I thought I should share a POSITIVE fix for chronic loose headed chrome mirrors.

First,this does NOT look totally stock.

After removing the mirror glass (soak overnight in gasoline (careful) or suitable solvent to melt the silicone adhesive) grind off the "rivet" heads that are holding the leaf type spring that loads the pivot ball. Grind down the bosses a few mm or about .080".

Get 2 stainless steel button head 4-40 machine screws 12 to 19 mm (1/2" to 3/4") and two stainless steel lock nuts.

Drill out the bosses to accept the 4-40 screws. Install the button head screws from the outside and fix the leaf spring to the screws with the locknuts. Tighten the locknuts until the stiffness in the head is adequate.

The button head screws should be struck with a small hammer to match the contour of the front side of the mirror.

Retighten the nuts if required to maintain the desired head stiffness.

Install the mirror glass with silicone and let the silicone cure.

The mirror is ready to install. If you didn't get the head stiffness right remove the glass again and adjust accordingly.

THIS WORKS!!!

If you don't like the tiny stainless screws that show, get a mirror for when you show the car!!

 

Instead of going to all the work of replacing the rivet/studs try cutting a loop off a paper clip and putting it under one end of the spring. It increases the tension on the mirror head while retaining the stock look.

 

I almost used the same fix as in the first post. What I did was to grind the heads off the rivets, then drill the bosses from the inside (not completely through). Put the spring on and then used loctite and sheet metal screws in the new holes from inside the mirror. Tighten screws down till mirror is nice and tight. Re-assemble mirror with RTV.

 

Are you talking about the inside rearview mirror or the outside rearview mirrors? Also, what is the better way to remove the mirror glass? My inside rearview mirror on my 71 needs new mirror glass and I can't figure how to take it apart to replace the glass.

 

I was referring to the 'side view' mirror. I haven't looked at the rear view mirror yet but I think that maybe a small winter project that will get put on my list....

 

I thought about this approach, but given that I have been fighting loose mirrors for 31 years I wanted to use full machine screws with lock nuts.

I also thought about tapping the bosses from the inside but was concerned I might break off a tap.

 

Outside rear view mirrors... I have never disassembled an inside rear view mirror.

 

I took a small center punch and lightly peened the area all around where the ball goes into the mirror body. Tightened it up and the peen marks are barely visible.

 

This may sound ridiculous, but after I read these various complex fixes, I did the following with my stock '69 mirror which drooped/moved while driving:
With the mirror remaining intact on the car-
Rotate/swivel the mirror several times and clean out all the accumulated grease/dirt with a rag from the ball,
Apply normal flour (yes flour like baking) liberally to the ball while rotating the mirror ensuring to cover the ball well and allowing some of it to penetrate the seam where the mirror back attaches to the ball,
Repeat this several times (use a towel over the door to avoid "white out")
Clean off the excess flour,
Viola! The mirror stands up to 90+ mph. (I've tested it several times)

 

Somewhere in one of these threads, I guy gives a like to a site on which he details his mirror removal process and fix using two shims underneath the peened over rivet heads. It was an excellent pictorial and the only method that I found worked. I tried center punching the ball, the spring plate, and adding loc-tite. I found, however, that it was not necessary to fabricate my own shims to slip underneath the peened rivet heads. I purchased C-clips from the hardware store that worked absolutely perfect. The mirror feels like new now except for the binding due to when I center punched the ball. Anyhow, my only worry now is that my glass falls out of the mirror from lack of adhesion. I glued it back on using interior rear view mirror primer and adhesive.