External Folding Mirrors
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 7,382
Likes: 3,501
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
External Folding Mirrors
I was looking at the manual for my C7 and it indicated the mirrors on the passenger and driver side can be folded back towards the car. I have put about as much pressure on those as you can without breaking them and they don't budge. What gives here? It feels like I would break them off the side if I applied anymore pressure.
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 39,131
Likes: 17,982
From: DFW Area TX
You can actually pivot them either direction. Turning them towards the front of the car leaves the opening slanted downward. Great when washing the car. Water runs out rather than collecting.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,788
Likes: 683
From: Austin Texas
St. Jude Donor '15
A couple of thoughts as to why they may not fold ( my ideas?) 1) paint may not have been completely dry. 2) a ridge or lip on the mirror that is dragging or recessed causing them to bind. 3) the part that is supposed to swivel is binding on an internal part.
Maybe if they are replaced or just taken off and re-installed.
Or as Jay Leno said on Jay Leno's Garage, It's a Chevy, you can fix it with a hammer.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,244
Likes: 122
From: st paul minnesota
It's a strange deal, for sure. If only one side doesn't fold it would appear to be a problem with the installation of one of them but if neither fold it seems like something else. Can anyone confirm that there has not been a change in the configuration of the mirrors? I'm not sure what year/VIN the owner has but assume it's a '16. Unlikely, for sure, but GM (and all other mfgrs.) have been known to make running changes on vehicles. As easily as my mirrors fold and when the owner or dealer can't get them to do so tells us something is different about his car. (or others, if in fact there has been a change) I can't imagine why GM would make such a change and my feeling is that upon further checking his do fold and the owner/dealer have just not been trying it correctly. We'll have to wait and see...
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 157
Likes: 33
From: Hudson, FL
I have to fold in the right mirror to get into my garage. Wife can't seem to get the Cadillac over far enough. Wasnt worth the hassle of persuading her. "Happy wife, happy life".
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 28
Likes: 5
I can't fold mine in either and I'm afraid to push too hard. Mine is 2015 convertible. The garage is very tight with the mirrors extended. My wife's lexus has motorized folding mirrors (and blind spot monitoring)
Mike G
Mike G
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,992
Likes: 12,385
From: NE South Carolina
PS: I have 8 foot wide garage doors and the space between the wood frame is tight. Was concerned so built a coupe of things to help before I got my car. Have only used the one pictured below a few times in two years. When be bought the wife's last two SUV's made sure they had electric folding mirrors!
This is a PDF of a simple device that warns if too close the passenger side: http://netwelding.com/Mirror_Proximity_Alarm.pdf
Made This Alarm for ~$25! <br/>Warns if the passenger mirror is within 2 inches of the door frame. Useful when backing out at night.
Last edited by JerryU; Dec 3, 2015 at 01:13 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 7,382
Likes: 3,501
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
Good news! I went over to Jay Leno's digs and he fixed it with the hammer. Just kidding. It is fixed now. Eureka! What I did was combine all of your advise together and took the specific suggestion of JerryU and leaned on it pretty good with all my 148 Lbs and low and behold. Same on the other side. Took a lot of pressure, but now they will fold either way without putting a full-nelson on them. Thanks and I don't know what I would do without you guys. Any gals out there?
Next step is to take my rig up the highway and get 3M bra on it. Going on a 1200 mile trip from Portland, Or down to Las Vegas. A lot of different roads and topography. I can't wait.
Next step is to take my rig up the highway and get 3M bra on it. Going on a 1200 mile trip from Portland, Or down to Las Vegas. A lot of different roads and topography. I can't wait.
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 39,131
Likes: 17,982
From: DFW Area TX