When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
1974 Coupe. Hey y'all my inside mirror shakes when driving, blurring my view behind. I am 100% certain that the upper mount to the windshield frame and the middle screw joint are not the issue, they are rock solid. While driving and while the mirror is shaking I would support each point on the mounting arm to verify that these do not affect the shaking.
So I know that the culprit is the ball and socket where the arm goes into the mirror. How may I tighten this joint? Can I do it from the outside, or do I need to take the glass out? Maybe there's some old timer trick?
I do plan on replacing the mirror glass too, so I will be opening up the assembly. I really do not want to buy a whole new mirror as I have a good shape original map light mirror with all the stickers.
Generally speaking, when that ball socket gets loose. The mirror goes floppy, won't stay in place. If it's staying in place just fine I don't believe tightening that ball socket is going to help.
That said, as a Harley mechanic. Loose mirrors is something I know about. That ball socket is common on all sorts of rear view mirrors.
First off, is the vibration coming through the windshield frame? While driving, put your hand on the inside of the windshield header near the mirror mount and push with a moderate force. Does the mirror stop shaking? If so, nothing your going to do to the mirror will help.
Not that Harley's vibrate. But some have mirrors that shake so bad you can't see anything but blur in them. Tightening the mirror won't help as the vibration is coming through the bars they are mounted on.
In a bit I'll go out and take a photo of how to tighten a ball socket without mirror disassembly.
OK. Went outside and took a couple pic's of the mirror on my bike. It had a floppy head awhile back.
I'm not the best photographer, so I took 2. I think you can get the idea.
With a sharp center punch. You tip the mirror to the end of its movement in one direction, make a few punch marks in the ball. Tilt the mirror 90 degrees to its maximum movement in that direction exposing a different portion of the ball, more little punch marks, continue all the way around. Recenter the mirror. Note it's nice and tight now. Takes a couple minutes with the mirror on the bench. I like to put the mirror on a dense foam pad to protect it. Make certain your punch is freshly sharpened, so you don't need a lot of force to make the punch marks.
Inside mirror shake questions.
