Don, your third picture is what I was trying to say in post #8. Thanks for the pictures and clearer explanation. I really have not found anything in these mirrors that actually breaks (other than glass), and they seem to be easily serviced as a DIY.
What is the best technique to remove the mirror from the attachment point on the window? Do you lever it off with a small screw driver. Or do you just pull it off?
I agree with many others, that if you just want to clean the glass, just take the face of the mirror, i did it over the weekend on my 83 308 and it only took a couple of seconds to take off and put back on.
Just give it a yank. Maybe the BEST WAY (since we're on Fchat and stress about the "bestest") would be to pull it off with a twisting motion upwards towards the roof of the car. Requires deforming fewer of the spring levers at one time and puts one of the stresses close to the supported edge of the glass...? Just pop it off and clean it up! So much better.
@hanknum & don_xvi Thanks for the info! The mirror in my car is clean but the anti-dazzle function is broken. I'm hoping taking the mirror apart will allow me to fix it.
I'd like to remover just the face trim, glass and mirror, NOT from the windshield, will that be simple?
Got the problem of the day/night switch not working (in time for a pickup with enough light to rival the sun behind me). Got the mirror apart easily enough and can see the swivel mechanism, but not sure what it should be pivoting against to make it function correctly. The pivot was behind the assembly and popping it forward doesn't seem to have accomplished anything. Upload to the site not working at the moment, but the raised surface on the pivot isn't looking to good. Any help as always is utterly appreciated.
Although the day/night mechanism one piece, it really is in two sections joined together by a thin strip of plastic. This connection is right above the the bar of the bottom part (the tab that you move to adjust it). The upper part holds the mirror and does the actual tilting. If this plastic connection is broken the tab will not move the mirror mounting part. I have tried to figure out a way to fix this connection, but to no avail. Also trying to pop out the bar that holds the bottom tab section was really difficult. My adjustment is broken but I just move the whole mirror to tilt it and get a night setting.
So what you telling me, hinge (material) fatigue failure has taken place (like repeatedly bending a paper clip) There isn't anything physically connecting them anymore which shows itself by not holding the position you want it to be in. Only thing I can think of is a small square bar maybe .0625 (+-) about an inch long attached to the swivel that pinches at 90 degrees and either side holds it in place. Might be a bear to fit with the space present and as you pointed out, getting the swivel from the sockets is a bear. Makes me think I'm going to shatter something when prying on it.
Just went to put it back together after cleaning the mirror and glass and promptly cracked the mirror trying to gently (not enough....) clip it back into place. Anyone know if the ball for the swivel will pop out easily or not with out wrenching on it hard?
I broke my mirror last year, so I had a water laser cut me a new mirror in the correct thickness of glass. He charged the same price for 1 or 6 so now I have back up. So if anyone is interested let me know. Dennis
It probably cost me a$100 to get them made. $20 seems fair. If interested pm me with your info. I can do paypal, or mail me a check. Dennis
Same problem here. I wondered why my mirror would shake over bumps, and it turns out it's because that slight hinge just wore itself out and split apart. Quick hack: make yourself a shim, about 1" wide, 1/4" tall. I used a thick index card. Wedge it in between the level and the platform, and it will give you just enough tightness that at least the mirror will stay pretty firm. Of course, you can't use the lever anymore. I never did in the first place, though.
I have my mirror completely apart - even drilled out the copper rivets so I could attempt to repair the plastic hinge for the dimmer. I'm thinking about using model plane hinges, just need to figure out how to secure them given how small the tab part is. If it works I'll post details and pics. If not, I'll likely buy a new one. Looks like a $350 part. Ouch!
I've spent a few hours trying to reconnect the dimmer lever to the rest of the assembly. I made a tab from a malleable plastic and cut slots in both pieces, but the lever part doesn't have a lot of material to work with, so an adhesive is necessary. Haven't found one that will stick to whatever kind of plastic the mirror is made of. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'll try one more time with another type of epoxy. If nothing else, at least it wont flop around anymore.
John, I hope you can find a permanent cure for this as this has been my problem too. My mirror always wobble because of this dimmer lever this always get loose. I tried wedging it with a piece of thin cardboard but that only last for a while. You think a dimmer lever made of aluminum mint work if somebody can make them?
Perhaps the full-blown "fill it with epoxy" as in John's pic might at least keep the wiggle out. The problem with aluminum would be that it wouldn't flex as a hinge connected to the bracket, like the (silly) plastic OEM does. You'd have to have a 3 piece system: the bracket, the lever, plus a hinge. That original design is just screwy... it's just relying on the plastic to both at as a stopper, yet also on the plastic to not eventually wear itself in two. Given that a Fiat mirror is a perfect cheap replacement, not sure it's worth the effort to try and redesign it.
