Best way to re-hang a rear view mirror ?

[HarryD]

Originally posted by ianc
I think you're misunderstanding my question (which was not explained very well).

There is a metal piece glued to the windshield. The mirror's plastic stalk connects to this metal piece in some way. I can get some relative motion between the two, but I can't figure out how the mirror stalk is removed from the metal piece, leaving it intact on the windshield.

Anyone?

ianc

ianc,

Most mirrors have a setscrew to hold the mirror firm to the button that is glued to the windshield. Hopefully you have one.

Look very closely around the base of the mirror. You are looking for a tiny set screw. Most likely it is at the bottom of the mirror. You would loosen it to slide the mirror off. If you are unfortunate, a PO could have glued the mirror to the windshield with the button still installed on the mirror and also glued the button to the mirror housing.

good luck.

[klaucke]

IanC: Often the mirrors just slide down from the top and have a set screw. I'm not sure if this is how Porsche did it on the SC/Carreras but most other vehicles are this way. Just loosen the set screw (or remove it) and slide the mirror up.

FSW: I agree. I discussed this w/ a factory rep. last spring but they were more marketing than engineering. Still, normally Loctite brand products are exceptional, so I'm a bit confused w/ the problem.

[ianc]

Often the mirrors just slide down from the top and have a set screw

Harry and Klaucke: yes, I've seen the set screw mounting before, but I cannot seem to locate one on my SC. The mirror would have to slide up on the metal button (if anything) to remove. I could probably tell how if I had the mirror in my hand, but I don't have one to look at, and visibility behind the mirror is very bad... Thanks for the replies,

ianc

[HarryD]

Originally posted by ianc
Harry and Klaucke: yes, I've seen the set screw mounting before, but I cannot seem to locate one on my SC. The mirror would have to slide up on the metal button (if anything) to remove. I could probably tell how if I had the mirror in my hand, but I don't have one to look at, and visibility behind the mirror is very bad... Thanks for the replies,

ianc

ianc:

For ha-ha's I looked at my '73 mirror in PET. It shows the set screw at the top of the base.

In '80, the PET does not show a set screw but in '87 it returns again.

[rlh930]

rexav8r -

If you have the original Porsche mirror, attach it to the windshield with the double-stick 3M pad available from Pelican. To get it to stick, clean both the windshield and the mirror with solvent (Goof-off, lighter fluid, etc) then heat the mounting point on the mirror with a blow-dryer or heat gun and apply the pad, and finally heat the windshield and apply the other side of the pad to that. Have someone press on the outside of the windshield with their hand to offset the force of you pressing the mirror against the glass. You will be able to see through the glass if the glue has a good seal. Mine has been solid for months after applying this way. Obviously don't heat the glass so much or press so hard as to break it.

ianc-

If you have one of the cheapie mirrors sold by our host's competitor, it has the metal button that glues to the glass. This mirror didn't have any setscrew to keep it attched or prevent it's vibrating, it just had a press fit. The positive is that it was easy to remove. The minus is it kept removing itself. It finally fell out the window one day and good riddance. I went back to the exhorbitantly priced original equipment mirror with the adhesive pad and have been happy since (see above).

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

The stem of the mirror itself has a wedge-shaped piece that--naturally--wedges into the part affixed permanantly to the glass. It wedges in from the top down, not the bottom up. So to get it loose, you need to gently tap on the stem of the mirror, upward toward the roof of the car, until it comes loose. Tap too hard and the glass cracks. Don't tap hard enough and the mirror will never come loose. If your mirror has been in place, untouched, for 25 years, you may never get it loose without ruining the windshield. Or it may come loose with one light tap.

When I reinstalled my mirror, I wedged it into the fasterner "just hard enough," because I move it to a second button when I use the car on the track. And I use a small plastic mallet to loosen it.

I guess what I'm saying is that if you try this, don't blame me if you break your windshield...

[Jay Laifman]

Ditto to Stephan on the stock SC mirror removal - no screw, just a tight square finger that slides down into a square loop/hole. You need to push it back up and tap like he said.

And, as I said before, I tried all the heating methods like RHL930 mentions, without long term luck - though maybe they are making better stickers now - though I'd say it wasn't until usually through one summer that it took for it to come off again.

[ianc]

Thanks for the help; I will tap lightly and give up if nothing happens,

ianc

[rexav8r]

Thanks for all the replies... For some reason PP stopped sending me notices that people were still responding to this thread.

I do in fact have the trapezoid shaped base that does NOT have a separate "key" and does use the double sided stick pad.

I just going to try ordering one from PP and give that a shot.

Thanks.

[Evans, Marv]

I have a question connected with this. I will be mounting my rear view mirror pretty soon. The mirror I'll be mounting has left over adhesive pad still on the mounting base. It really doesn't seem to want to come off. Any recommendations on what will disolve this stuff? Tried acetone & a couple of other things with no results. Next is MEK, although I don't like to work with that stuff much, since it disolves everything including my gloves.

[rlh930]

Originally posted by Evans, Marv
Any recommendations on what will disolve this stuff?

If you have the OE Porsche mirror, it has a flat base under the sticky pad. Get as much as you can off with solvent then sand the rest off with fine grit sandpaper.