Side mirror disassembly

[Ryan]

I bumped into the side mirror the other day and broke the pot metal pivot.  I’ve got a few spares but they all have issues.  So I’m trying to make a good one out of them.  How does one disconnect the remote cables to get the mirror apart?  Do they disconnect at the mirror or at the joystick? 

Thanks for any help

[Nigel]

Hi Ryan,
I saw your post the other day and thought I may be able to help
as I have a sort-of sacrificial ARCA vertical mirror which came with my car. The glass
is 'floppy' i.e. it gives the impression a cable has loosened or snapped.

Anyway, I went as far as I could without breaking anything (except ruining
the silvering on the glass), and found that the
cables terminate at the glass end where crimps are visible.
This is, as far as I can see, assembled to be a non-serviceable unit.

This of course doesn't mean it can't be. I've measured the cable size at 0.96mm,
so if a suitably sized crimp sleeve or clamp can be found, careful cutting of
the existing crimps is feasible.

I have good reason to try this as I'd like to investigate modifying LHD mirrors
to suit RHD cars. Your mentioned pivot point is where I need to be, but is
fairly inaccessible without releasing the 3 cables.

There appears to be space available to fit serviceable clamps, perhaps modified
electrical connectors.

The other factor is replacement convex glass, which I've not needed in the past.
I guess it can be cut to size. Anyone confirm?

Nigel

[WestonE]

Hi Nigel those cable holders look like soldered parts. Cycle cables and brass soldered Nips should get the end to end job done. Probably gear cables not brake cables. I got cable crimps for Vespa throttle cables to do my bonnet pull replacements if that helps.

[SanRemo78]

Looking at that last picture Nigel (wish I had a spare to experiment with) I see a cage inside the casting with a spring. I would suggest screwing the casting back onto the mirror body to give you more purchase and then pushing the adjuster knob down into the casting might expose the cable nipples at the inner end on the cage and allow you to disengage them? If that is achievable then the cables can be withdrawn, still attached, with the mirror base? If that's possible then I'd suggest that conversion to RHD is a matter of identifying which post within the mirror body should be taller to allow the base setting to be nearer UK positioning?

But before you dismantle the cables from the cage apply two different colored paints to the cable and housing to aid re-assembly!

Guy

[Nigel]

Guy, well spotted, thank you
and that method worked. 3 individual careful squeezes
in the vice and the cables flicked out.

Once I'd pulled the cables through and out of the sleeve the original
issue was clear. The soft ally casting behind the glass mounting plate
has broken up, with numerous cracks visible in the 4 way 'spider' mount.
The broken bit provides the swivel motion of the glass.

As expected, the 'fixed' position is catered by 3 lugs entering 3 slots.
The conversion from LHD to RHD would require removing the 3 lugs
(on the car side piece) and drilling and tapping 3 new holes to fit rounded
heads of similar size.

Correct placement of the new lugs may well be a minor challenge but
I'm confident it's doable when the time ever comes.

This assembly won't be going back together so parts are available.
If anyone actually has a LHD mirror and found it unusable, I'd be willing to
attempt work on it.

[Nigel]

Eric,
Thanks, and yes, if required, your method could well
be a good solution.
I'm hoping I can acquire a mirror that needs a conversion to
test all these ideas.

Nigel