Help: sun visor pivot pins don't align

[backyardbill]

I decided to redo/rebuild my sun visors. The original ones disintegrated. It seemed a simple enough project. I had some scrap 3/16" veneer laying around. I used $.98 galvanized straps from home depot to fab up the loops that slide over the pivot pins. An adjustment screw is used to tighten the sleeve on the pivot pin. Then I went to install it. Bam. The pivot pins do not line up on an axis. Nothing seems bent: not the windshield frame; not the pivot pin on the roof attachment mount; nor the plastic pivot pin by the mirror.

Has anyone else found this to be true? Did Fiat manufacture these crooked?
The red line show the axis. Any help will be appreciated!

[leeputmanjr]

The visor is flipped, left to right. The "ear" portion goes outboard

[giuliot60]

I was thinking of doing the same thing.

Did you use the old one as a pattern for the new?

[backyardbill]

Lee: I reversed the visor and took another pic. Same results.

giuliot60: I used the old vinyl as a template.

[georgeramos]

Were the original "loops" as long as the new ones? maybe they were angled. it actually looks like the pins are bent but theyre pretty stout looking so it seems it would take a lot of force to do that...

[backyardbill]

No, the original "loops" or sleeves were shorter. I gave up on trying to use the original pivot pins. I am fabrication new ones that will point directly toward each other, in the same plane (like they should). The new visor will also glide up and down smoothly too. I will have them ready tomorrow and will post a pic.

It is possible that Fiat meant for the visor to flex in the middle so that when flipped to the up position, it would resist and bend in the middle, and then once up, would "stretch out" and sort of lock in the up position. I really don't know.

Thanks to all that helped.

[backyardbill]

After trimming the sleeves on each end to the size of the original visor wire frame sleeves, and twisting them a little to compensate for the crooked pivot pins, they now work OK. Next I will cover them with some padding and black vinyl.
Cost of materials: $3.29; Cost of labor: $375; Note to self: next time buy new ones from local vendors.

[TX82FIAT]

In the long run you may be better off with your fabricacation. The replacement visors are easy to install but over time the screw used to tighten the visor so it stays up often malfunctions. The replacement visors also develop a pocket where air enters the passenger mirror at speed when passenger visor up. I don't reall see the need for the mirror built in.

[BEEK]

The replacement visors are easy to install but I don't reall see the need for the mirror built in.

you apparently dont ride with a lady friend much, i cant keep my wife from looking into every mirror there is, i keep telling her now matter how many times she looks it isnt going to change

[aj81spider]

I actually used the old frame. A couple of pieces of cardboard to fill the middle, then some foam on either side and black vinyl to cover it all. The difficult part (which I have not solved) was how to make the edges look good. First I glued it with contact cement. It looked OK (only OK), but the contact cement let go over the winter. I've sewed it which seems to be holding well. However the edges are rough and look like crap. Still thinking on how to improve that. Except for the edges they came out pretty well.

If I had any skill at upholstery I might try to sew it inside out and then turn it around to create a clean edge. Two problems I haven't solved or researched on that is making sure it's tight, and how to do the last seam when you put it right side out and slide it over the frame.

[backyardbill]

I have an idea on how to trim the edge to make it look "good". It is a little bizarre. I am going to drill a zillion 1/32" holes evenly around the edge, about 1/4" apart. Then, I will glue padding, not much, about 1/8", and finish out in black vinyl to the edge of the wood. At that point you would just see the edge of the wood. Then make a piece of piping that overlays the edge and about 1/2" inboard on both sides of the visor and sew it to the visor through the holes. At that point I will have about $600 worth of labor into the project!

I looked all over for for some door guard edging in black plastic but nobody had it in 3/8" id to fit over the edge.

[azruss]

another solution would be to put windlace on the edge. Dont know if you would like the look, but would have you from having to drill all those holes. Might be a struggle finding winlace wide enough for the wood.