Exterior Mirror Tightening Tip

[Dutch Star Don]

This may not apply to everyone's coach, but worked on mine!

I was washing my 05 Diplomat today in preparation for a two week trip that starts tomorrow. As I was cleaning the passenger mirror, I noticed that it was loose where it mounts to the body. This apprarently developed during our last trip.

Monaco uses four large lag screws to secure the mirror to the body. I really didn't want to disassemble the mirror to get to the screws. I pulled the generator out and looked inside the cap to make sure the lags were not accessible from the inside. They aren't, but I noticed that Monaco drove the lags through the mirror, the built up mount and all the way through the cap. From inside the generator compartment, I could see the ends of the four lag screws (about 3/4" exposed). I used a small pair of ViseGrips and clamped onto the ends of the screws and tightened them. I was able to snug up all four and make the mirror tight again.

I know some have disassembled the mirror to get to theirs, but check the inside of your cap first if you have a loose mirror.

[rex]

Don, water leaks in around the lag screws and will eventually rot out the wood they screw into. When you have some time, remove each one and install a threaded countersunk screw and put a fender washer and stop-nut on each one. You will never have a loose mirror again. You are lucky you can see all four lag screws. On my coach there is no access to the top two except to pull the dash and windshield - nice huh! Hopefully the bottom two will hold well enough. Some epoxy on the top two will have to do.

[Dutch Star Don]

Rex.....It was one of those days.....the refer is acting up a little, I washed the coach from front to back, and the last thing I needed was to disassemble the mirrors. We leave tomorrow in the AM and I was beat. I'll keep an eye on it and see if it gets loose again. This was the first time in 7 years. Our last trip, I had that GoodYear front tire separating and shaking the heck out of the coach.

Got my two new Hankooks on and will see hoe they work out on this 2500 mile trip.

[timdriver]

Originally Posted by Rex

Don, water leaks in around the lag screws and will eventually rot out the wood they screw into. When you have some time, remove each one and install a threaded countersunk screw and put a fender washer and stop-nut on each one. You will never have a loose mirror again. You are lucky you can see all four lag screws. On my coach there is no access to the top two except to pull the dash and windshield - nice huh! Hopefully the bottom two will hold well enough. Some epoxy on the top two will have to do.

I had to do they same. Bolt,nuts, and washers and no more loose mirrors.

[johno51]

Hi - I have a loose drivers mirror base, with lag screws/bolts. How does the mirror come apart?

I can see the coin sized cover on the bottom that allows access to the bolt that holds the position of the mirror. With that off, does the cover to the base come off relatively easily?

Thanks in advance!

[Mutt]

If you will PM Rex on tightening the mirror, he may be able to help with a suggestion. He's pretty good on these things.

[johno51]

Originally Posted by Mutt

If you will PM Rex on tightening the mirror, he may be able to help with a suggestion. He's pretty good on these things.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

[Les Stallings]

Use a small screwdriver to pop off the coin sized covers that cover the lag bolts. Usually you can just tighten them but be careful as they only go into wood. If the wood is stripped, you can wedge some wood splinters in the hole and screw in the lag bolt or use some wood epoxy for a more permanent repair.

Unless the mirror is significantly different than mine, there is no disassembly of the mirror required.

Les

Originally Posted by johno51

Hi - I have a loose drivers mirror base, with lag screws/bolts. How does the mirror come apart?

I can see the coin sized cover on the bottom that allows access to the bolt that holds the position of the mirror. With that off, does the cover to the base come off relatively easily?

Thanks in advance!

[johno51]

Originally Posted by Les Stallings

Use a small screwdriver to pop off the coin sized covers that cover the lag bolts. Usually you can just tighten them but be careful as they only go into wood. If the wood is stripped, you can wedge some wood splinters in the hole and screw in the lag bolt or use some wood epoxy for a more permanent repair.

Unless the mirror is significantly different than mine, there is no disassembly of the mirror required.

Les

My coin sized cover pops off, and displays an aprox. 13 mm bolt that appears to control the rest of the arm adjustment. It looks like that has to come off before the piece that covers the lag bolts would be accessible.

[Les Stallings]

Must be different from mine. Ours has four coin size covers on the base that attaches to the front of the RV. Those cover the four lag bolts that hold the mirror on.

Yours sounds totally different... sorry about that!

[nodine]

Originally Posted by johno51

My coin sized cover pops off, and displays an aprox. 13 mm bolt that appears to control the rest of the arm adjustment. It looks like that has to come off before the piece that covers the lag bolts would be accessible.

John,

Here is how I removed ours to tighten the mirror. It helps to have two people. Remove the coin sized cover at the bottom and remove the bolt. The mirror sits in a tapered socket and is usually hard to remove. I stood on a ladder and almost fell when the mirror broke lose from the taper. Once the taper is broken loose you should be able to lift up on the mirror arm and pull the attached cable out to a point where the connector can be disconnected. This is where it helps to have someone on the ground to hand the mirror to. It is heavy. Once the mirror and arm is removed the square chrome cover can be removed to expose the four bolts holding the mirror to the front cap.

Bob

[Les Stallings]

My mirrors are Velvac:

http://www.velvac.com/pdf/SB103.pdf

If yours are different, you may be able to find the right tech file.

Les Stallings

[nodine]

Originally Posted by Rex

Don, water leaks in around the lag screws and will eventually rot out the wood they screw into. When you have some time, remove each one and install a threaded countersunk screw and put a fender washer and stop-nut on each one. You will never have a loose mirror again. You are lucky you can see all four lag screws. On my coach there is no access to the top two except to pull the dash and windshield - nice huh! Hopefully the bottom two will hold well enough. Some epoxy on the top two will have to do.

We went down to Charleston SC for a week and drove back on Saturday. I noticed on the way back that the driver side mirror was getting loose again. I followed Rex's tip this time and replaced the lag screws with 1/4 inch bolts. It turns out that a 1/4 carriage bolt works perfectly. I was able to pull the head of the carriage bolt down into the recess that served as a seat for the Phillips lag screw. I replaced all four screws with the carriage bolts using flat washers and star lock washers and a nut on the inside. I doubt that the mirror will ever work loose again, but if it does, I can tighten it without removing the mirror.

Bob

[336muffin]

I like your solution!