My mirror is sloppy loose where the ball-socket and mirror come together...

Can that be fixed or better to just replace ?

 

From the NCRS site:

Behind the mirror glass, there's a pressure plate with a hole in it that admits the swivel ball. The pressure plate is held in place to the housing by preened over shafts that are part of the housing's pot metal.

Over the years, these 'rivets' (preened over shafts) can loosen allowing the plate to move rearward with respect to the swivel ball and the mirror 'droops' due to insufficient interference fit tension. The swivel ball can also wear relative to the tensioning plate giving you the same situation.

Sometimes, you can fix this problem by removing the glass (dissolved the RTV holding the glass inside the housing by soaking in lacquer thinner) and repressing the rivet/studs to take up the slack.

Another poster said that he put 3 drops of super glue on the rivets.

My passenger side mirror does the same thing - one of the things on my list to fix.

Hopefully, someone who has fixed this problem before will chime in.

It's also been discussed on this forum: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ng-around.html

 

Thanks....! I think I'll give it a shot in the near future....i gotta try that or replace it so....!!!

When I do - I'll post pics and a write up !

 

You've got nothing to loose, soak in lacquer thinner and take a look. It was an easy fix.

 

Here you go! Here's how I fixed mine with pics. It's easy, just a couple days to do, and cost about a $1.50 to fix.
Glenn
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...oday-pics.html

 

Replace.
Put the original in the box for safe keeping.

 

I totally Agree, I soaked mine did not come off soaked it some more (2 Days Now) did not come off the third or fourth day I ripped it off . Drilled out the thing put on the new dealy and low and be hold the Thing shakes as bad as it did before.
I ordered one put it on 10 Minutes no problem.
I think you can even order the correct year etching .
I bought the Etching that says: " Objects in the
rear view
are Losing"

 

Who did you order it from....just wondering about the quality...?

 

My 1969: I had and have the same problem. Both mirrors were loose, the drivers side more so. Ordered a pair from Corvette Central. The left one would tilt just fine for proper viewing. The right one would tilt to the left far enough for me to barely see the right side of the car. Sent that one back and got credit. Put the old one back on but it is loose and am still looking for a replacement. I'm guessing that they probably all come from the same mill unless someone knows different. Yes , I am keeping the originals.

John

 

Easy to fix it like I did. Costs almost nothing and you have the old, better made mirror.

 

Mid Amercia Motorworks

 

Ordered a right side mirror from Mid America last Friday to replace the defective one I purchased from CC as I posted above. Will let you know how it works out when I install it. Keeping the original.
John

 

My original had same problem along with pitted and faded chrome. Bought a new matching after-market pair since the pass side was never mounted. I have a devil of a time on occasion looking out that side, especially backing up.

Then only after a month of use on drivers side, it became so loose that it would not stand up. Rats!

Fixed it using the instructions GD70 (Glenn) posted. It was suggested to use mineral spirits instead of gasoline. Bought a gal at the big box store.

Soaked 24 hrs; not loose.
Soaked another 24 hrs, still not even close to loose and dang-near broke the mirror (chipped the glass a tiny bit using a tool of persuasion: really small flat-blade screwdriver).

Not sure why mineral spirits failed to loosen and losing time so dumped spirits, dried, and refilled with a bit of gasoline. I used a small, disposible, foil pan offered for baking small cakes or bread to minimize amount of gas used.

24 hrs later, glass nearly fell back into foil pan as I picked up housing. Once glass off, the best part: found the posts were threaded for #6 machine screws! No peening of rivets, fitting for washer, or any expoxy to snug tension plate. Local Ace hw store had selection of some nylon washers and used one to replace the one found broken.

Reassembled per Glenn's instructions and viola! Back in business.

 

Mine was threaded too. It had a rubber disc that I replaced to tighten up the mirror. I also used laquer thinner to loosen the adhesive.

 

I realize this is an old thread, but figured my question was relevant to the topic.

I too, have a 'floppy' mirror. However, mine is flopping up & down from the bracket plate attached to the car door. I removed the mirror itself from the bracket in order to tighten the mount screws underneath, but found they were already tight. I'm not sure where to go from here, as I suspect the threaded sleeves in the door have broken loose? (I've removed & replaced it several times and it seems the sleeves are moving in and out, along with the rubber grommets) I have an assembly manual, but unfortunately it doesn't give me any idea how these sleeves are mounted in the door. If I remove the interior door panel will I be able to access or replace them? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

I just installed a mirror on the passenger door, where there was not one before. On the passenger side, the mirror bracket is retained with "well nuts", which can be purchased from just about any of the Corvette parts suppliers. I have not been into the driver side mirror, so I can't comment on how it's mounted.

https://willcoxcorvette.com/catalogs...outside+mirror

 

Thanks! I got it! A bit tricky, to say the least. I should have clarified that I was working with the passenger door mirror. I'm going to assume it was added, just like you added your's.

I ended up pulling the grommets completely out of the door...and then understood your comment of 'well-nuts' and how they function. Mine were a disaster and it was obvious they were worn out...but lucky for me, the original owner had 2 additional mirror mounting brackets with well-nuts in a box of parts that came when I bought the car. I will say this...there was a slight difference between the brackets in the NEW bags, compared to the bracket that I originally removed from the mirror. When I used the new grommets (well nuts) and the NEW bracket, it was solid, no movement. However, when I attached the mirror and tightened the allen-head screw, the mirror itself was floppy. I removed the mirror and compared the NEW bracket to the old bracket...and there was a slight difference in width where the mirror and bracket join/fasten together. I then used the old bracket and attached the mirror...perfectly snug fit, no flop.

I'm wondering if the original owner had the same problem. I find it odd there were 2 additional sets of brackets floating around in that box of parts. Either way, she's good to go now.

 

Here is a comparison...old grommet/well-nut on LEFT...vs. NEW on the right.