Fixing the FD mirror
04-27-10, 07:10 PM
#1
Fixing the FD mirror
I'm probably not the only one frustrated by the wobbly mirror attached to the windshield.
The last straw was at an autocross last month. While adjusting the mirror as I came up to the starting line, the mirror came off in my hand.
Nice. Stow it in the bin real quick and leave the line.
I considered installing a wink mirror but the reviews on them are rather mixed as far as quality goes, so I decided to try and fix the FD mirror.
After taking the thing apart, the problem became apparent. The small clip the the mirror attaches to has small ears on each side that are supposed to engage above some bosses on the aluminum mount base.
When the mirror gets a little loose, attempts to adjust it wear out those bosses, and the clip will no longer stay in place. When that happens, you can't get the mirror on tight, and with a little pressure it will fall of in your hand, or at the track, etc.
The ultimate solution would be to fab up a new mount. Lacking the tools to do that quickly, and not wanting to take the time required to do it slowly, fixing the stock mount seemed like a good idea.
After looking at the parts for a couple minutes, it looked like all that was needed was a small screw to more or less permanently hold the clip to the mounting base.
Breaking out the drill and bits I went to work.
That's when I found out just how tough that little stainless steel clip is.
I mounted the clip tightly on the base and put it all in a vise so it would be nice and solid. The screw I was planning to use to hold the clip in place could go in a 1/16" or 5/64" hole. So I went to work drilling that hole.
After breaking all 4 of my 1/16" inch bits, I proceeded to break 3 of my 4 5/64" bits drilling the hole through that clip. The hole was through the part of the clip that is folded over, so really it is two holes.
It took 30 minutes to drill through that, hence my impatience and breaking bits.
The 8th bit finished the job.
(These were all new nitrided bits)
Once the hole was drilled, I screwed the clip in place, cut off the protruding bit of the screw and filed it down.
See the pics for clarification.
Once the mirror was reassembled, no more wobbly mirror.
BTW, I also turned the mirror upside down, so the that the day/nite lever is on top. This moved it up out of my line of sight, for a great improvement in visibility.
The last straw was at an autocross last month. While adjusting the mirror as I came up to the starting line, the mirror came off in my hand.
Nice. Stow it in the bin real quick and leave the line.
I considered installing a wink mirror but the reviews on them are rather mixed as far as quality goes, so I decided to try and fix the FD mirror.
After taking the thing apart, the problem became apparent. The small clip the the mirror attaches to has small ears on each side that are supposed to engage above some bosses on the aluminum mount base.
When the mirror gets a little loose, attempts to adjust it wear out those bosses, and the clip will no longer stay in place. When that happens, you can't get the mirror on tight, and with a little pressure it will fall of in your hand, or at the track, etc.
The ultimate solution would be to fab up a new mount. Lacking the tools to do that quickly, and not wanting to take the time required to do it slowly, fixing the stock mount seemed like a good idea.
After looking at the parts for a couple minutes, it looked like all that was needed was a small screw to more or less permanently hold the clip to the mounting base.
Breaking out the drill and bits I went to work.
That's when I found out just how tough that little stainless steel clip is.
I mounted the clip tightly on the base and put it all in a vise so it would be nice and solid. The screw I was planning to use to hold the clip in place could go in a 1/16" or 5/64" hole. So I went to work drilling that hole.
After breaking all 4 of my 1/16" inch bits, I proceeded to break 3 of my 4 5/64" bits drilling the hole through that clip. The hole was through the part of the clip that is folded over, so really it is two holes.
It took 30 minutes to drill through that, hence my impatience and breaking bits.
The 8th bit finished the job.
(These were all new nitrided bits)
Once the hole was drilled, I screwed the clip in place, cut off the protruding bit of the screw and filed it down.
See the pics for clarification.
Once the mirror was reassembled, no more wobbly mirror.
BTW, I also turned the mirror upside down, so the that the day/nite lever is on top. This moved it up out of my line of sight, for a great improvement in visibility.
04-27-10, 07:33 PM
#3
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
I had similar problems with my mirror after it popped off once loading a large box in the car. I just did a little bending of the metal mounting bracket, figured out where it was loose, and it was money after that.
It's a pretty simple mechanical problem, you just have to look at it and figure out where it's loose and where it needs to be adjusted.
Glad you got yours fixed!
My Broadway JDM mirror isn't as tight as Rich's mirror, unforunately
.
Dale
It's a pretty simple mechanical problem, you just have to look at it and figure out where it's loose and where it needs to be adjusted.
Glad you got yours fixed!
My Broadway JDM mirror isn't as tight as Rich's mirror, unforunately
.Dale
04-27-10, 11:13 PM
#6
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