Rear view mirror

[jsaylor]

Should be simple but I don't see how to remove my rear view mirror.  I have new glass and would like to replace the bad mirror.

Jim Saylor

[hauser]

If you want to remove it from its location just pull on it.  If you're talking about taking it apart it depends on which type mirror you have.  Is it the eary style chrome or the later style black?

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[jsaylor]

Hauser,

Mine is the early chrome type,  thanks

Jim Saylor

[J. Huber]

Hey Jim.

I am going to assume you mean you are replacing only the mirror glass? You want to hang on to the chrome part...which by the way is the way to remove it from the car! It will make you queazy as you do it, put it just snaps off.

Now, do you already have the glass? It is uniquely beveled. Our suppliers usually have it in stock but be sure you tell them the specific model you have. The glass runs about $30 US. The 230SL mirror is a smaller size. Getting the old glass out is not too complicated but it really helps to have the right size going back in... I'd rather not go into how I know this.  :twisted: .

James
63 230SL

[bpossel]

I replaced mine.  Pulling it off was easy.  I had a lot of trouble putting it back in.  The springs with pins on each side were very difficult to get back in.  Not sure how I finally got it, but it went in.  Is there a trick to getting it back in easily?
Bob

bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320

[Cees Klumper]

To get it back in, it will help to (lightly) lubricate the spring mechanisms with some light oil, WD40 etc.

I recall Achim Ahlert suggesting to go to a regular glass / mirror shop with the old glass and they supposedly can cut it to match for a lot less than the dealer has to charge. Don't know whether it's really this easy, but it does not hurt to try.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[hauser]

I suggest you seal the edge of the mirror to help avoid futuer flaking and peeling.  This seems to be standard procedure nowadays when doing custom mirror installs.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[mdsalemi]

Cees and all,

Yes it is that easy.  When I restored a mirror (long since gone on eBay I'm afraid as it was the "incorrect" one for my car) I took the old mirror and glass to the local glass shop.  For less then USD $10 I had a new mirror and new glass cut to fit.


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Joe]

No one has answered the question of how to get the glass part out of the chrome part. Is it glued in? Do you just break it and take out the pieces?
Also, is the glass in the outside mirror replaceable?
Thanks,
Joe2

[mdsalemi]

Joe,

For the early style (all chrome) mirror, mine just fell out, mainly because the rubber gasket that held the glass to the frame was completely shot.  When replacing, I carefully used clear silicone to adhere and hold the glass to the frame; the gasket is NLA and maybe never was.  I tried the master restorers Paul Russell and Hatch & Sons for that gasket and nobody could or would help.    I have not taken apart the later style plastic unit.  If you are trying to work with that, and it is giving you fits, I'd suggest just replacing it.  You can't get the all chrome ones anymore, and they are worth salvaging.


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Mike Hughes]

The mirror assembly is a little jewel, indicative of the quality of craftsmanship in even the smallest details of the M-B products of the era.

The first job I performed on my 230SL after I got it last winter was to remove, dismantle and clean the rear view mirror, as it was all "filmy" and nasty inside after 37 years.  I just couldn't stand it!  As it happened, all it needed was a good internal cleaning to restore a like new mirror appearance.

Some tips:

The whole mirror assembly, arm and all, is a break away design and can be removed from the windshield header by smartly pulling it back towards the rear of the car, away from the windshield glass.  

The mirror case can be taken apart fairly easily by separating the perimeter frame that holds the clear glass from the case.  There are four little tabs that go into slots, two on the bottom and two on the top of the case.  You do not have to bend the tabs, just gently pry the outer perimeter frame free of the case with a fine blade.  I put a paper towel between the blade and the case to prevent scratching the chrome.  Pay attention to how the day/night toggle lever and its little spring clip are installed.  They are small and can fall out and lose themselves easily!  There is a rubber gasket that keeps this clear glass from rattling around and, in my case, the glass was well stuck to it, so I cleaned the clear glass "in place" in the frame.

The mirror glass itself is loose within the case and can be removed for cleaning.  My recollection is that there is a small coil spring behind the mirror to keep it from rattling within the case.  If the silvering is going it should be no problem to have a glass company make you a replacement mirror, using the old one as a pattern.  Be sure that the replacement has exactly the same dimensions as the original because this will affect how the day/night movement works.

Reassembly is simple once you have seen how it came apart.  Just be sure that the day/night toggle lever and the spring clip are positioned properly before snapping the perimeter frame back onto the case.  Work the day/night toggle lever a few times to assure proper action of the internal mirror bafore snapping the whole assembly back into the windshield header. This is the hardest part of the whole exercise!  I used a rubber mallet and a great deal of care.

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[hauser]

My mirror seems to vibrate a bit and distorts my rear view vision.  Is there something I can do to correct this?  Could this this normal?

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[mdsalemi]

Hauser, welcome to the club.  Mine does the same.  What I discovered however, is that while idling at a stop light and I see this vibration, if I apply the slightest pressure with my finger--every so slight--to the base of the rear view mirror it goes away.  I have not done it yet, but I think a small amount of foam tape applied to the underside of the mirror might just damp these vibrations a bit.  Try it next time you are at a stop light and see if you can make your vibration go away.


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Cees Klumper]

This is not normal, or at least it's not supposed to happen. Apparently you have some vibration in the car, or the mirror is not attached just right. My mirror does this only at the speed where I have a shimmy (have to find out about that Hunter balancing machine in The Netherlands now!), right around 60 MPH.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by cees klumper

This is not normal, or at least it's not supposed to happen. Apparently you have some vibration in the car, or the mirror is not attached just right. My mirror does this only at the speed where I have a shimmy (have to find out about that Hunter balancing machine in The Netherlands now!), right around 60 MPH.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

Of course it isn't normal.  I have an awful lot of creaks, groans, vibrations, etc. that are not "normal".  But I will indeed try my foam tape solution this weekend as I prepare my car for "bed" for the winter.  I have a 250km drive to my winter garage, with a few stoplights so I'll let you all know how it worked out.

A dirty little secret--most car companies and I'm sure MB is included, have a "shake and rattle machine" which is designed to ferret out all these undue vibrations.  then one by one they can determine where in the assembly to damp the vibrations.  As different parts change during the production life of a car, they do indeed make small changes to how things are assembled.  I had a Taurus SHO a few years ago that had some really bad vibrations, and a few well placed telephone calls got us a ride on the shake and rattle machine in the engineering lab.  They sure as heck cured all the vibrations we complained about...and in the process created a few more!    Oh well...


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[J. Huber]

This may not pertain to any of you guys, but I undertsand shimmies, shakes or vibrations are often related to tire pressure /wheel trueness, or to engine mount condition.

James
63 230SL

[hauser]

The thing about these early style mirrors is that there is a mirror and clear glass all within a metal housing.  The later style is encased within a plastic housing.  Softer materials will absorb shock better than metal.  In my case my mirror gets worse with bad road conditions and higher speeds.  The car is tracking straight and I get no vibration through the steering wheel.

The other dar my wife and I went for a ride and there was a teenager in front of us at the traffic light.  From her rearview mirror hung her graduation tassel and this thing was just bouncing around like crazy.  She had to of had a couple 10 sub woofers in her car because we could even feel the vibration in our car.

Here is another situation just the other day with my son.  We were heading home from the supermarket.  He was holding a balloon they had given him at the store.  I had the tunes cranked up a bit and the sound transfered into the balloon making it vibrate.

I think Mike is on to someting here with the foam tape idea.   I think I'll wait until the verdict is in from Mike before I do anything to cure the distortion.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[hands_aus]

I used to get vibration on my interior rear view mirror at various speeds.
When The engine mounts were replaced the vibrations disappeared.

Bob (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto