Floppy wing mirror

[Bonce]

My offside wing mirror keeps moving out of position... Maybe I'm driving too fast?

I suspect something somewhere needs tightening but it looks pretty well sealed and I can't see how to open it. Any clues please, anyone?

[dragstar]

Not sure big-lad.

IIRC, you need to take it off and "rough-up" the ball joint which has "smoothed up" too much (hence no friction).

OR

It could be an allen-key jobbie as my rear-view mirror was doing the same (flopping down) and i tightened it with a little allen-key on the side of the mechanism from the drivers side.

Is there no little gap to get an allen key in? (im thinking of that little patched off black-circle bit).

Its probably option one, but i dont know how to get the bastard off.

Alternatively, feed it viagra

[dragstar]

I was right!

from www.elise-faq.info (under windows):

Side Mirrors
Dot

The are from the old Rover Metro/100, and can work loose or droop over time due to the ball joint becoming smooth. A simple fix is to simply roughen it up again with coarse grain sand paper. The mirror glass can be replaced separately - Rover part number CRD10012 (costs about £14).

[Bonce]

Well done draggy!

I'd just looked there myself but it doesn't explain how to actually get to the ball joint... next stop: Service Manual.

[dragstar]

RTFM

But, as it says "replacement mirror glass can be brought..." implies that the mirror comes out, no?

[Bonce]

Yeah, found the relevant section of the manual and it shows how to remove it. Looks like another typical Elise job (should take a few minutes but ends up taking 4 hours, ending in bleeding knuckles and general disappointment).

[dragstar]

yeah, peeling last nights attempts at pancakes off the ceiling and everywhere else is going to take hours as well

[cuzza]

There's a cover on the lower arm of the bracket, remove that and there is a screw under there which may be loose, if not, undo the screw to remove the mirror and try tightening the ball joint inside.

[dragstar]

how did it go, big-lad?

[Bonce]

Some of us have to work during daylight hours. I'll look at it tonight or at the weekend.

[dragstar]

Miaaaaow! easy there tiger.

[Bonce]

[dragstar]

Did you get your "floppiness" sorted?

[Bonce]

No, big lad. I don't have a the necessary screwdriver to undo the screw inside the plinth (need one that works at right angles).
I might be able to do it tonight when my Lotus trained mechanic friend brings his tools round to diagnose the worrying sound coming from the region of the cambelt ().

Bye Arno.

[dragstar]

then