Joe - I don't quite know which pivot holder you're referring to... there are two per visor on my '67 250SL ---- maybe a 280SL's is different though:
1) Visible, Chrome mounting to the top of the window frame... swivels horizontally.
2) Invisible, inside the visor... swivels vertically.
I assume you're referring to the visible one though. If the rod that bends up 90 degrees from the visor and fits into the vertical hole in the chrome bracket is broken somewhere inside the bracket so that it just falls out, then the end of the rod should / will show a fractured end. It's possible that somewhere along the line somebody let the swivel freeze up (internal rust?) and forced it.
If it's fractured I'm not sure it's fixable since (on mine) the end of the rod that's held at the top of the bracket appears to be pressed or swaged onto the rod end (rod from the visor) during asm into the bracket. To fix it somehow the rod has to be pulled loose from the end that holds it in the bracket (at the top of the bracket). And if that rod's broken at the point of entry into the holding piece, then the holder (thingy that's pressed or swaged onto the rod) has to be removed first. Have to tried to pull the top thingy (that used to be connected to the visor rod) out of the bracet or removed the bracket to perhaps push it out from the inside of the hole in the bracket?
The above assumes the rod is fractured somewhere up inside the bracket..;.. which assumption may be incorrect.... if the rod end isn't fractured, then it's probably slipped out of the thingy that it was originally pressed or swaged into... so the first thing you need to do is free up the thingy in the top of the bracket so it can swivel (it's fit tight within the bracket so doesn't swivel as if it were on a ball bearing or with a loose fit though, so it may be tough to find a way to turn it or free it up from the outside).
I've never tried to take the swivel / rod asm out of the bracket though, so I don't know exactly how it's been asm'ed in mfg'ing. I'm guessing on this based on my experience in how mechanical swivels are put together in a mfg'ing environment.... the rod, it's holder in the top of the bracket, and bracket are all chromed pieces on my car. Since they're all chromed parts, it's not likely they were asm'ed and then chromed as one piece originally, since doing this would normally cause a rough chrome edge at the edge of the thingy where it fits against the bracket (though this can be done the chrome plating shop has to know what they're doing... I had mine rechromed as an asm... so I know the plating shop has to take some special precautions to prevent a chrome or plating bridge to develop between the exposed surfaces of adjacent moving parts... even if thin, it the plating bridge breaks when you swivel the parts and you end up with a tiny rough edge on both the stationary and swiveling adjacent edges).
Anyway, I therefore am *assuming* the thingy that holds the end of the rod and which fits into the top of the bracket is pressed with a 'snug' fit (as opposed to 'lose slip fit') into the bracket... and therefore can be removed IF the rod is 1st pulled from the bracket and holder.
If/when you figure it out, let us know how it actually works and actually what was wrong with yours.
Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500
