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Sloppy side mirror

Started by raueda1, 12 March 2019, 08:00 PM

raueda1

My Passenger side mirror is sloppy.  I don't know how it works, but there isn't enough friction in the mechanism to keep it in place.  After some driving the mirror falls out of position and needs readjustment.  This becomes annoying.  I did a (cursory?  ::) ) search and couldn't find anything.  Any advice on a fix/adjustment/whatever would be helpful before I just dive in and start taking things apart blind.  Thanks as always!
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

daantjie

Dave I actually had the opposite problem, mine was very hard to adjust, so I stripped out the whole thing, cleaned out all the funk and lubed it up.  Now works great.  There is a strong spring which you need to release to strip out the housing and such.  Pretty straightforward.  Good opportunity to check for proper sealing against the body.  Some of those boots are NLA as far as I know.
I am not sure if you can do much to increase the resistance of the adjuster arm.  Maybe some heavy grease on the pivot points?
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

raueda1

Quote from: daantjie on 12 March 2019, 08:33 PM
Dave I actually had the opposite problem, mine was very hard to adjust, so I stripped out the whole thing, cleaned out all the funk and lubed it up.  Now works great.  There is a strong spring which you need to release to strip out the housing and such.  Pretty straightforward.  Good opportunity to check for proper sealing against the body.  Some of those boots are NLA as far as I know.
I am not sure if you can do much to increase the resistance of the adjuster arm.  Maybe some heavy grease on the pivot points?
Great, thanks.  Sounds like a kind of basic take-it-apart-cleanitup-reassemble job.
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

6.9original

When you have removed the whole mirror assembly from the car, you'll see a small adjustment screw right up close to the toggle lever that adjusts the mirror. This screw tightens/loosens the lever resistance and is often rusted. Try and lube with a synthetic grease.

But FIRST, before you can remove the mirror assembly from the car you need to first remove the black plastic lever cover that you use to adjust the mirror tilt when in service, from inside the car - this is done by sliding the little plastic slider back on its underside so the plastic cover can be removed from the metal lever. Next, be careful with the chromed plastic triangle trim piece which has brittle locator pins and small screws, it's easily snapped when prising off.

Undo the screws that hold the mirror to the door while holding the mirror assembly so it doesn't fall to the floor. Stand outside the car with the door open between car and door, so you can get to both sides, screw driver in one hand, mirror assembly supported in the other hand.

With the mirror assembly removed, now you can access the adjustment screw for the lever resistance - as yours is sloppy this will need to be tightened but if it's corroded you'll need to deal with that first if you can - if it's too corroded, you'll need a new matching screw or replacement mirror!

If you wish or need to remove the flat mirror surface, now is the time but be careful or you'll crack the mirror! Use a broad plastic paddle like a rice cooker paddle spoon to carefully prise out the mirror along its outboard edge until the socket in the plastic backing to the mirror lets go of the hidden outboard toggle pin. When the mirror has snapped free, you slide the mirror out and it will reveal the inner workings including spring etc. Clean everything, apply synthetic grease and reassemble. mercedessource.com has a $7.99 video of the procedure as well.

Most parts are still available, in the event you find any broken bits etc. Good luck!




raueda1

Quote from: 6.9original on 14 March 2019, 01:24 AM
When you have removed the whole mirror assembly from the car, you'll see a small adjustment screw right up close to the toggle lever that adjusts the mirror. This screw tightens/loosens the lever resistance and is often rusted. Try and lube with a synthetic grease. >>>snip<<<
Brilliant!  thanks!
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0