Door mirrors

[Carolyn]

I read (in 'another place') that these mirrors should fold.  Mine have always felt so stuck, that Any serious attempt to get them moving was about to damage the sheet metal.
In the 'other place', someone suggested, as a joke, that one could dental floss them. That kind of made some sense. 
So. 
I took some strong thick embroidery thread.  Using a straw on a can of lubricant, I sprayed plenty in around the base of each one. 
Then I soaked the thread and using it treble-thick I gave them a damn good flossing.
Then I gave them a tweak.  They moved a bit.  More spray, more floss, more tweaking....
Bugger me.  They both fold like like a good 'un.
Doh!!

[m1tch]

I read (in 'another place') that these mirrors should fold.  Mine have always felt so stuck, that Any serious attempt to get them moving was about to damage the sheet metal.
In the 'other place', someone suggested, as a joke, that one could dental floss them. That kind of made some sense. 
So. 
I took some strong thick embroidery thread.  Using a straw on a can of lubricant, I sprayed plenty in around the base of each one. 
Then I soaked the thread and using it treble-thick I gave them a damn good flossing.
Then I gave them a tweak.  They moved a bit.  More spray, more floss, more tweaking....
Bugger me.  They both fold like like a good 'un.
Doh!!

Great to know - don't think mine have ever been folded so good to know they can be freed up!

[1979scotte]

Did know they were ment to fold but always really stiff.
As usual Carolyn this is an excellent solution.

[Carolyn]

Maybe, I'll take some pics of the process and turn it into a 'How To'?

[Bossworld]

More detail please for those of us without thread. Fresh mint or peppermint floss? 

On a serious note I GT85'd the hell out of the vases and got mine moving but there never seemed to be a proper 'home' position. Meant I was forever adjusting the mirrors after unfolding them.

[StuC]

More detail please for those of us without thread. Fresh mint or peppermint floss? 

On a serious note I GT85'd the hell out of the vases and got mine moving but there never seemed to be a proper 'home' position. Meant I was forever adjusting the mirrors after unfolding them.

Not sure I have the VASE mod on my car. :shock:

[Treboeth]

Not sure I have the VASE mod on my car. :shock:

[StuC]

@Treboeth nice shot of the interior of your car there fella. Thanks for sharing!

[Carolyn]

More detail please for those of us without thread. Fresh mint or peppermint floss? 

On a serious note I GT85'd the hell out of the vases and got mine moving but there never seemed to be a proper 'home' position. Meant I was forever adjusting the mirrors after unfolding them.

Yes.  Mine don't seem to have that 'home position' either.  They stay where they are put but they don't 'click' into one place.

More feedback, please?  Does anyone have mirrors (original ones) that do go 'click?

[Call the midlife!]

More detail please for those of us without thread. Fresh mint or peppermint floss? 

On a serious note I GT85'd the hell out of the vases and got mine moving but there never seemed to be a proper 'home' position. Meant I was forever adjusting the mirrors after unfolding them.

Yes.  Mine don't seem to have that 'home position' either.  They stay where they are put but they don't 'click' into one place.

More feedback, please?  Does anyone have mirrors (original ones) that do go 'click?

Mine move from each position with a definite start and stop but seldom stop in a position I'd call "just right" when open, always need a little tweak.


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[Joesson]

My daily has a parking mode for the mirrors when the car is locked, so I sought and found, with some trepidation, this "manual" feature on the 2. I use it during winter storage to ease my access through our typically narrow modern garage.
The 2's door mirrors have almost 180 deg of movement and there is only an almost imperceptible detent that aligns the mirror body "shape" with the base "shape", certainly no Eureka moment!

[Carolyn]

More detail please for those of us without thread. Fresh mint or peppermint floss? 

On a serious note I GT85'd the hell out of the vases and got mine moving but there never seemed to be a proper 'home' position. Meant I was forever adjusting the mirrors after unfolding them.

Yes.  Mine don't seem to have that 'home position' either.  They stay where they are put but they don't 'click' into one place.

More feedback, please?  Does anyone have mirrors (original ones) that do go 'click?

Mine move from each position with a definite start and stop but seldom stop in a position I'd call "just right" when open, always need a little tweak.


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Thanks for that.  As a result of your superb info, I gave them a bit more lube and really worked them back and forth.  They now have a few definite stopping positions.  As you observed - not exactly 'click in one place', but they do have some sort of 'click'mechanism.

I suspect it's a spring-loaded ball bearing that also gets stuck.  The more it's used, the better it will be. (I guess!!)?

[Bossworld]

Thanks all for checking. This is from my Mini and I suppose what would happen in an ideal world - I'd echo comments above that the shape/line of the mirror doesn't necessarily lend itself to a precise spot.

https://youtu.be/HizscbJMCTA

[Call the midlife!]

I should also add that the passenger side door on mine has a depression in the top of the panel in front of the mirror stub that I've always taken to be from the mirror being either hit, roughly adjusted or swung on at some point.
So I ALWAYS brace the mounting stub with one hand before attempting to fold them in, the nearside spends most of its time folded in out of the way of my fat ass in the garage.
If I've not fettled the dent myself before Ding Day it's getting done then.


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[MikeB]

Looks like a good tip about freeing off the door mirrors, I will give it a go and see if I can get them moving.

Wish me luck

[shnazzle]

I've never folded in an mr2 mirror in my life. 
Not sure I should try now Afraid it'll snap

[Carolyn]

My original post was a couple of years old,so I thought:

"I wonder if they still move?"  Popped out side and tried them.. A bit stiff, but they both moved.

I also reminded myself why it's something not to do unless you have to.  Re-setting them is a pain.

I tried my method on the blue car with no result.

You win some....

[Call the midlife!]

Mine are silky smooth to fold in and out and click back to their "parked" position no problem. I did give the internals a really good clean and lube when I had them in bits to paint though and depending on which way it's pointing in the garage the side nearest my bench always gets folded in out of the way of my fat rear end.😆

[shnazzle]

I shan't touch mine

[Gaz mr-s]

Both on my 20 year-old pfl work fine!   But I bought a passenger door & the one that came with it didn't move, so I swapped mirrors.
I opened up the seized one & was shocked at the serious rust.  I plusgassed it for a week or so & had one attempt to see if I can move it, but it's difficult off the car.  I'm not optimistic about it...

[J88TEO]

I soaked mine with plenty of PlusGas and they both move freely.
I fold my mirrors only when parking in the tiny garage.

[Ardent]

Drivers gets tucked in on a regular basis.
But like CTM. Returns to where it was no adjustment required

[MikeB]

Had a look at the mirrors, did you run the 'floss' behind the mirror glass in the body of the mirror case around the base of the metal spindle?

Between the mirror head and lower bracket just seems to rub up against smooth plastic.

I have left them soaking in lube to see what happens with a bit of time.

[Bernie]

Yep they should fold easily

https://youtu.be/IfG1nLZpLeM