How to remove 1979 spyder rear view Mirror ??

[maxdog]

Hi
My rear view mirror is useless , it wobbles alarmingly and has a sort of grey haze on the glass surface .I understand that it's supposed to release if I pull it smartly back wards . I've applied lots of force , to the point I'm afraid it might snap off ,but it's still there .What to do ??
Ideally I would like to substitute a modern mirror and store the original for the next owner , who might be an anorak originality freak
Cheers
Maxdog

[spider2081]

force a flat blade screw between the black mirror housing and the windshield frame and then twist the screwdriver. The mirror frame snaps onto the windshield with a large snap sort of like the one that holds the boot to the rear side panels.

Most modern replacement mirrors don't easily adapt to the angel of the Spider windshield. I made a bracket to install a Ford Ranger auto dimming mirror to mine. Took some patience and looks a little out of place but works nice.

[maxdog]

Thanks
Maxdog

[DieselSpider]

Its a leap of faith as it does take some substantial force especially if the large steel snap that holds it has a bit of rust on it. Once off you can clean the snap and put some wax on it to make installation and removal easier. If you carefully pop it open you can clean it all up and make it functional again fairly easily. Sometimes the plastic hinge that activates the day/night function breaks however a judicious application of some RTV sealant where its broken will get it working again. The RTV sealant can also be used to prevent rattles too. I used black RTV for the day night mechanism and clear to keep the glass/mirror from rattling. Most glass and mirror shops can cut you a new mirror if the silvering on the original has failed however I would consider going with a plastic/Mylar or stainless steel mirror if the silvering on mine failed.

[maxdog]

HI
I removed the original mirror safely . The whole thing was shot , the dimming mechanism was floppy and the mirror had an overall foggy look . I took the easy way out , bought a new mirror , which looks like the original ,from Canadian Tire and stuck it onto the screen with mirror glue.
Maxdog

[DieselSpider]

They restore fairly easily. You'd be surprised what a little Windex and a few dabs of RTV sealant will do to restore a floppy rear view most often in less time than it takes to run to the store and back. I usually have an open tube of RTV kicking around that needs to be used up before it hardens from sitting so it was a no cost green solution for me that helped lower our carbon footprint.

You may want to save the old one in case the replacement fails. The bargain ones have not held up well for me and tend to age rather quickly. Currently the repair to the old mirror has lasted twice as long as the last universal replacement mirror I purchased.

[Fiatlanta]

Once again, the search function has saved me a lot of time and hassle...going to attempt to remove and repair my rear view mirror right now. Thanks!

[maxdog]

Hi
After removing the old mirror and fitting a replacement I managed to strip and rebuild the original mirror .
The old mirror " sproinged" apart with a little persuasion from a thin screwdriver . The glass was covered with a grey film and the mirror was also dirty . Both cleaned up with copious amounts of Windex and the mirror snapped back together . The wobbly day night lever was stuck into place with a drop of RTV gasket cement . The original mirror is now in storage , awaiting the failure of the new mirrors adhesive .
Cheers
Maxdog

[dreavis]

Help me understand the RTV part of this solution. I have opened and cleaned the mirror and glass, but the wobbles continue. Where do you put this RTV product and how much do I use. Pictures would be awesome.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[RRoller123]

In my case, the mirror rattled constantly, and it was because the back didn't fit tightly enough. I put a bead of black RTV around the seam and that took care of most of it. Tooled it smooth with a solvent soaked rag and it is invisible. There still is a little internal rattle, but it is much improved. On the front side, the outer glass layer fit too loosely as well, and a small bead of clear RTV, carefully applied, took care of that. Mask the glass carefully near the housing and will not be noticeable either. If I have to ever take it apart again it will be a pita, and I will likely just get another one.

[DieselSpider]

Help me understand the RTV part of this solution. I have opened and cleaned the mirror and glass, but the wobbles continue. Where do you put this RTV product and how much do I use. Pictures would be awesome.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

If the glass is rattling you put a few dabs between the edge of the glass and the inside of the housing. If the mirror is rattling you put a few dabs between the edges of the mirror and the inside of the housing. If the day/night adjuster is rattling that is because the plastic flap where it attached to the body above it broke so center it up on the ridge left behind and put a few dabs of RTV on either side of it to keep it centered so it will stay there and flip the mirror between day and night or to set it permanently in the day position without rattling.

Mines is already repaired so I can't take pictures without breaking it open again and having to do the repair over.

[dreavis]

Thanks for the great feedback. I had already taken the mirror apart, cleaned the glass and mirror and reinstalled, but the whole mirror doesn't stay where I set it, so your tips will enable me to fix it.