ROG100

I have just purchased a new Gentex rear view mirror with a compass and auto dimming as well as three HomeLink buttons.
The metal base is wedge shaped and different to the factory round one.
Anyone removed the metal base from the windshield and if so how?

Alan had posted this info and unless someone else comes up with a different method I will grit my teeth and try it.

"The metal base is just glued to the screen -heat is the best release. best technique - rapid heating (avoiding the glass) and a quick twist with pliers. Propane lighter or small butane torch - just be quick..."

perrys4

Just be careful, windshields don't require much force from the inside to shatter. Daughter bumped mine and it is loose enought to vibrate when driving but not enough to get it to come off safely. I will be curious to see the recommendations.

RyanPerrella

Roger,

When i bought my car the R.V.M. was in the door pocket. I never got around to putting it back on. But its just a small round base and there is a thin film of adhesive holding it in. I would think heat should do the trick, i would think from the outside and then maybe have someone inside with the mirror attached to the base for leverage, try and twist it loose.

ROG100

bump - before I crack my windshield

soontobered84

Roger, why not practice this on one of your parts cars? Before cracking a good windshield, I would call an auto glass place and see how they do it. They might not charge you anything to do it. (Well that's a good thought, anyway) :-)

Ed Scherer

See post #16 in the thread "Mirror Update...and Wheels available" from about 3 1/2 years ago.

Short story version of that: heat is the way to go.

ROG100

John,
Good idea - why did I not think of that DuHHHHHHHH
Ed,
Heat it is - thanks.

The mirrors are on eBay starting at about $150 each. http://stores.ebay.com/WembleySells
Amber lighting to match my car. Compass with Homelink.

atb

Rog,

Why not call a local auto glass installer and see what they recommend?

Imo000

Be careful with the heat. How about heating up the pliers so when you clip it to the mirror base, it will transfer the heat and soften the glue but not the glass.

Except for the home link feature, you could find mirrors like this at the local wrecker. The late 80's early 90's Ford Tunderbirds had auto dimming RVMs and many GM luxury models had them as well.

perrys4

How hot do you have to get it? I would think a car sitting in the sun would get pretty hot. Wouldn't the glue have a very high heat resistance?

dr bob

It's the difference in temperature between the glass and the metal that causes the glue to stress. The glass is laminated so the temp applied to the outside isn't necessarily transferred to the inside layer of glass. Nonetheless, a cool/wet towel on the outside might slightly reduce the risk of damaging the glass. On the inside, make a heat shield out of aluminum foil. After that-- lots of heat quick on the metal base. The little butane torch is fine, and you could probably just use a heavy-duty heat gun so long as the foil shield protects the glass. Anyway, faster is better. Then, with vice-grips, twist the base loose, don't pull on it. Pulling is the maximum risk of damage to the glass, so twist to break the bond and it will fall off.

Shark Attack

whew, you got bigger nads that me.... mine fell off last summer. Last time i tried to get one off (with heat and a cold rag), I still took a chunk out of the windsheild

RicerSchnitzzle

I've always used nail polish remover to disolve the glue. Falls right off with just a little effort. Once one corner is loose, a flat paint scraper will work the rest off with out "pulling" on the window.

Notice the new mirror will come with super glue to attach it...

Bill Ball

Acetone? Just don't let it drip on the dash.

RicerSchnitzzle

^yes, use a cheap $1 plastic painters drop cloth. Good catch, I forgot to mention that.

I put the acetone on the windshield above the metal block using a cotton ball. Keeps the drips down to a minimum. The acetone will suck into the gap by capillary action. Unless Porsche used silicone, it should work.