Loose mirror more help please?

[UK_Steve]

Hi all, there are a couple of threads on this forum re the Monaco loose mirrors, but the ones I have found are too old to reply to, so started a new one – hope you don’t mind. The most relevant one that also has pictures on it is: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/loos...-105622-2.html

We have a 2007 Cayman here in the UK the drivers side mirror has become very loose very quickly. They are chrome heads, black arms and black caps over the mounting frame, so as well as needed to take them apart to get to the mountings and undertake the fix that KenS did I will strip the powder coating (which is peeling) and re paint.
Old Thread - http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/loos...-105622-2.html

My problem the bolt at the bottom comes out very easily, BUT I can’t move “twist, lift, angle” the arm within the mounting. Scarred, far too scarred to put too much pressure on it, after all it’s only mounted on a fibreglass panel and don’t want to shatter that. And the more I push twist etc the loser the mount becomes.

Any ideas, I assume corrosion somewhere preventing it moving any thoughts, suggestions out there please?

Many thanks
Steve

[gunnut]

I had this happen to mine. I had to take the bolt on the bottom of the arm off and whack it with a rubber mallet. You might have to spray penetrating oil between the arm and mount, but it will come off. Once off, you will notice that Monaco used a couple of lag screws to mount those heavy arms to a piece of plywood. what has happened is that the weight of the mirror has stripped out the plywood holes that these screws grab on to. I had to get long bolts with nuts and over sized washers and through bolted them. The hardest part is getting your arms up inside there while holding the nut and washer while turning the socket wrench on the outside. A second person would be helpful.

[UK_Steve]

Hi Gunnut,

A bit of whacking it is then, with prudence to start with, but I feel its a second pair of hands (Sue) to hold the main body still during the whacking and as advised here and the previous post I refer to replace at lest the top two if not all four with long bolts and nuts and large washers, after stripping and repainting the arm refit with some form of anti-corrosion compound

Its going to be a day or so before I can get back to it, but will keep you informed here.

Many thanks
Steve

[gunnut]

Great idea having a second pair of hands holding main body. I was afraid of that too, but a couple of "gentle", "sharp" whacks will hopefully do it! It is a delicate dance! Good luck and let us know your outcome. Also I am curious how rving is across the pond. That is an impressive machine in your signature picture, and we have heard that the roads are narrower over there than here in the states. Might be a fun insight for a different post (hint, hint).

[UK_Steve]

Hi Gunnut,

Yes they are off, it was gentle bit of whacking, but I think the trick was a second pair of hands, one hand holding the unit tight to the coach body and the other gently pushing up directly below the mirror head and POP away it came, just need to find some suitable long bolts and large washers, rub down and re-spray the black bits then refit.

I get the hint, if you think there will be an interest in such a thread, then let me get these mirrors sorted and back home (we are away) and I will put something together for a new thread.

Many thanks for your help.

Cheers
Steve

[fiverwheel]

When looking for bolts to replace the screws I would suggest stainless steel bolts with nylok nuts. The tendency is for the nuts to come loose over time and the stainless of course does not rust.

[gunnut]

Steve Glad to hear your progress is positive. I am still amazed at the coach manufacturer for lag screwing these heavy mirrors on instead of through bolting them. I would be interested to know if anyone has had a mirror fall off while driving!

[avfordguy]

I had mirrors come loose on a trip a couple of years ago going to Vegas on a 99 dip,nuts that were embedded into the front fiberglass cap were rusted and corroded, unable to tighten any of the pan head screws. What I did was go to lowes and get metric stainless steel pan head bolts and washers and lock nuts, just re fastened the mirrors with the same holes as the rusted nuts were, just used a smaller diameter screw that went trough the old nut embedded into the fiberglass, rolled another 50k miles and no issues, sold it now have a 04 dip

[UK_Steve]

Originally Posted by fiverwheel

When looking for bolts to replace the screws I would suggest stainless steel bolts with nylok nuts. The tendency is for the nuts to come loose over time and the stainless of course does not rust.

That was a good call thank you have picked up the new bolts washers and lock nuts today, not been able to do much due to the rain, forecast is a good weekend so fingers crossed.

Cheers
Steve

[gunnut]

avforguy, you are lucky they used actual bolts with nuts and washers, mine had lag screws that stripped and pulled out from the 1/2" piece of interior grade plywood. I had to drill holes in mine to convert to bolts! And yes I did use stainless (forgot that part), and I also caulked the holes so the plywood wouldn't wick water and rot (left that out to). Glad others piped in on this!

[UK_Steve]

Hi agreed re the nuts compared to what was fitted to mine (and your Gunnut). When I refitted I did not put any sealant or caulking in the holes, but here we have a non-setting panel compound, I am sure you have something the same there, a continuous flexible linseed putty. It is used where panels of aluminium or fibreglass overlap on caravans (trailers?) thus allow flexibility between the panels to move slightly when being towed but remain fully water tight, I used that round the frame that bolts to the coach making a fully watertight seal there and then put small plastic caps over the bolt heads with a tad of the flexible compound under them.

Cheers
Steve

[gunnut]

Sounds like your back in business. Doesn't it make you feel good to do a repair and upgrade where the factory left off? Thanks for the update. Now let us know how that massive machine fairs with the mini coopers, Le Cars, etc. across the pond. You know how us Yanks like our big cars over here!

[UK_Steve]

Hi gunnut, I haven't forgotten the article, something is cooking; been working away this week and want the editor in chief to give it the once over. I get carried away and my brain ends up ahead of my typing - the tryping can end up with spolling and grandma errors!