Side mirror is flopping around!!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 782
Likes: 1
From: Magic Valley ID
Side mirror is flopping around!!
I have a large head side mirror that I got on eBay for cheap...but the head flops around and is VERY loose. Is there any way to tighten this up so that it works properly? The mirror itself is in great shape, but the ball is just too loose in the socket. Any ideas of how to rectify this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
Deja
Deja
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
Well...
My Dad showed me a trick when I was real small while he repaired a 'drooping' mirror on a 1967 Plymouth Fury II. He took the mirror off of the car and placed it securely on the workbench with me holding it. He moved the mirror to the farthest point and stuck the pivot ball with a centre punch chisel a number of times to cause small dimples. He rotated 33 degrees and did it again and then one more time.
The expansion of the metal on the ball interfered with the socket and the mirror remained tight for many years.
Just one of those thoughts that 'pop' into my head over time. Hopefully I gave you a suggestion for a solution.
Dano,
My Dad showed me a trick when I was real small while he repaired a 'drooping' mirror on a 1967 Plymouth Fury II. He took the mirror off of the car and placed it securely on the workbench with me holding it. He moved the mirror to the farthest point and stuck the pivot ball with a centre punch chisel a number of times to cause small dimples. He rotated 33 degrees and did it again and then one more time.
The expansion of the metal on the ball interfered with the socket and the mirror remained tight for many years.
Just one of those thoughts that 'pop' into my head over time. Hopefully I gave you a suggestion for a solution.
Dano,
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 561
Likes: 1
From: No longer in Heaven
try the search function on floppy mirror, it is your friend. There are a number of solutions, but one involving the removal of the glass and wedging the internal spring is the best, many forum members have used it, including me, and it is very effective although somewhat time consuming. but your mirror will never flop again!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,086
Likes: 786
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
One thing that needs clarification here from the OP is - what type of mirror is it? By "large head side mirror" I think he means sport mirrors. The ones with the body color painted head. If so, you need to remove the entire mirror from the door and tighten the fastener that holds the head onto the base of the mirror.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 782
Likes: 1
From: Magic Valley ID
One thing that needs clarification here from the OP is - what type of mirror is it? By "large head side mirror" I think he means sport mirrors. The ones with the body color painted head. If so, you need to remove the entire mirror from the door and tighten the fastener that holds the head onto the base of the mirror.
Deja
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 495
Likes: 1
From: Lubbock TX
Yep soak it in gas for a while then you can pull the glass off. I bought my mirror off ebay and it the rivets were already replaced with screws, so it only took a little tightening to get mine to stay put. Others have to wedge a washer in there to tighten.
Good luck
Sean
Good luck
Sean
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 805
Likes: 5
From: Naperville Illinois
Side mirror finally stays put...
Well...
My Dad showed me a trick when I was real small while he repaired a 'drooping' mirror on a 1967 Plymouth Fury II. He took the mirror off of the car and placed it securely on the workbench with me holding it. He moved the mirror to the farthest point and stuck the pivot ball with a centre punch chisel a number of times to cause small dimples. He rotated 33 degrees and did it again and then one more time.
The expansion of the metal on the ball interfered with the socket and the mirror remained tight for many years.
Just one of those thoughts that 'pop' into my head over time. Hopefully I gave you a suggestion for a solution.
Dano,
My Dad showed me a trick when I was real small while he repaired a 'drooping' mirror on a 1967 Plymouth Fury II. He took the mirror off of the car and placed it securely on the workbench with me holding it. He moved the mirror to the farthest point and stuck the pivot ball with a centre punch chisel a number of times to cause small dimples. He rotated 33 degrees and did it again and then one more time.
The expansion of the metal on the ball interfered with the socket and the mirror remained tight for many years.
Just one of those thoughts that 'pop' into my head over time. Hopefully I gave you a suggestion for a solution.
Dano,
I finally got around to trying this...I used a spring-loaded punch like this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/spring-...punch-621.html
If you move the ball around, and make evenly-spaced "circles" of punches (about 1/16" apart) using the edge of the mirror socket as a guide, you can cover the ball with dimples fairly quickly, and it looks like it might have come from the factory that way...took me about 10 minutes start to finish.
My apologies if someone has posted this before, but rarely has any fix on my car been so quick, cost so little, and worked so well! It's nice to be able to look in the mirror without having to reach over and re-position it first...
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Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 2
From: Circleville Ohio
Vader Vette
I have a large head side mirror that I got on eBay for cheap...but the head flops around and is VERY loose. Is there any way to tighten this up so that it works properly? The mirror itself is in great shape, but the ball is just too loose in the socket. Any ideas of how to rectify this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
Deja
Deja
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 82
From: Brampton Ont.
