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GSL-SE loose power mirror

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Old Oct 8, 2012 | 10:51 PM
  #1  
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From: Foley MN
MN GSL-SE loose power mirror

Ok - my driver's window jumped the track so i thought this would be a good time to tighten the powered door mirror - The window was easy lube and adjust the track - But the mirror tightening bolts are tight - It rattles and flops around going down the road - the bolts are kinda corroded so I'm hesitant to try loosening them for fear of twisting them off - I checked the 1985 Gsl-se manual and can't find a diagram of the power mirror mounting system - what am i missing
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 07:40 AM
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I have noticed my driver mirror moves but is not loose. I haven't looked inside but maybe a little homemade engineering is needed. Maybe the door can be reinforced where the mirror connects.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 08:50 AM
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Well - mine is loose - the mettle doesn't flex - mount bolts are solid - ??? - shimming one side would look awful
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 10:17 AM
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Do your mirrors have the black nylon spacers installed between the mirror and the door panel?

If so, they may have started to decay/wear away. If not, that's probably why they wobble.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 10:43 AM
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where exactly is your mirror loose? there are a series of four screws that secure the mirror and the base to the door. you will probably not snap the screws off at the mirror itself...you will strip the phillips slot where the screwdriver head turns the screw. i have spare power mirror heads and bases in case you end up needing one or the other.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 11:10 AM
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Blame your imense torque. Seriously though, every FB i've driven or been in has mirror shake. Its the joy of 30 year old cars.

That and we have very rough roads here in MN so that I'm sure doesnt help.

Last edited by FunK73; Oct 9, 2012 at 11:15 AM.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 01:52 PM
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Pull the 2 screws out and remove the mirror, then titen the screws that hold the stand on, then replace the mirror so you know all the mounting screws for it are tight.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 03:15 PM
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Thanks guys - I'll pop it off when the snow fly's here in a week or three - dose anyone have new nylon base spacers as mine are disintegrating - might be dealer only
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by FunK73
Seriously though, every FB i've driven or been in has mirror shake. Its the joy of 30 year old cars.

That and we have very rough roads here in MN so that I'm sure doesnt help.
Agreed, this exactly. I've dealt with about 10 different FB's now through salvage yards and they all have that issue - mine included.

And the roads up by us aren't in the best shape so the constant rattling doesn't help either - good point.

Originally Posted by Rotospeed
Pull the 2 screws out and remove the mirror, then titen the screws that hold the stand on, then replace the mirror so you know all the mounting screws for it are tight.
There are actually:
3 screws on the bottom of the mirror housing
2 screws securing the housing to the metal housing bracket that's attached to the spacer
2 screws that hold the spacer on the car

I believe that's the order... I had both my mirrors off last winter when the snow started - only a few weeks away it feels like!

Originally Posted by scottj8666
Thanks guys - I'll pop it off when the snow fly's here in a week or three - dose anyone have new nylon base spacers as mine are disintegrating - might be dealer only
I haven't seen any for sale. I'll pick you up 4 of them here in the next week and I'll hand deliver them sometime soon. You can pick the best ones out of the bunch - sound good?? We still need to hang out, and I have to make another trip to the salvage yard to get an LSD for my car so I'll be able to pick em up for darn near free.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 10:24 PM
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Makes me wonder if they are still available new. If not... hmmmm....
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 10:54 PM
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Thanks Austin - a floppy mirror is a pet peeve of mine -
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 11:08 AM
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From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Originally Posted by DivinDriver
Makes me wonder if they are still available new. If not... hmmmm....
the 8341-69-115 and 8341-69-116 gaskets are NLA.

the mirrors are actually still available as an assembly.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 02:19 PM
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j9fd3s - Thanks for taking the time to check
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
the 8341-69-115 and 8341-69-116 gaskets are NLA.

the mirrors are actually still available as an assembly.
Target acquired... would need a slightly different type of plastic, though.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 11:15 PM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
the mirrors are actually still available as an assembly.
BlackDragon has them for only a few pennies, 24,995 pennies to be exact ($249.95). A piece. PN's 80-324 for driver's side, 80-325 passenger.

It's ok, I'm searching for the ever elusive dome light clear cover. BD has them as well. But you have to buy the whole rear view mirror assembly. Just $199.95, no big deal - PN 80-343.
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Old Oct 11, 2012 | 12:51 AM
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Excuse me while i whip this out oh that's my checkbook
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Old Oct 11, 2012 | 12:53 AM
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24,995 pennies to be exact ($249.95)


Is that the new math
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Old Oct 14, 2017 | 07:58 AM
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I dug up this old thread on the issue of wobbly side mirrors. I recently took a long road trip from MI down to NC (The Snake, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Tail of the Dragon), and it was an awesome experience, except for my shaking mirrors. 1800 miles worth of blurry rearview glances was annoying. Before I took the trip, I made sure all the parts were in place and all the fasteners were tight. The issue is the rigidity of the mounting area on the door. When I grab the mirror, I can see the door skin flex. I know there's a reinforcement plate on the back side, but it's obviously inadequate.

Before I cut open my door inner panels to reinforce the reinforcements, has anybody already solved this?

BTW -- here's a vid from the Tail taken from my friend's FD. I'm driving the FB ahead of him, and another friend is ahead of me in a Fiat 124 Spider.

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Old Oct 16, 2017 | 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by elwood
...The issue is the rigidity of the mounting area on the door. When I grab the mirror, I can see the door skin flex. I know there's a reinforcement plate on the back side, but it's obviously inadequate.

Before I cut open my door inner panels to reinforce the reinforcements, has anybody already solved this?
This thread is OLD! Man, I was first getting into RX-7's back then, still had my first one.

I don't know of anyone that has solved this issue before. Like you've stated, the mounting plate isn't large enough to warrant a whole lot of rigidity inside the door skin. But the door skin isn't that thick to begin with so it'll flex and vibrate when driving anyways I believe. I'd be really interested to see someone who has fixed this problem check in and tell us how they did it, because I have the same thing going on in my car.
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Old Oct 16, 2017 | 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by DreamInRotary
This thread is OLD! Man, I was first getting into RX-7's back then, still had my first one.

I don't know of anyone that has solved this issue before. Like you've stated, the mounting plate isn't large enough to warrant a whole lot of rigidity inside the door skin. But the door skin isn't that thick to begin with so it'll flex and vibrate when driving anyways I believe. I'd be really interested to see someone who has fixed this problem check in and tell us how they did it, because I have the same thing going on in my car.
This thread was posted in the wrong section -- need to get it moved to technical.
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