Rear view mirror

[knn]

I have a 71 Mach 1 and have tried 3 times to get the rear view mirror to stick to the glass with the Permatex glue kit.  Any suggestions/tricks?  

BTW, I'm pretty certain that I followed the instructions carefully.  

1. Cleaned the glass thoroughly with a non-ammonia glass cleaner
   
2. Cleared any old glue residue with a razor blade
   
3. Cleaned the glass again
   
4. Cleaned the button (it was new, but cleaned it anyways)
   
5. Used the cleaner/activator included with the kit as instructed
   
6. Waited the specified amount of activation time
   
7. Put ONE drop of glue on the back of the button
   
8. Pressed the button to the glass for 1 minute
   
9. Didn't hang the mirror for 48 hours (instructions say 30 mins is all that's needed)
   

After a couple of days, I found the mirror on the floor (AGAIN!)

Thanks in advance,

Nick

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I have never had to glue mine back on but might try the 3-M foam tape they use to glue the sides onto ambulances and big trucks, Used on emblems on most new cars today. 

Does the glue residue stay on the mirror or the glass? The one it does not stick to is the one not clean enough. 

 

[knn]

In the past when I've done this, the glue residue is hard and dry (that's why you have to scrape it).  The weird thing is, now the glue is still a little gooey (even after a week).  BTW, this happened with two different window buttons, both brand new.  

I'm wondering if the 3M rear view mirror glue works any better than the Permatex?  Is there an incompatibility between the old glass (my car has original glass) and new glue formulations.

The residue is on both.  

 

[tony-muscle]

I had the same problem. I tried the 3M and Permatex with equal poor results. The second or third time I ended up using more than one drop to ensure that the whole metal piece gets cover and cleaning whatever squeezes out. In that way it lasted longer (a few months) but eventually it fell again. Now I have an aftermarket mirror with rear view camera that has a larger area. It is in its second year and still holding. I now carry a "spare" rear view mirror with suction cup just in case.

I also used a product that the NAPA sells guy told me it's used by the mirror shops - I forgot the name. That lasted a couple months.

 

[Tnfastbk]

Save yourself much heartache and hassle. Go to a local glass company and they will glue it for little of nothing. Whatever they use actually works unlike most stuff to buy over the counter.

 

[donkost]

On a Sportsroof the rear view mirror is almost useless.  Just use the accelerator pedal instead.  

 

[knn]

@tony-muscle, we're doing the same with the rear view camera.  This first mirror was a standard Scott Drake mirror you can get from any Mustang part house.  

@Tnfastbk good suggestion.  I'll need to try that.  

BTW, anyone have a measurement for how far down the windshield to mount the mirror?

Thanks,

Nick

 

[Animal Lawyer]

I had the same problem on an earlier 300zx I owned, finally used a bit of quick curing epoxy, stayed on. Sometimes you just need a bigger hammer.

 

[MKSpeedlab]

Maybe a counter intuitive question. Any suggestions for getting the original off? Id actually like to take mine off and reglue it a bit higher up so it doesnt block view as much. Right now with the mirror adjusted as high as I can move it I still feel like the mirror is blocking my visibility a bit, so I was hoping to remove/remount it higher to help with that a bit.

 

[mjseakan]

Add a 15" subwoofer, 200W amp and play 90's rap crap at full volume. Worked for my brother-in-law several times.

Mike

 

[Animal Lawyer]

Add a 15" subwoofer, 200W amp and play 90's rap crap at full volume. Worked for my brother-in-law several times.

Mike

Thank you, that gave me a real laugh, something I needed today.

 

[MustangSally44]

I know this is an old post but I researched it when I was looking for a solution and thought someone else might be researching and benifit from my experience.First off, nothing would hold the mirror on my wifes 73. I even tried hot glue wich was the only thing that worked on my old AMC. We gave up trying when the mirror fell off on the way home from the glass shop. So were up at the lake and shes complaining about the mirror so I thought Id give it one more try. I scraped the glass with a razor blade and didnt have any alcohal to clean with but Smirnoff's did the trick. I sanded the metal button and found it wasnt flat. Looked like factory finish but wasnt flat. Filed the button till I was happy with it then put some deep crosshatch file marks in it to give the glue something to hold to. I used a very thin layer of Premium PL construction adheasive on the button and held it on the windshield with Duct tape.. The next weekend at the lake I peeled the duct tape off and scraped the residue off with a razor. Vodka wouldnt touch the gooey stuff but Purell did a nice job and now the windshield is germ free. When I went to put the mirror on I noticed the 2 ball sockets on the back were almost siezed solid.How come the guy at the glass shop didnt notice this. So every time you adjusted the mirror you were using leverage to pull the mirror off the glass. Took me lots of dolphiin oil { all porpoise ) and a whole beer to get it freed up. Been 2 weeks now and holding. Will update if it falls off again.

 

[midlife]

You have been checking it daily with a beer in hand, right?