Wing mirror glass almost causes 20 car pile up!
Discussion
Just had a full respray on my TVR Chim. Lovely job, very pleased with it after having it dropped off at work yesterday lunch time.
One small problem, coming home, just out of the office heat, just departing the smoggy city and city traffic, put my foot down (a litte officer, as I have not had car for several weeks) and the wing mirror comes off, still attached by the mirror heating mechanism it hangs there in the wind banging against the door of my newly painted car.
AAAAGGGHHHH at 50mph down the outside of the dual carriage way, bang bang the mirror crashed into the door, pulled over, well swerved almost causing a 20 car pile up as I turn into an "exit" road!
Hopping mad and completely exasperated, Un-clipped the heating wires, mirror comes away, cracked all over but in one piece. Luckily the marks on the door should come out perfectly with some tee-cut. (I'm hoping).
More importantly and I guess the main purpose of creating this post, Does anyone know where I can get a new wing mirror glass from?
Nothing like getting to the point, However I thought the story behind it was relevant. Moral of the story, if you even think or notice a slight movement in the glass in your wing mirror, get out and check it's not coming loose before it's too late!
Does anyone think the mirror could have fallen out due to the re-spray? Do the sprayers need to take the mirrors out? It surely begs the question!
One small problem, coming home, just out of the office heat, just departing the smoggy city and city traffic, put my foot down (a litte officer, as I have not had car for several weeks) and the wing mirror comes off, still attached by the mirror heating mechanism it hangs there in the wind banging against the door of my newly painted car.
AAAAGGGHHHH at 50mph down the outside of the dual carriage way, bang bang the mirror crashed into the door, pulled over, well swerved almost causing a 20 car pile up as I turn into an "exit" road!
Hopping mad and completely exasperated, Un-clipped the heating wires, mirror comes away, cracked all over but in one piece. Luckily the marks on the door should come out perfectly with some tee-cut. (I'm hoping).
More importantly and I guess the main purpose of creating this post, Does anyone know where I can get a new wing mirror glass from?
Nothing like getting to the point, However I thought the story behind it was relevant. Moral of the story, if you even think or notice a slight movement in the glass in your wing mirror, get out and check it's not coming loose before it's too late!
Does anyone think the mirror could have fallen out due to the re-spray? Do the sprayers need to take the mirrors out? It surely begs the question!
Assume it's just the glass come unstuck not the whole housing come off. It's a Citroen mirror so you could get a new glass from them I guess, or just get it cut locally. I'd advise you to leave the housing on the car at all costs, you don't need to take it off to replace the glass and it's a pita to do.
So is the mirror just held in place with double sided sticky tape then ? My passenger side mirror flaps around like mad inside the housing. I can wiggle the mirror around inside the housing - can I just pull it off and put new stickies behind it then push it back on ? any recommendation for the type of sticky to use - dont want it coming off in the heat !
Green V8S - First I had trouble with just the glass, stuck on with double sided sticky tape, then last night it came away behind the heating mechanism hence I had to detach the wires before I could remove the glass and put it in the car.
I will try to get a citroen one otherwise thankyou "Big Al" for offering to cut me one.
bigdods - A good double sided sticky tape should do the trick, in my case I think I am just very unlucky with the whole wing mirror. If you see it moving around slightly sort it before it breaks.
Thanks Guys
I will try to get a citroen one otherwise thankyou "Big Al" for offering to cut me one.
bigdods - A good double sided sticky tape should do the trick, in my case I think I am just very unlucky with the whole wing mirror. If you see it moving around slightly sort it before it breaks.
Thanks Guys
bigdods said:There's also a clip which is accessed from the lower edge of the mirror (between it and the housing) using a long and very thin tool.
So is the mirror just held in place with double sided sticky tape then ? My passenger side mirror flaps around like mad inside the housing. I can wiggle the mirror around inside the housing - can I just pull it off and put new stickies behind it then push it back on ? any recommendation for the type of sticky to use - dont want it coming off in the heat !
The glass is stuck onto a plastic frame with double sided tape. The plastic frame is secured to the motorised doohicky inside the body of the mirror using a rotating locking ring. You can release it with the glass in place by adjusting the mirror as far up as it will go, this leaves a gap at the bottom. If you insert a bit of cardboard or plastic into the gap you'll feel a tab which can be pushed sideways to turn the locking ring and release the plastic frame. With the glass removed, you should be able to see this easily.
When replacing the glass, your best bet is to stick the glass onto the frame using the existing marks to get it back in the original position, then fit the frame back into the mirror.
Removing and refitting the glass is an easy five minute job once you've got the knack, and infinitely preferable to letting the glass fall off on its own and damage the paintwork.
When replacing the glass, your best bet is to stick the glass onto the frame using the existing marks to get it back in the original position, then fit the frame back into the mirror.
Removing and refitting the glass is an easy five minute job once you've got the knack, and infinitely preferable to letting the glass fall off on its own and damage the paintwork.
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