Wing mirror wind noise

[SGee]

I find that my wing mirror (Chimaera 450 R reg) causes a lot of wind noise and that when I put my hand round the stem the wind noise is reduced significantly...so has anyone tried alternative mirrors or a change to the design/shape of the stem?

I have seen the photo of sixspeeds Satsuma that shows a possible solution...but I don't think I could live with the Orange mirrors on my Dark Blue motor !!!

The link to the photo is www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/G40/Orange/105-0533_IMG%20(Small).JPG

[griff2be]

I have never really liked the Citroen mirrors on the Griff/Chimaera and I am in the process of changing mine for the VW Corrado mirrors that are standard fit on the Tamora, Cerbera, Tuscan and the last 100 Griffs.

TVR do a spacer block (£17.50 each) which fits directly into/over the circular recess that the Citroen mirrors are mounted in. The VW mirrors then screw onto the spacer block.

So far I have fitted the spacers and the mirrors have just arrived from a secondhand parts dealer today - so tonight I will play with the wiring loom and check the fit is ok. Then they are off to the paint shop and in a week or so the job will be done.

No reason why you could not fit the VW mirrors to a Chimaera.

Should reduce the wind noise.

[manek]

Mole Valley told me once that the rubber rings in the grooves in the mirror housing are crucial to lessening wind noise. Can't vouch for this since they don't seem to make much difference on my car -- can't hear wind noise over the engine and exhaust...

[plipton]

Griff2be

Do the VW mirrors overcome the folding-in-and-scratching-the-paint-on-the-door problem?

Not had a wind noise problem myself (well not under about 120MPH anyway).

>> Edited by plipton on Friday 29th November 16:06

[griff2be]

I'm not sure of the problem you are referring to, so difficult to answer.

I assume you're saying the standard mirrors catch the door when they are folded in?

If so then the answer is yes - the VW mirrors have a bigger 'stem' so they won't catch the top of the door when folded. I'll bolt mine on when I get home and double check...

[ATG]

SGee ... know exactly what you mean ... I found that just sticking my finger into the air flow in front of the mirror reduced the whistle. I only got this noise after I had the driver wing mirror replaced ... so it must be curable. I reckon that adjusting the mirror so that the casing is rotated in further towards the car would cure it. On mine it seems to be the airflow down the side of the mirror casing facing the car that causes the noise. I think it is too sheltered from the airflow leaving a space where turbulence can build up.
Can't play with it at the moment as I've pranged the bleeding car...

[Maca]

I find that my wing mirror (Chimaera 450 R reg) causes a lot of wind noise and that when I put my hand round the stem the wind noise is reduced significantly...

how do you have time to put a hand on the mirror?

[HarryW]

I had exactly the same problem with the drivers mirror on the V8S, same Citreon(sp?) mirror me thinks. Cured it by rotating the mirror body nearer to the door skin, problem now being that you get a much bigger blind spot, on my winter to do list is to add some additonal double sided tape on the back of the mirror to overcome this, if you see what I mean.


Harry

[plipton]

HarryW said: I had exactly the same problem with the drivers mirror on the V8S, same Citreon(sp?) mirror me thinks. Cured it by rotating the mirror body nearer to the door skin, problem now being that you get a much bigger blind spot, on my winter to do list is to add some additonal double sided tape on the back of the mirror to overcome this, if you see what I mean.

Harry

I had a similar blind spot - nipped down to Halfords and bought one of their blind spot mirrors, stuck the aforementioned to the standard mirror glass (inner edge at a point where I could only see the car's body if you get what I mean - effectively an otherwise useless bit of mirror glass).

The result is that I now have no blind spots at all. Sorted !! (will still see how Griff2be gets on with VW morrors and follow suit as door tops are getting scratched by Citroen morrors)

[griff2be]

The VW mirrors do fold in without getting anywhere near the door tops..

Progress on mine: Old mirrors now removed. I have sorted out the spacer blocks and fixing the VW mirrors on is no problem.

The only issue to solve is the electric adjustment. The Citroen mirrors (and both the other types of electric mirrors I have dismantled) have 2 motors which are controlled by three cables (earth, plus a +ve supply for each motor).

For some reason the VW mirrors have 4 cables. Very odd as there are still only 2 motors. One cable is connected into a diode (function unknown) and is common with one of the others (the earth, I think). I need to get this sussed out and then I can get the new mirrors painted. I really hope it doesn't involve having to change the mirror control unit in the dash!!

Once it is all sorted I will pull together what is involved in a 'How to' guide.

[p7ulg]

Must admit I have never really noticed any wind noise from the mirrors.I would imagine if you suceed in eliminating this by whatever means it will be replaced by the next noise down the chain!

[SGee]

Thanks for the feedback, Griff2be.

Good luck with the wiring and I look forward to your how to guide (and some photos if possible).......oh and also the results of the wind noise test!

[SGee]

p7ulg said: Must admit I have never really noticed any wind noise from the mirrors.I would imagine if you suceed in eliminating this by whatever means it will be replaced by the next noise down the chain!

...but I like the other sounds, thank God, otherwise the list would be endless. Although I guess I could get some Jag X type exhausts fitted...and change the wiper mechanism (the sound of an overstretched spring is so quaint), the rear suspension, the tyres, the leather gaiter round the base of the gear stick, the fuel pump priming before take off, .....

[plipton]

griff2be said: The VW mirrors do fold in without getting anywhere near the door tops..

Progress on mine: Old mirrors now removed. I have sorted out the spacer blocks and fixing the VW mirrors on is no problem.

The only issue to solve is the electric adjustment. The Citroen mirrors (and both the other types of electric mirrors I have dismantled) have 2 motors which are controlled by three cables (earth, plus a +ve supply for each motor).

For some reason the VW mirrors have 4 cables. Very odd as there are still only 2 motors. One cable is connected into a diode (function unknown) and is common with one of the others (the earth, I think). I need to get this sussed out and then I can get the new mirrors painted. I really hope it doesn't involve having to change the mirror control unit in the dash!!

Once it is all sorted I will pull together what is involved in a 'How to' guide.

A lad at work's mum has a corrado. I will try to find out what happens (ie voltages on each wire) when the mirrors are adjusted and let you know.

[griff2be]

Plipton - don't worry. I powered up the mirrors using my cordless drill battery last night.

On the VW mirrors, two cables drive the motors right/left, depending on polarity. The other two cables feed a solenoid. When a constant current is fed to the solenoid it moves a gear and the original two cables (and motors) then do up and down.

This contracsts with the Citroen mirrors that use three cables to drive two motors, one of which does up down, the other right left - again depending on the polarity.

I've not yet worked out the implications for connecting to the existing mirror controller. I thought the electrics would be the easy bit!!!

[PhilipC]

I'm assuming you've got:
A - motor ground
B - motor drive (+-)
C - direction ground
D - direction toggle

and need

a - ground
b - motor drive (updown)
c - motor drive (l )

Sounds like the simplest conversion would be:
Connect motor ground (A) to the ground line (a)

Connect the toggle lines (C, D) to a small relay's coil (you'll need to check current drain isn't a problem).

Connect the drive line (B) to the switched line of the relay

Connect the outputs from the relay to the two motor drive lines (b, d)

Parts should be dirt cheap, and the relay probably won't sink more power than the solenoid, but check it first or regret it later!

PS: Might not actually work at all :-)

[griff2be]

According to the factory, my mirror ECU will work the VW mirrors - but anything earlier than this (Feb 99) probably won't. Relays are a solution if you have an earlier ecu - or get an new one or one from a written off cerb/tuscan.