Racing Mirror Disassembly and Repair

[RS23U1E]

I have a passenger-side non-remote racing mirror that I am looking to repair. The glass is fine, but the ball and socket has worn so much that the mirror glass never stays at the angle that I position it. It looks to me like the two screws holding the assembly in place were not intended to be removed without breaking the glass.

1) Any tips on tools / techniques to get this assembly out without breaking the mirror?
2) What ideas do you have for rebuilding that ball/socket to tighten it up?

Thanks

[72 U Boat]

I've fixed a few of these, what you need to do is bend a #2 phillips screw driver into a "s" near the end, so it can reach the screw behind the mirror. Once you get the outside screw out, you only have to loosen the inside one because the attachment point is slotted (at least on the ones I've done were). Once you remove the mirror carrier it will should be obvious how it works. There is a strap rivetted across the back of the pivot,same as the inside rearview mirror, over time the rivets become loose and they wont hold tension on the ball. They aren't really rivets but metal that is peened over to capture the strap. You can't replace the peened over pot metal so just put a short, thin headed screw in place of the rivet and now you have tension. If you have an early mirror that is not removeable, no screws (70' E-Bodys are this way) you can tighten these up with a few drops or "super glue" dropped into the ball & socket joint, let it dry and then move the mirror into the correct position. This is best done with the mirror removed from the car, so you can hold it sideways to drop the super glue into the ball & socket joint. I've fixed mirrors both ways, it sure beats breaking the glass out to access the screws! Good luck, take your time and dont strip those screws! I can post pics if you need but it's pretty straight forward once you can see the back of the mirror.

[RS23U1E]

Thanks for the suggestion Uboat. Mine is a bit different than you describe - but your suggestions put me on the right track.

First, I soaked each of the screws with wd40 for a night.

I couldn't get a philips to bend as far as I needed to, but aggressively taping a #2 phillips bit into the end of an open 1/4 inch wrench (photo 1) gave me just the right angle I needed to remove the outboard screw. The inboard screw was a bit easier, so between my tool and a regular Phillips, I was able to back that one out slowly without stripping them.

Not sure what you mean by the strap, except that must be what is under the mirror glass. Now I didn't want to remove the glass, so what I ended up doing was drilling small hole into the mirror socket assembly, right up against the ball. I didn't drill through all the way, just for the drill tip was touching the ball. couldn't put a Phillips screw put some pressure against the ball, it tightened up nice.

[RS23U1E]

Here it is with the screw. I think I'll find one with a smaller head. This interferes a bit.

[RS23U1E]

Replaced that phillips screw with a hex head set screw. This works much better. No interference with the mirror. I have it tight enough to keep some tension on it, but still loose enough to adjust to mirror position.

Actually -since new screw it is on the top of the assembly - it may allow some ability to adjust it with the mirror in place once I put it all back together. (Just need to bend a 90 degree allen wrench 'open' a bit more to fit the screw and in between the mirror and the housing.)

[SureGrip]

Nice job! that set screw was a really good idea.

[sicksatellite]

right on...i gotta do this fix too this summer...set screw is a great idea