlight that is 1" out of adjustment
the same as a headlight that is 4' out of adjustment. Technician
has no control over headlight aim.
|
| Affordable. |
Electronic aimers are very expensive. |
| No floor track required. The SNIPER
is aligned to vehicle at each headlight, no floor track is needed. |
Most require an 8’ long floor track.
Alignment to vehicle is performed at center of vehicle, aimer
is then moved to each headlight.
Track is needed to keep aimer square to vehicle when moving
aimer.
Floor track restricts use of aimer to one location or poses
concerns of vehicle or building damage when moving 8’ long track. |
| 2-year warranty, plus 1 year extended
warranty on 5412. The SNIPER is guaranteed to be trouble-free
for 3 full years. |
Virtually all electronic aimers have
a one year warranty. |
| Easily field serviceable. |
Most electronic repairs require factory
service technician or return to factory. |
| Aims any light. |
Cannot aim all types of lights. |
| Tests both domestic and European
headlights including new Xenon lights. |
Location of optical sensors is for
domestic beam patterns. New headlight designs such as European
style headlights (with the new xenon bulbs) will likely require
additional sensors and computer reprogramming. |
| Simple floor slope calibration with
built-in laser. |
Electronic aimers use several systems
for floor slope measurement including complicated transits and
lasers. Many are not attached to the headlight aimer. |
| Easy, accurate alignment
to vehicle. The SNIPER's visor is very simple to use.
Simply look through the visor (like a gun sight) and align the
visual line with any surface that is perpendicular to the center
of the vehicle. |
Varied and complicated
systems. |
| Moves easily around in shop. The
L shaped wheel configuration rolls like a hand truck. |
Difficult to move around. Electronic
aimers are heavy and the T shaped wheel configuration requires
them to be tipped on one wheel or kicked in order to turn them. |
| Built-in Beam slope compensation
for high mounted headlights such as 4wd trucks and SUV’s as
specified by SAE J599. |
Some electronic aimers
have no provision at all for beam slope compensation. |
| Aimer head stays in alignment because
the head and the mast do not rotate. |
Most electronic aimers use a mast
that rotates. This compromises accuracy because the mast can
turn when moving the aimer from the center of the vehicle to
the aiming position in front of the headlights. |
Most shops do not like electronic aimers because they
are expensive, they are difficult to move around, and their batteries
require constant recharge. The only advantage of an electronic aimer
is that some shops prefer a pass-fail system.
There are several manufacturers of electronic headlight
aimers. This webpage is for general comparisons, specific items
vary from model to model.
