Cab rear-view mirror

Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:55 am

Bit cheesed off with the rear-view mirror on my cab.

The car came with one that had been crudely glued on with araldite, but it had fallen off. I bought one of those double sided sticky pads from Halfords, but it was crap as the mirror wobbled all over the place - very insecure.

Bought a replacement mirror from ebay, but this came with a spring type attachment and a square rubber grommet thing, which wont fit to my cab anywhere - I guess it's meant for a coupe/4-door with a different mounting arrangement.

In desperation and to get it through its MoT, I bought a stick-on rear-view mirror from Halfords, but that's cr@p too as it also wobbles all over the place - cant see a thing in it when I'm driving along.

So what's the proper mounting arrangement for a cab mirror? The one that came with the car has a round flat about the size of a 10p piece, then a stepped down outer ring that's about 5mm wider. Is this right, and if so how should this be stuck to the glass?

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:16 am

With a sticky pad,you will need to get both the glass and the mirror spotless first.

Try some-one like Autoglass for a sticky pad.

You are correct regarding mirror fitment,BTW,saloon/touring use a different fitting into the header rail!

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:24 am

I did follow the instructions with the sticky pads - cleaned both surfaces thoroughly then heated both too with a hair-drier - and they stuck ok, but the problem seems that the pad is to thick and spongy, so the mirror is never ridged. Hadn't thought of Autoglass - one round the corner from work too so I'll give them a try.

Does the mirror with the stepped round plate sound right for a cab though?

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:29 am

the replacement window people just us a type of glue...it works ..at least it has on mine for the last 6 years...they just stick part #3 to the window

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=51&fg=40

why not go to one and ask them to do it ...they might even do it for a quick drink

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:31 am

PeteE30Tourer wrote: Does the mirror with the stepped round plate sound right for a cab though?

That's the right one. I have a couple if you need one.

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:35 am

Thanks for the offer but I have one. what's the purpose of the step though? Is it meant to have some special mounting plate or is it just there to take up the glue expelled from the smaller surface that sticks to the glass?

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:40 am

I don't know, but there will be a reason for it.

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:50 am

The only time ive stuck one on was on a Scirocco Storm i used to own, the mirror was stuck onto the glass as opposed to being fixed onto a header panel. I used rear view mirror bonder - you cut out some gauze and stuck the bonder to the mirror stalk putting the gauze between the stalk and the glass - worked remarkably well and wasnt for budging afterwards either! Obtained from Halfrauds in the superglue section but it may only be luck it worked on my then car! Was this stuff here made by Loctite:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LOCTITE-Rear-View ... 35b1585234

Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:34 pm

That's the stuff, used to work at a car accessory shop and that was the only thing that works

Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:47 pm

angus wrote:That's the stuff, used to work at a car accessory shop and that was the only thing that works

Was certainly good stuff, wasnt for budging afterwards

Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:33 pm

Ordered on eBay - many thanks!!
Wish I'd posted on here before I'd wasted another £20 in Halfords!!

Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:38 pm

Great stuff mate let us know how it fairs, be careful - measure 8 times apply once....i got mine a few mm'ds off centre and there was no way it was for coming off again lol!!!

Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:44 pm

Good point. Even with the dodgy patches I've used so far, I realised it can't go too high else the diagnostic warning panel blocks your rear view! Perhaps I'll knock up a template out of card first to make sure I get the position right.

Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:49 pm

Thats a good plan mate, a template sounds like a good idea

From memory you place the part thats going on the window over the guaze and cut out an exact shape of guaze, then you put glue on the back of the stalk, pop the guaze on, then apply it to the window, the guaze remaining between glass and stalk, it gives full instructions but worked remarkably well

Got my fingers crossed it works for you as i know how annoying it is - i like you tried a few things before this!!

Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:25 pm

if its a proper cab screen I am sure i remember there was a mark on it to show the placement

Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:20 pm

DaveD wrote:if its a proper cab screen I am sure i remember there was a mark on it to show the placement

Nice...every car should have this!!!

Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:13 am

Sounds to me like you are trying to sick a convertible mirror to a saloon screen.

The original convertible screen has a round matt finish mounting surface on the actual glass. The 10p circular base part glues to that mounting point (Originally with an ultra strong glue), THEN the mirror and stalk mount to the base.

The base is attached to the mirror stalk via a spring loaded triangular mounting process. i.e. you rotate the stalk on the base to detatche and attach.

If you are trying to stick the base straight to the glass, you'll have nightmares!

Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:38 am

Ah! That makes perfect sense. I thought there must be some reason for that arrangement on the mirror. I did manage to break the mounting off the mirror to see the triangular spring mount that you talk off. I guess, like you said, I've got a non-cab windscreen then as there's nothing on the glass at all. I'll give the Loctite stuff a go anyway.