Rear view and side view mirrors loose
Is there any fix or solution to old mirrors that won't stay set in place?
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Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
I have had the same problem with side mirrors. I am on my second set now and they are becomming very loose. I guess I just bought the wrong mirrors, but I did not think they were cheap. This is just a temporary fix, but I put them where I want them and pour some thread lock around where they swivel. I used the blue stuff. I guess the only real fix is just to purchase new mirrors, but try and find good quality mirrors. I replaced my center rear view mirror several years ago. It does not get adjusted as often as the side mirrors and it is doing fine. The side mirrors are always getting bumped by people walking by at car shows, etc. If you find a good solution let me know. Good Luck! -
Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
If the door mirror has a stainless ring to hold it in place, you can remove it and the glass, and add a small item formed like a u-shaped wedge in the ball socket area to keep it tighter. Hard to explain without a photo but I've done this before with success.
RichComment
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Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
Remove the mirror glass and then drill into the center of the mushroomed rivet careful to go deep enough for a short screw but not drilling thru. Either use a self tapping screw or run a tap into the hole and then put in a screw. You will be able to tighten the mirror too tight if you wish. On some mirrors,if both mushroomed rivets are loose you may need to put screw in both ends of the bar.Comment
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Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
I never have trouble with my side view mirror other than having to adjust it each time I take the car out due to having had a car cover over it. Typical road shock does not effect it. I did have a problem with my original rear view mirror though (up and down) which I mostly cured using a small spring washer in the mounting bracket. It serves to hold it in position better and keeps the screw from loosening. The ball socket is fine. The original stuff is pretty hard to beat as long as it is still in good shape appearance wise. I think most side view mirror changes are due to deterioration of the chrome.
Stu FoxComment
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Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
Do a search using "loose mirrors" or similar and you will find lots of comments and questions on this. There are permanent fixes (wasn't there one in The Restorer a number of years ago) like peening the inside of the mirror. There are temporary fixes like using Lok Tite as suggested. I did this for a neighbor's Corvette and the Lok Tite was still holding the mirror after two years. No car covers to disturb the setting. The Peening method, iirc, involves removing the glass and physically disturbing the band that holds the swivel. This is from memory!Comment
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Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
Since my mirrors were of little value to me as they would not stay in place I decided to take one apart and see how it was made. I broke the glass to get it out and immediately saw what the problem was. The steel swivel ball that lets the mirror rotate sets in a very hard plastic round ring. This ring was held tightly in place against the steel rotating ball with a flat piece of metal that was attached with a screw on each side. This provided just enough tension to hold the mirror in the position it was placed. Now the problem with this mirror and the other one also was this plastic ring or retainer whatever was cracked all the way through making it impossible for the necessary tension to be applied to hold the mirror in place. How these rings got broken is unknown. These mirrors cost about $60 each and I think they should have been made better. To repair my mirrors I searched through my supply of plumbing washers and found what I thought would make a better replacement. I also was able to order just the glass part of the mirrors from one of the Corvette suppliers at a fairly reasonable price and glued them in place. Now when and if my mirrors get loose again I will at least know how to fix them without purchasing new mirrors.Comment
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Re: Rear view and side view mirrors loose
On my original 67 bowtie mirror, I was able to slip a very thin piece of copper under the ball on the inside of the mirror. Take the glass out and then you can try and pull the copper behind the ball and the metal bar the ball faces. It worked very well, the mirror head does not flop around and saved a very nice original mirror. I got the copper at an arts and craft store. Good luck. Jeff CornwellComment
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