Aero Mirror Install - Experiences?

[CBRacerX]

Greetings All,

I've got the Factory Aero Mirror Kit here and I'm looking through the parts getting it figured out. Nice detailed instructions would be a plus, but there are _none_. I suppose the 993 factory shop manual covers these in detail, but my books stop at 1989...

I searched and found one thread on doing the install, but it was not very detailed, and the only real explanation was of compressing the spring between the mirror housing and the base, and that was pretty much unreadable

Does anyone have some light to shed on this? How about scans of the pages in the shop manual? (please, I'm begging and I haven't even started the project yet) I'd be happy to provide scans of any pages from the factory manuals up to 89 for the 911 or 944...

Thanks!!!

Chris
'87 911 Coupe with 3.6 goin' in and Aero Mirrors going on (hopefully!)

[RickM]

Chris,
When I purchased my Aero mirrors I also needed to use an electrical coversion module for each side. I don't believe they are a wire for wire install off the shelf. Do you have these modules? If not I may be able to help. Let me know.

[CBRacerX]

I don't have a wire conversion module, just some wiring harness pins. Here is everything I've got.

[MonkeyBoy]

Wow - I didn't realize how involved a process this is. When I installed mine, they were pre-assembled. I didn't use a harness connecter, just used tap-in electrical piggybacks.

[Speedster94]

hallo Chris
I try , the black insert goes into the Cup first . than there is a plastic seal that goes between the Cup and the socket .there is a little screw going trough the seal into the Cup. Now you stick the locker trough the socket into the Cup like in the Picture . The locker goes trough the socket and trough the Cup and needs to go into the black insert. It takes a lot of force to compress the Spring and rotate it a half Turn .
Youneed a 12 mm Inbus to turn it .
I usually put the Inbus in a bigger Vise ,put the Spring on the Inbus ,stand on the Workbench and push the cup down into the Spring.
It looks a little funny but i found it the easiest Way.
For better understanding put the locker into the Cup without the Spring and you will see what i mean .
Sorry for the bad language but i hope it helps .
Harald

[RickM]

I'll look for instructions as well.

[CBRacerX]

Thanks much to both of you! Rick, I hope you can illuminate the issues with the electrical hookup.

Harald, You will be amused to know that I am just getting around to installing the 3.6 you sold me last year! I'll be posting my experiences here, so you should be able to see some pics of the engine installation in progress.

[RickM]

I believe I purchased my mirrors quite a while ago from BW Motorsports(618-622-0524). Perhaps you can give them a call to see if they have printed or electronic format instructions. Let's see how far you get with the wiring. Apparently others have done without the conversion module. BTW, when you search use the search argument "Aero +Mirror", you'll get lots of info.

You may want to consider having the pieces painted before assembly. That's the way I did it.

[CamB]

Either Excellence or 911 & Porsche World had a detailed article a few months back - lotsa pics and instructions.

[CBRacerX]

I've puzzled this out, finally! As a reference for others, here is how you assemble these mirrors and install them on a "classic 911" (mine is 1987).

Assembly order is very important!

1. Get the mirror housing and mirror base painted. You can't paint the parts properly once assembled.

2. Install the inner motor frame with the three self tapping screws (provided in the kit) into the mirror housing:




3. Mount the swivel plate (plastic cover on the bottom of the mirror housing) with a single small rivet (my factory kit did not include these):

[CBRacerX]

4. Now you get to attach the mirror base to the mirror housing. This is the dreaded "spring compression" process. Thanks to Harold's advice from the above entry above, I was able to do this with about three tries on each side. The technique is no substitute for the MAJOR pressure that is needed to get the spring compressed enough to engage the locking lugs in the mirror housing.

It looks like this when assembled:


Here is the assembly order of the spring:


Put the spring parts together, the upper clip will require very slight pressure to put on the spring shaft. Once on it will hold the assembly together:

[CBRacerX]

Now get a big, sturdy workbench (you will be standing on it) and a well mounted, strong vise:


Get a standard bolt about 4" long with a head that will fit firmly inside the bottom of the spring shaft, mount this bolt vertically in the vise with a healthy amount presented on top and tighten very firmly:

[CBRacerX]

Now, just like Harold said, stand on the workbench, set the spring shaft on top of the bolt.

Put the mirror base inside the mirror housing, lining up the parts as if the mirror was installed on the car.

Place on top of the bolt/spring assembly and take a deep breath... Now get a grip on the mirror housing where it thickens around the joint of the mirror base with one hand, and put the other hand inside the mirror housing to support the whole assembly. Make sure you can see the area where the spring shaft will be engaging the locking lugs inside the housing.

Now press firmly, harder… harder…. You just about have to do a handstand on the mirror! You will see the shaft appear in the housing. Once it is just clear of the lugs rotate the mirror assembly in the direction of your choice about 120 degrees – but don’t let up on the pressure!!!! You will feel the lugs drop into place and lock. Whew! It took me three tries on each mirror but you can do it!

Release pressure and remind yourself that you have to do two of these.

[GeorgeK]

You may want to have the foot and mirror shell painted before assembling the dreaded spring loaded pivot, else the paint will be substandard in the pivot area where the seal is.

[Yellowbird RS]

in step #3 my kit include a small stud to mount it.

[911SCfanatic]

Nice thread! This is one of my next projects. Didn't realize they made a kit from Porsche. How much did it cost. I was planning on getting used ones, but may get new if the price is close.

What's the part number of the kit? (does it include left and right) The p/n's I see look like they're for individual components.

[Yellowbird RS]

Bill I bought mine for $320 (manual kit)about 6 months ago for Better Bodies all parts are OME but I think they made the collect for all the parts and sale it like a kit. Just like the photo above
http://www.betterbodiesmotorsport.com/homefr.html

[CBRacerX]

Factory Kit, I believe that Pelican Sells it, part number is 964-731-901-00, but that should be confirmed!

[Lukesportsman]

Bill, I would personally recommend used ones with new gaskets. They are really a pain to assemble and I had some issues with the small screws binding in the spacers and off to the hardware store I went. They come in two colors and need immediate painting anyway. I got mine from DCAuto for $250 in kit form.

[CBRacerX]

I think you will get a much nicer paint job on new units that are dissasembled. The used I have seen selling are just about as expensive as the new Porsche factory parts. And new means new motor, new glass, new wiring.

And thanks to this great thread you can see that with instructions it really isn't that hard to do. No special tools, but you do have to buy that 60 cent bolt from the hardware store!

Cheers,

Chris