Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 08:21:32 -0400
Reply-To: Gary McEachern <glmce@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Gary McEachern <glmce@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Warning: Don't buy cheap exterior mirrors
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
I've been able to save and keep from having to replace a number of "floppy"
mirors on vanagons. I've had success fixing every original style VW mirror
I've tackled! The problem with these mirrors is that the hex shaft on the
tension bolt corrodes and siezes preventing the spring from allowing it to
apply tension and hold the mirror in place.
To repair I've:
(1.)removed the nut and spring
(2.)liberally applied rust buster
(3.)put the nut on flush with the top of the adj bolt
(4.)gently tapped the head of the nut till it freed up and allowed me to
disassemble it
Once removed I used rust buster and a file to clean the flats on the shaft
of the bolt so I could easily insert it. I then apply moly to the hex shaft
and reassemble.
This has worked like a charm every time, even when I thought the mirror
couldn't be saved. It's worth a few minutes to try as long as the glass is
OK!
Gary
----Original Message Follows----
From: "Terry K." <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
Reply-To: "Terry K." <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Warning: Don't buy cheap exterior mirrors
Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 23:12:29 -0500
Alan,
I have the same mirror's, and had the same exact problem's---
The fix was simple---
Remove the nut and washer, pull the lower male ball out, and with a
hacksaw, or air cut off tool, cut grooves into the ball about 1/16th
apart---do the same on the lower part of the upper section of the
mirror----
Put it back together----add another washer, to the stud, so it will draw
up a little tighter--and it's fixed-----
The little cuts in the male section's of the mirror will bite into the
female section's preventing it from moving as easy-----
Simple fix----
Later,
Terry
E-mail message From Alan Pickersgil
I've had a number of different sets of mirrors of different designs. The
last were the Bus Depot ones. I picked them up from the shop and on my
way home to Canada -stooped a couple of times to tighten the bolt -
prevent being blown back by the wind. I broke one - overtightened it and
Ron at Bus Depot was good enough to replace it . They never really
worked (would blow out of adjustment at high speed) until I created a
clear plastic splint for them. Piece of appropriately sized clear
plastic hose with white nylon? reinforcing threads in it, cut to a
couple of inches in length. Slit open the hose and put it around the
base of the mirrors arm and tighten it quite tight, once it is adjusted
properly. Looks a bit home made but works really well. In my opinion the
ball joint structure simply doesn't have enough surface area to
withstand the pressure of the wind even when tightened to the threshold
of breaking. If anyone is interested send me a message and I'll take
pictures and send.
Alan
85 Transporter converted to Westfalia.
----- Original Message -----
Markus----
Just a quick question----
If in fact, the mirror's won't draw up tight----
Why in the hell would you want to soak them in Liquid Wrench?
This is not going to solve your problem--- it's going to make it all the
worse---!!
Later,
Terry
E-mail message
Looks like I'll be trying to fix my old one, which I'd tightened as far
as I could. Maybe a several day bath in Liquid Wrench will help the base
become tightenable again.
...Markus
Gary McEachern, Reading Ma.
'90 Westy
'87GL Wolfy Weekender SubaVanagon
'87 Syncro
'91 Subaru Legacy Sedan
'93 Subaru Legacy Wagon
'76 Camper
'75 Spitfire
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