Side Mirror Break-away fold back cam feature is floppy
 

So all of a sudden with no impacts or anything, the drivers side mirror decides it wants to flop fore and aft with no spring detented cam action.


I tore into it, and there is the cam on the bottom mount that attaches to the door, then a cam follower bolt with tension spring with the bolt threading up to the mirror housing.

HOW THE HECK do you get this bolt to thread up into the mirror housing, as the spring tension is so great that I cant' get it started to thread? Special tool, or some trick to this?

Someone has to have been in there before, hepp me hepp me!

When I bought my '83 the drivers side mirror had the same problem. Once I got it apart ( all those PITA mirror wires!) I realized that the hollow bolt had pulled all the threads out of the weak metal of the upper mirror casting. Check for that first since if thats happened theres no way it'll stay together. I ended up going to a Porsche recyling place and getting another mirror assembly for $50.

If you've still got threads on both the bolt and the upper mirro then get the wires out and remove the mirror from the car. Mount the assembly upside down in some sort of soft jawed vise and bear down on the bolt to compress the spring while turning it in

Check out this thread

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/118839-carrera-3-2-wing-mirror-fell-off.html?highlight=mirror

you can use a large flat blade screwdriver that enters, but catches on the flutes of the 12 point hollow bolt, with the mirror completely assembled, wires and all, hanging off the door. screwdriver blade next to the wires, push in hard and give it a half turn at a time,

That's what I did on mine.

Just be sure not to back out the allen nut all the way unless you want to gut out the door and fish for the piece on the ther side of the screw that just fell into the door.

Also tape or secure a bath towel over the door to prevent the mirror housing from scraping the paint.

I was able to use the large flat blade screwdriver method. Unfortunately, I can't tighten the bolt anymore and I still have a rattle when I hit bumps. Do I need a new spring and bolt?

Thanks all, (John W TOO!) I'll try this again using the screwdriver method........don't think I stripped out the mirror threads, but if I did I've got a line on a used set of side mirrors.

Thanks!! My Mirror has been loose since I got the car, and it finally backed all the way out.
I used the screwdriver next to the wires with everything intact. Took about 20 min. solo, taping a towel to the car and everything.

Thanks again.

FYI - I tried to use a screwdriver and ended up damaging the housing around the wires after about 10 tries.

I then tried the back end (one of the handles) of a standard pair of metal pliers and voila - was able to tighten the mirror on the 1st try.

Thanks for the direction - as I was a bit stumped before finding this post!

I did it twice successfully --- using long-nose pliers.

im having this problem as well, but im a little confused by these descriptions... do you need to take the mirror's mounting base off the door to access the bolt? or remove the glass? how to get at the tightening bolt?

this thread is relevant but indicates taking off entire mirror from door
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/140755-my-mirror-flops.html?highlight=mirrors+loose

by looking at this thread
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/322234-sc-flag-mirror-vibration.html?highlight=mirrors+loose
im assuming the mirror has to be loosened off the door sheet metal to access what appears to be a hollow bolt which i the wires run through? am i right?

oh, and if the mirror has to come off....that means i have to take the interior door panel off or does the allen bolt that is visible on the outside top of the mirror base have something to do with it?

Just loosen the allen key bolt till the mirror is loose and it should wiggle out.

If you remove the bolt all the way, the part on the other end will fall into the door cavity never to be found again, unless you roll the car upside down.

No need to remove the mirror glass.

I just shoved a large flat head screwdriver into the window base opening and used the slot in the open bolt to tighten.

never to found? even if you take the door panel off you wont find it?

any idea how many turns of the allen bolt before the other part falls into the black hole?

When you said "window base" did you mean mirror base? im confused

Just turn the bolt slowly until the mirror is loose enough.

The base is the part that is attached to the door with the gasket, when you turn the mirror assembly upside down or sideways you will see that the rectangular part is hollow.

thanks..i got it now