body experts, i REALLY need your help

IanW505 · IanW505's Garage

So, i take my car in yesterday morning to get detailed, thinking i'll get it back looking pristine and gorgeous. Well, i get it back, and it does look pristine, until i find that my right side mirror is held on by only a couple cables. Apparently the threads on the metal unit inside the base of the mirror are completely stripped now, and the only thing holding the mirror on the base is the power mirror cables. ARGH!

So, i took it to a body shop, and they said i have to replace the entire mirror unit. Talk about an instant rectum-clincher, i can already see my checkbook sobbing from another por$che problem.

So i guess i need a mirror assemble, which then needs to be painted and installed on the car. But this seems like strange coincidence to me, that it was fine when i took it in to get detailed, but then loose when i got it back. Sound fishy to anyone else, or am i just paranoid?

I suppose my real question is: Do you all think it was just age of the threads that caused them to finally let go, or did the mirror get a good knocking while at the detailers, and no one there wants to admit to it? Anybody have any experience with this?

As always, thanks for your help and suggestions, much appreciated.

-Ian

arerrac · 06-09-2004, 10:02 AM

I just had this happen to me. Was washing my car and twisted the mirror to drain and heard a loud pop. Then it would swivel freely and I could lift it up and off the base. Only thing holding it in was the wiring and gravity.
Is yours just sitting on the metal tube that comes out of the base? If so, the mechanism that allows it to rotate around has come unscrewed. The threads aren't stripped. The spring is so strong; you can't compress it enough to allow the threads to catch.

I took mine apart (God bless the Bentley manual) and tried to fix it. I learned that there are 2 plastic bushings on either end of the spring. When I removed them, it gave me enough extra thread to be able to screw it in. With the help of some big needle nose pliers and some cursing. You need to apply a lot of force to compress the spring in there enough for the threads to catch.

Hope this helps.
-Wade

Hetmann · 06-09-2004, 10:22 AM

I just assembled some mirrors for my car and I don't think there's anything to "strip out". These babies are stout! In any event, I think it should be repairable with a new bolt at the base or whatever. Every piece of mine had its own part number and I'm sure you can get whatever without buying the entire a$$embly.

geof33 · 06-09-2004, 11:09 AM

To truly "fix" the problem you need to replace the special cylinder piece that is threaded. This is the piece that seems impossible to remove as the wire loom goes through it. They are only available from the dealer and cost about 25.00 each. You need a star wrench (#9 I think) and you need to either, cut the wires at the door to get the mirror apart, or you need to get a special tool to remove the multi-plug in the mirror itself. To get to the guts of the mirror, the glass just pries off and you can get to everything. Take out the old piece and replace with the new with lots of lithium waterproof grease. Replace wiring and your set for life.

The problem with pulling out the plastic bushings is the spring will wear into the metal of the mirror eventually. Also, once threads strip the rest are short in coming off as well.

kqw · 06-09-2004, 11:20 AM

Who can detail your car better than you can?

My car has never been washed, polished or waxed by anyone but me in all the years I've owned the car.

arerrac · 06-09-2004, 12:39 PM

"the glass just pries off and you can get to everything. "

Be carefull going this route. It does not just pry off. You need to remove it acording to the bentley manual. Prying off may break something.

Also, yes, removing the bushings may lead to wear on the metal of the mirror housing, ONLY of you turn it all the time. Grease it up and let it be. Fixed mine without removing the wiring.

And is a NEW one pre assembeled with the spring compressed to be able to install it.

-W

Hetmann · 06-09-2004, 01:17 PM

The glass prys off on certain older mirrors. On newer ones, there is a hole in the bottom of the mirror. Put a little screwdriver in there and move the latch to the side to release the glass.

david914 · 06-09-2004, 01:36 PM

Ian, can you post some pics showing what you're talking about? From your description, it sounds like the base is stripped out, but that's kinda unusual. If that is the case, you can probably source a used one from a dismantler and have it painted to match your car. The base can be separated from the main housing where it pivots. DON'T buy a new mirror assembly!

geof33 · 06-09-2004, 06:47 PM

Jeez guys... I just did this procedure. If you have a 74-89 with the flat style mirror then the glass just pops off. You have to be a bit careful, but it comes right off. Either press or move the mirror to it's inner limit and you can see the three little pop tabs. Easy. The hard part is getting the wire loom out of the center of the assembly. Like I said, you can cut the loom or remove the individual wires from the multi plug (better). This piece is not obviously a seperate piece but if you look from under the mirror you'll see the star patterned bolt.

If you notice, the bolt doesn't have many threads to begin with and is factory prepared with thread locker. If you do the bushing method your simple putting a bandaid on an open chest wound that will eventually break again, then you have to do it all again... Do it right the first time and be done with it. It takes about 30 minutes...

The replacement looks like this.

The part number is this:

IanW505 · IanW505's Garage

well, i went back the the detailers today and explained to him the situation. He told me he'd "do anything to make it right". So it seems i won't be footing the bill on this one. I wish there were more business men like this guy, he's amazing. Thanks geof and everyone else for your replies, i'll let you know what happens.

-Ian

Hald · 06-10-2004, 04:19 AM

I recently added a right-side mirror to my car. After disassembling to paint all the parts, I found that I could not get the threaded tube to mate with the nut when I had both plastic bushings in place. With both bushings removed, it went together easily, but I later found that the mirror was slightly loose on its pivot and it shook/vibrated annoyingly when driving. I disassembled and installed one of the two bushings at one end of the spring. With firm pressure, I was now able to get the nut to thread onto the tube and there was no more losseness in the pivot.