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How to tighten loose door mirror & remove the glass

68K views 40 replies 25 participants last post by  Hotdog1958 
#1 ·
With my new right side mirror in place I find the looseness of my left side mirror kinda annoying. It's not where the mirror mounts to the door or where the mirror arm attaches to the mount, that would be too easy. It's of course where the ball stud goes into the frame that holds the glass. I read several old posts on using super glue, silicone, and even dimpling the frame with a punch (until the glass breaks).

While I enjoy the idea of dimpling the frame I don't think a 12" drift punch and 5lbs sledge would do a good job :sad:. Is there a way to remove the mirror glass without damaging the glass or the frame work ? I'd like to see what is inside and if I can fix the problem the right way vs. just replacing a perfectly good mirror.
 
#5 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

I'm a tightwad, I'd clean out the socket by spraying some carb or brake cleaner in it, then position it close to where it would be on the car and squirt some loctite in the socket before I replaced it.
 
#8 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

Thanks for the suggestions, soaking the mirror worked. I tried this on my old right side mirror first just so I could check it out. Filled a pie pan with mineral spirits and soaked the mirror for about an hour. The glue loosened and the glass essentially fell out into my hand. The glass is only held in place by 4 dabs of a silicone type glue on the pads shown in the picture below.

There are two places to tighten the mirror. The ball stud is actually screwed into the cast mirror base. I would suggest putting some red locktite on this part. The other adjustment is under the glass and how you tighten the pivot of the mirror.



Tighten the screws on each side and the pivot gets really nice and tight.
 
#11 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

I will have to give that a try!
I have tried every kind of glue possible with no help.
 
#12 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

Wow... This must be a real common issue, because I have had the same problem with my repop passenger side mirror ever since I bought the thing.

Finally, a solution. Thanks.
 
#15 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

That is nice to know that some mirrors have the ball-stud bracket screwed in place.

Unfortunately they are not all like that. I took apart an old date-coded mirror and a Scott Drake replacement mirror - both had the ball-socket riveted (not screwed) in place.

Fortunately I was able to save the date coded glass using the mineral spirit soak then remove method.

I have one more loose orig mirror in the junk box - time to give that one a try....
 
#17 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

Okay. This was one of the most useful threads I have found so far. My floppy mirror syndrome is completely fixed and it cost me $0.

Thanks Russ for the pic--it really made this simple to understand.

Here is what I did:

I immersed my side mirrors in thinner in a small pie pan overnight. The glass easily fell out of both of them.

Mirror #1 is an older, 1990's repro. The strap that holds the ball tight was riveted to the mirror body. The mirror was attached to the body by 4 small pieces of double-sided tape. Once the glass fell out, I put the mirror body in a vise and tapped each rivet back in place. I used a punch that spread the rivets back out and tightened them. I now have a very tight side mirror #1.

Mirror #2 was purchased from D&R in 2006. The strap was held tight by two screws. The mirror itself was held on by four small dabs of clear adhesive. The screws (and the rivets on mirror #1) had come loose from the car vibrating and being driven. I tightened the screws down and the mirror is now really tight. I reattached both mirrors to the mirror body with 3M double-sided tape. They are tight for the first time in a few years. Major, major improvement.

Stop using adhesives, JB weld, etc. This is very, very simple to do.
 
#19 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

This thread helped me too. On my round 67 door mirror I removed the glass by grabbing the spring steel ring with a plastic screwdriver-like tool and then the glass, another round piece of sheetmetal and 3 small springs fell out. The mirror turns out to be a Scott Drake boxed in a Classic HQ box. The pivot keeper plate was riveted to the mirror body but peening over the looser of the two rivets a little with a small hammer did the trick and now it's like new. Too bad it's got that non-original "bowtie" on it, though!;)
 
#20 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

Dang, wish I would have known this before I bought my Ecklers dated mirror. I was happy with the repop mirror until it contracted DMS (Droopy mirror syndrome). I tried the glue, the silicone, trying to dent the socket area, nothing worked.
 
#21 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

So I wish I would of read this post sooner. Last year when I built my car I ordered the cheaper mirrors from Ricks thinking they would be fine because no where in the ad did it state the mirrors would be loose! After being fed up with the mirrors dangling I ordered the "made in USA" mirrors for $131.97 with shipping. I just got them today and the mirrors are a bigger piece of crap than the cheap ones. The passeger side has at least 1/8" of slop in it and no way would it stay in place. I cannot believe Ricks would send a piece of **** mirror and charge me $131.97 for it! I had a car show this weeked but thats off because of the inferior piece of crap mirror. The best part is that I have to pay for return shipping. What a fricken joke! I would just love to see one vendor who posted the truth abouth their part and not try to sell you a better one in place of it which is just as bad! Ricks part # are MR-6 & MR-5, I would not advise buying this. I can send a video or pics of my order from Ricks today for anyone who is interested.

Some of you will say call them and let them know and they will make it right. They probably will, but why should I have to go through this with their budget mirror and premium mirrors. Why not just say in their catalog that their crap and buy at your own risk! At least they would be honest and I would think more of them.

Well sorry for venting but I really did want to hit the show this weekend with mirrors that stayed in place.

Clint
 
#23 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

Soaked my what I think are original mirrors , mirror glass fell off in 5 minutes time. I have rivets , not screws , holding a metal strap that provides the friction fof the "ball". A couple taps on the strap, and a couple taps to reset rivets seems to have fixed it for me.
How can I tell if mirrors are original , before I stick glass back on ?
Thanks.
 
#24 ·
Re: how to tighten a loose door mirror or remove the glass ?

Soaked my what I think are original mirrors , mirror glass fell off in 5 minutes time. I have rivets , not screws , holding a metal strap that provides the friction fof the "ball". A couple taps on the strap, and a couple taps to reset rivets seems to have fixed it for me.
How can I tell if mirrors are original , before I stick glass back on ?
Thanks.
I think the GM mirrors have a date code along with the letters DCA etched at the top of the mirror glass. Sorry, don't remember how to read the date code but I'm sure someone here does though.
 
#28 ·
While we are on the subject, has anyone used one of the replacement glass from heartbeat city. They have gone to the trouble to date code the repop glass. My OEM mirror's glass is scratched and I was wondering if anyone had replaced the glass.
And mine is not drooping at all after 40 plus years.
 
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