Removing Exterior Rear View Mirror

[MSHardeman]

Does anyone know how to remove the actual mirror from the rear view mirror assembly? I can get the whole assembly off, but I can't figure out how to get the glass part, itself, off of the assembly to access the guts. I would like to keep the glass intact during this little operation.
Guesses, opinions, experience?

[nfpgasmask]

I'm not sure, but isn't it held on with some industrial strength adhesive? Might be hard to remove without busting the glass....

Bart

[tom4bren]

I have no experience with this (but need to for a similar operation on the TLC). Try stopping in at your local glass shop & see if they'll give you any pointers.

Tom

[circmand]

up until you said keep it in one piece. I assume you checked for tiny hidden screws and such?

[MSHardeman]

I did check for little screws, and there are a bunch in there, but none that hold the glass in. Luckily the mirror is off the VX so I was able to hold it in my lap and push the glass to it's maximum adjustment. Even by doing that and shining a flashlight in there I couldn't quite see how the glass was held in. I think I see some plastic clips holding the glass to the adjustment mechanism, but I couldn't get them to budge. I'll head to a glass place first, but the mirror that I have is a busted up spare so I may just have to break the glass to get to the innards to see what's going on.

[Spyder]

You can just pry it off.
It snaps on to the motor.


How do I know?
My wife killed my passenger mirror assembly by hitting a bird (so she says)
She drove up with the mirror dangling by the wires.
It was the first time she had she driven my VX since she totaled my Ebony VX.

[MSHardeman]

Mark,

Thanks for the reply. From what I could see with the flash light that's what it looked like I needed to do, but I couldn't get the clips to budge and I didn't want to break them or the glass. Do I need to just keep pulling and hopefully it will let go?

As far as the wife driving the VX; tell her to STOP HITTING STUFF!! Seems a little odd that she totals one and "hits a bird" with the other. (BTW it's good to see you back on the site).

[Raque Thomas]

A heat gun and a plastic putty knife will help. Go slow and work the edge of the glass out to the point that you can get the putty knife under it, try pry gently. There is a black sticky adhesive of some sort under it, but the heat gun will take care of that and just make it "gooey". I think I still have a mirror housing if you need one. PM me or email me and I'll get it to you - just pay for the shipping.