B@llx! ...Unexpected new fix (Mirror)

[AntStark]

So.. In a rush to get out of the garage to answer the phone I accidentally bumped in to my Zeds driver side wing mirror .. what followed was a loud cracking noise. I knew my wing mirrors didn't move but the fix wasn't really on this years to do list.... guess it is now !

Followed some instructions on here to remove it without having to take the door card off.. it was very simple with nothing broken.
Question .. is the XR8 kit the only real solution to this.? Would mean having to mask up and spray the base which is annoying as the alloy mirror base I have is in great condition.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Been there done that. I had to change one of my bases several years ago and at least it shouldn't need doing again. And it's not as if it's a big bit to prepare and spray, all done in a day. The chances of getting the corroded aluminium bits to stay together are slimmer than the average supermodel.

 

[Mazza]

There is another solution…. I have had stainless steel pins made on my project car so they wont rust and jam up

Even made a fitting tool to compress the spring and push the new circlip on.

the base was shot blasted, filled and resprayed

I have a pair of mirrors on the breaker which I am going to upgrade and put up for sale.

 

[AntStark]

Been there done that. I had to change one of my bases several years ago and at least it shouldn't need doing again. And it's not as if it's a big bit to prepare and spray, all done in a day. The chances of getting the corroded aluminium bits to stay together are slimmer than the average supermodel.

I had no intention of trying to fix it..JB weld has its limits! i'll have to bite the bullet and order the plastic alternative and spray up the new base that comes with it.. Like you said not a massive job

 

[AntStark]

There is another solution…. I have had stainless steel pins made on my project car so they wont rust and jam up

Even made a fitting tool to compress the spring and push the new circlip on.

the base was shot blasted, filled and resprayed
View attachment 293515View attachment 293517View attachment 293519View attachment 293521

I have a pair of mirrors on the breaker which I am going to upgrade and put up for sale.

Is that with the original aluminium mirror holder though @Mazza ... that's the bit that has snapped on mine

 

[Mazza]

Yes , but if you need just that bit, then I can just dismantle it from the drivers side mirror on the breaker.

 

[AntStark]

Yes , but if you need just that bit, then I can just dismantle it from the drivers side mirror on the breaker.

Ah ha! Do you have some of those fancy stainless pins too Malc ? Does it use the original spring ?

 

[Mazza]

Sorry, No pins at the moment.
Mine were the prototyes made by my mate, and we have since been looking into the cost of having a batch CNC’d

 

[Jam03]

I have a spare titan silver drivers side mirror assembly with a broken spring. Let me know if it’s of use to you.

 

[Althulas]

When I made a query at X8R a long time ago, must have been when they first advertised but they offered the base in your colour code. I don’t know if they still do but worth an option checking if you can get a pin fix.

 

[Delk]

You can get rattle cans with the appropriate paint color off Ebay. They are not large items and I painted on two different colored cars now and you cant tell. The paint doesnt cost much and the plastic wing mirrors do work well.

 

[Mazza]

Just dismantled this from my breaker .....the base has no corrosion ....albeit the wrong colour....
And the pin is like new !!!!

 

[t-tony]

You can't get better than that Malc.

Tony.

 

[Jam03]

Just dismantled this from my breaker .....the base has no corrosion ....albeit the wrong colour....
And the pin is like new !!!!View attachment 293663View attachment 293665

View attachment 293661

Strange considering the chassis is rotten.

 

[t-tony]

Perhaps already been done. One my Z3, 1 was scabby and 1 was in great condition.

Tony.

 

[AntStark]

I found this site last week when researching options
https://www.spiegel-z3.de/en
They do a replacement pin and spring kit for under 10 Euro (plus the same for postage!) so thought I’d give it a go. Arrived in under 5 days and looks good. Comes with stainless bolts too.

it’s the one on the left !
Just need @Mazza to start mass production of his own kits now

 

[Jam03]

Do you need a special tool to fit that? I’m about to pull the trigger on one, but might just wait to see how easy it is. Real game changer. £15 investment to turn my pretty worthless broken pin spare back into £120.

 

[AntStark]

I can't tell you yet, I've not done it ... however ...when I cut the retaining ring off the old one there was no compression force on the spring so I reckon probably not.

 

[AntStark]

So first of all a huge thanks to @Mazza and @Jam03 for kindly offering up donor parts so my mirror may live again.
Despite my protestations about destroying a perfectly servicable Topaz mirror the replacement "inner ear" part I needed arrived in the week from @Mazza.

I wondered if I needed to go "Heath Robinson" on an install device however using the star washers rather than circlips just needed a bit of threaded rod and a socket to push it home.

I think circlips is probably a better long term solution if you want to service your mirrors as once those star washers are on they do not want to come off.....which I quickly found when I realised my mirror would still not turn.

I think the corrosion on the base wasn't helping so I gave it a clean up, quick coat of etch primer and some black paint. You can still see how pitted it was. I also decided to reuse the original spring so gave that a clean up, primer and my favourite Plasticote BBQ paint which is as hard as nails

Thought a good coating of grease wouldn't go amiss as well. Just needed to refit the wires which are colour coded so you can't get it wrong

Back on the car... used the new stainless bolts with a bit of antisieze, cover and glass replaced. .. and voila ! .. fully working foldable mirror

Final note (from my idiot experience).. if you tried to start the car whilst the wires were exposed and dangling it is highly likley they will have shorted and you will have blown the fuse. Its #24 and is a 10A. .. seems to control the blower as well which is odd as I am sure that would need more than 10A

 

[Duncodin]

Once serviced does the mirror turn real easy?