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Date:         Tue, 12 Mar 2002 15:05:11 -0800
Reply-To:     "Thomas J. LaLanne" <lalanne@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Thomas J. LaLanne" <lalanne@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Mirror fixes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

To anyone with loose mirrors (probably almost everyone at one time or another):

When I bought my vanagon last summer, its mirrors were awful. Most of the time, I got a beautiful view of the ground next to the car. I found several tips from the archives on correcting the problem. I first tried tightening the nut, but that didn't work. I next tried the plastic washer fix, and it worked so well that I decided to save the methods, and send them to friends. The following are different levels of mirror repairs that all of us will undoubtedly need from time to time.

Simple fix

Take the mirror off (two screws at the base). Look up into the base — you'll see a nut, stud and spring arrangement. You can tighten the nut--- and this will hopefully cure the floppiness. Approach this gently, with lots of WD-40 if it looks at all corroded. The stud is just stuck in the plastic and can pull out or simply shear off.

Better fix

1. Remove mirror. 2. Clean oxidized contact surfaces. 3. Disassemble the nut/spring assembly, making note of where things go.

4. Insert a washer cut from thin polyethylene (a plastic milk carton is ideal) on either side of the spring (I used a dime for the exterior pattern, and punched the hole out with a paper hole punch). 5. Tighten the nut and reassemble.

This works well to keep the mirror in position yet allows it to be positioned without the fear of ripping it out by its roots. The washer will wear out in a couple of years, but it is easily and, certainly, cheaply replaced.

The big whammy (if the stud is loose)

You will need: tube of JB Weld vise Vise Grips bench grinder (wear safety goggles/gloves)

1. Remove mirror from door. 2. Disassemble the nut/spring assembly. 3. Place the arm of the mirror in a vise so that you can pull on the stud extending from the swivel part and it won't slip. Pad it the mirror with old socks, and do not tighten the vise too tight or you might crack the plastic exterior. 4. With a vise grip, grasp the smooth part of the shaft & clamp down firmly. 5. Pull the stud. Pull some more. Pull hard enough to pull it out. 6. When stud is removed, look at the way the bolt emerges from the socket. Remember it. 7. Use the grinder to remove material from the surfaces of each of the six sides and end to make room for JB Weld to fuse the metal stud and the white cast metal of the mirror support arm. Remove ~ .5-1 mm from each surface. 8. Periodically test fit the stud to fit loosely in the previous home of the mirror support arm. You want enough room to spread some JB weld in there, and to get good contact between the two. 9. Mix JB Weld. 10. Spread some JB Weld into the hole. Use a toothpick to get good coverage on the surfaces down in there. Spread some JB Weld onto the surface of the stud. Not too much, just coat all surfaces. 11. Insert stud so that it resembles it's position before you removed it. 12. Clean around area of socket to ensure smooth surface contact between the ball and the socket. 13. Loosely assemble to look for clearances. Fix any problems. Disassemble for curing. 14. Position the mirror for curing so that the stud protruding from the arm now points straight up or position a clamp to hold it in place during curing. 15. After about a day or so reassemble and enjoy a tight mirror.

Happy views to the rear.

Tom LaLanne '86 Westy Weekender


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