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MG TD TF 1500 - Rear view mirror TF

Cuss, cuss, cuss! I've had to move windscreen mounted rear view mirror while trialling the fitting of a new sidescreen frame.

Now I am having trouble getting the "arm" to tighten and remain in position. No matter how tight the clamp is done it slips/drops. The problem is centred around the ball on the windscreen mount!

I've used all the "good words" I've learnt over the years but the mirror refuses to stay in position.

Prior to my tampering it remained firmly in place so I'm loath to use a goop or similar to hold it in place. Hoping someone is familiar with the mirror unit and can give me some positive advise, please?

Kev S TF6288





K Simonsen

Where is the other ball? or if it is too small you need a shim between the ball and its socket.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Ray each pick shows one of the two balls. The one on the end of the rod carries the mirror. Maybe you could use some tape temporarily to determine just how much is needed to enable the balls to grip. Then use some JB weld where it cant be seen to effect the shimming that Ray suggests. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Cut some small O-rings of leather or inner tube to fit inside the clamp and help grip the balls. Nothing worse than droop caused by loose balls!
M Magilton

Peter

FIM again, must learn to measure twice, cut once.

Ray
Ray Lee


Kev.The threads on the bolt holding it together look to be stripped.Try a new bolt in it.
R E J Stewart

I think you're on the money REJ. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I suspect the threads are stripped too but he did say no matter how tight he got it.

Are both the cups exactly the same size? You could try various combinations of positions of both haves to see if one provides more grip than the other.

Also did you just have these plated? If so it's possible the balls might have gotten slightly smaller with polishing.
Christopher Couper

Or, perhaps, the plating built up the two flats, where the securing bolt clamps, preventing the parts from clamping. (Or both that and smaller balls.)
Put a sheet of computer paper (0.004" thick) between them and tighten. If the paper is clamped, you need to make some room.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Thanks guys for your help and ideas.
Thread on the screw is in good order, just my camera work makes it appear damaged. I think I will try Matthews fix first up. It seems the simplest and quickest solution to get the car back on the road.

THanks guys
KLev TF6288
K Simonsen

Kev.,


Assuming that the thread will 'hold', you may need to carefully file the 'knuckle' piece that does not have the thread unit.

The double joint is invariably made out of 'muck metal' which, over time,
stretches outward with the clamp pressure being constantly applied to the 'ball' ends.


This factor means that the two2) joint pieces end up closing erroneously against each other. By filing, it reinstates the required gap between the two(2) joint pieces and therefore once again the correct amount of bind is made against the balls.

Even with brand new joint pieces, you will still need to occasionally nip up the setscrew to maintain the wanted firm feel of the mirror arm.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").



Rob Grantham

Thanks for that tip Rob. I guess just a "light" filing of the surface should do the trick. The mirror is quite heavy and has always tended to droop, particularly on rough roads. Will look at tthast task tomorrow. Thanks Ronb

Kev S TF6288
K Simonsen

Now having taken foot out of mouth. is it possible that the clamp bolt is bottoming in the clamp and needs shortening. Try a washer under the head, if it clamps up OK, cut a thread ot two off the bolt.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Kev.,

Ray's suggeston is also a good one, although I have not ever experienced
a problem with the setcscew thread depth.

I know the filing sounds a little 'agricultural' however there is one advantage
of 'muck metal' in that it generally doesn't rust ! If you use a Mill 2nd Cut
file it is kinder to the surface of the chrome plated joint and you won't have
any real evidence of the chrome being 'planed' off the surface when fitted back onto the car.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers
Rob Grantham

Rob Grantham

The mirror on my old TF did the same. I cured the problem by slipping a short length of heat shrink tube over the ball and then warming it with my warm air paint stripper.

Jan T
J Targosz

Copper flange gaskets for flared tubing are readily available in various sizes from an 1/8" and up.
Might work a treat

J Stone

This thread was discussed between 11/07/2020 and 14/07/2020

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