Rear View Mirror Removal?

[warment]

My glass in my rear view mirror is screwed up, so I want to replace the entire rear view mirror with a new one. I ordered a nice chevy billet rear view and now I can't remove the old rear view assembly from the glass (specifically I can't remove the adhesive/glue that holds the assembly to the glass).

I have tried using dental floss and wire to "cut" through the adhesive with very little progress.

Any other tips?

Bill

[IROC]

Your 911 doesn't want the "Chevy" rear view mirror installed, so it is hanging on the Porsche one as hard as it can. If you return the Chevy one and get the Porsche mirror, it will come right off. :>)

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Mike

[Wil Ferch]

Strongly disagree on the merits of the Porsche mirror:

rear view mirror fell off

--Wil

[IROC]

Oh yeah, I was joking of course. I was going to add that if you simply wait long enough, it will fall off on it's own. Mine is loose and flopping back and forth these days.

Mike

[no substitute]

IROC is correct, it will fall off eventually. I was wondering too, what is the release agent for the mirror adhesive other than the "sands of time", heat?

[Schrup]

I wish mine would fall off. Since I put in my roll bar, I can't see the roofs of cars behind me. The city cop made that clear last week when he told me I should look in my mirror before doing something stupid, luckily he gave me a warning for speeding & illegal passing. So, I need to mount my mirror lower so I can see the cops behind me.

[Superman]

Tsk, Tsk, Paul.

The mirror assembly comes off the metal tab that is glued to the glass. It's a tight fit, but the mirror should come off and leave the metal disk stuck to the glass. The metal disk comes off by heat. Not too much, not too little. Use a non-sratching prying device, and a bic lighter. Focus the flame on the tab, not the glass. Once it is hot enough, the prying tool will be able to pop it off. That's how the glass guys do it. Reminder: When the tab comes off, it will be HOT.

Then, you'll still have glue on your glass. I did not ask the glass guys how to get that off. Razor, I suppose.

[no substitute]

If you can get out of Pierce County and onto the King County sections of I-5, that will definitely shorten the time it takes your mirror to shake loose. (Regional road condition humor)

[Emission]

Call a window shop. Worst case, swing by their place and give them $20 to do it for you.

[fredpayne]

I have called 5 different window shops in the Dallas area, I even called one that the Porsche Dealer recommended, they all told me there was a 50/50 chance the windshield would break if the mirror mount was heated to remove it.

[tcar]

Use the heat thing, I've done it 4-5 times, no cracking...

Just don't get the flame too close to the glass. Will take about a minute.

Adhesive comes off with a razor blade and alcohol.


But, if you get a good used mirror with the same puck, you can leave it there and just re-mount it.

[DG624]

You could go to the junk yard and experiment on a broken window or ask Parts Heaven. I had my rear view mirror fall off and I cleaned the glue up with a razor blade. I recently replaced the entire windshield with an 89 964 whidshield sans window strip insert. The new windshield has a similar mount but will the 86 mirror fit? I am afraid to force it.

[schumicat]

My 4 year old pulled the mirror off with the metal disc attached. Bring you car over and I'll have him give it a try.

[Porchcar guy]

I just ordered a new mirror correct for my 79SC.Question ...How does the mirror arm come off the disc?

[schumicat]

in the US all rear view mirrors are breakaway (designed to come off if hit by an arm or head in an accident); you can pull them off the base disc and put them back in. Unless the adhesive is weak with age in which case the base may come off too.

Originally Posted by Porchcar guy

I just ordered a new mirror correct for my 79SC.Question ...How does the mirror arm come off the disc?

[eastbay]

The glass is pretty resistant to heat, I actually soldered new heating element connectors to a rear Targa window with a torch years ago. (the glass was out of the car though)