Removing rear view mirror

[aston@ultrasw.c]

I know this is a very simple question but

How do I remove the rear view mirror from the socket that is bonded to the windshield?

OK diving for cover!

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

It simply slides upward and out of a u-shaped slot in the part that's glued to the glass. You probably won't be able to simply lift it out if it's been there awhile, but you can tap on the mirror-stem part, gently, with something like a small rubber or plastic mallet. I wouldn't recommend using a steel hammer, you might crack the glass.

[aston@ultrasw.c]

I did poke at it with a sharp stick, but it didn't want to move....

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Well, if you were trying to scare it, that might work...

Put some penetrant on it overnight. Then tap it--the mirror stem--at the bottom, lightly. Lots of taps rather than one enthusiastic whack, and as I said do it with a non-metallic mallet.

The groove in the mirror pad is an interference fit; it tapers slightly and grips the mirror stem harder the farther in you put it.

I have two mirror pads on my windshield--one for highway mirror location, one for track--and I move the mirror frequently from one to the other. It takes a little effort, due to the interference fit, even though mine is by no means corroded in place. Don't be hard on it. There's a lot of stress entrapped in windshield glass, and it's not hard to make it let go.

[tcar]

Along the same vein, can the 'puck' be removed from the windshield?

When the new w-shield was put in (by the PO), the glass company installed the puck too high and it interferes with the visors when they are down.

Can I remove the puck and install it (or another puck) lower down?

Thanks.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

As far as I know, the answer is no. Those go on with some kind of serious glue that I don't think you can get off, unless there's some way to do it with heat from the outside without ruining the glass. (Glass shops remove inspection and registration stickers intact from old windshields and re-glue them to the new ones, but they typically ruin the glass doing so--which of course doesn't matter because the windshield is already cracked or damaged in some way.)

But I won't be surprised if somebody knows better. Nothing ever surprises me here...

[jrumiano]

I actually had the same issue with the visors hitting the mirror. I was able to remove the mount (puck) by using q-tips soaked in acetone and a single edge razor. It took a lot of time thought. I kept soaking it and working the razor. Plan on a couple of hours. To me it was well worth the trouble as I can now use my visors freely without having the moved the mirror.

Good luck,
John

[Jamie79SC]

You want to remove the mirror puck? Let my wife clean the inside windshield for you. In the middle of a 3500 mile road trip, she did me the 'favor' of cleaning the glass while I was paying for gas... Seems she was a bit vigorous in her scrubbing and knocked it right off the glass. I got back to he car and she handed me the mirror.

Fortunatly, a quick stop at the local auto parts shop for the two part epoxy and we were back on the road.

[aston@ultrasw.c]

A few judicious taps with a rubber mallet and it was off, thanks Steve.

Now my incar won't star the rear view mirror!

[euro911sc]

Originally Posted by aston@ultrasw.c

Now my incar won't star the rear view mirror!

Um....

Not to be a wet noodle, but don't you need the rear view mirror while driving? It is the most used one of my three...

-Michael

[aston@ultrasw.c]

This is just for a DE track event.

I've still got the side mirrors to keep an eye on my 6.

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by tcar

Along the same vein, can the 'puck' be removed from the windshield?

When the new w-shield was put in (by the PO), the glass company installed the puck too high and it interferes with the visors when they are down.

Can I remove the puck and install it (or another puck) lower down?

Thanks.

tcar,

Use a heat gun or a hair dryer to remove the mounting base. Heat it from the outside and the heat will break the glue contact. To mount it back, clean the area where you want it and use 'crazy glue' to secure the base. HTH.

Tony

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

But be careful: That's how glass shops remove inspection and registration stickers from used windshields to put onto the new ones, and they typically ruin the [already ruined] glass. Of course they aren't concerned with "being careful," though.

[aston@ultrasw.c]

BTW, Steve I enjoyed the book. I lent it to a friend who has a Targa, she was not amused! He he.

[1967911s]

Is the swb 1968 mirror also an interference fit? This is attached to the roof of the car?

[CMeSpeed]

How can I remove the inside rearview rain sensor mirror on a Porsche 997