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Any Way To Tighten the Business End of a Mirror?

mean dad

petulant bisket
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Location
California
Moto(s)
Smoke and mirrors
BARF perks
AMA #575843
Left hand mirror drives me nuts with how often I need to re-aim it.
Like the title asks, is there any way to tighten that bad boy up a little bit? Not the threaded end that attaches to the motorcycle itself. The mirror end.

Thanks.
 
It all depends on the mirror. Some have adjustments that will let you tighten the mirror a bit more and some don't. I have found the right aftermarket mirrors for my Honda so that they stay tight and the ones on my KTM have always been good. A guy that I regularly ride with had to replace his mirrors a few months ago and never has manage to get them properly tightened. Half-way into a ride the mirror will be hanging sideways.
 
Hair spray is a temp fix. Might have to re-apply every month. My metal key was falling out of my car fob and a car salesman said that is what the dealerships use. :laughing
 
:laughing At least you can overcome hairspray when needed.
 
I've been dealing with this for the last 2 days. First the left mirror Yesterday, then the right one today.
It seems like I have to get the mirror side good and tight first then the handle bar side, but I still have to ride with wrenchs that I can quickly get to. After a while the mirrors stay put till I take them off for a track day then it's back to futzing with them.
 
:toothless I like the hair spray idea. Seriously. :thumbup Bonus points for Budman.

Some folks have luck removing the mirror glass from the frame, and tightening the ball joint behind it. I've played with a few plastic dualsport mirrors, but more often than not I break the mirror glass, even when using heat. So to be honest, I have had to purchase more replacement mirrors than I have actually been able to repair. :kicknuts

If you have a heat gun, or are very careful with a torch..... you can try heating the outer plastic frame to see if you can't shrink it a bit. But frankly, the hair spray idea really sounds like the best temporary fix before buying new mirrors.
 
I would think you could do some tape off to get the hairspray properly directed.
It really works well on my key. Lasted about 6 months before a second application was needed.

Just so happens my hairspray is "maximum hold" :laughing
Only use it before meetings, otherwise I am running full hippy.
 
Soak in salt water, coat it with hairspray, heat it up, then replace with new.
Got it.

Thanks all!!

:banana
 
:laughing

We are trying brother. ;)
 
Blue LocTite? May fsck up plastic parts? Test on a small area first?

Left side mirror on my SV decided to go it's own way last month, but it was the handlebar lock nut end.
 
I've used crazy glue in the past but was hoping for a somewhat less permanent solution.
If the heat/removal thing doesn't work I'll hit it with hairspray and see how long it lasts.
 
If it has a metal ball and socket and no adjustment, you can try moving it offset and use a pointy punch to upset (raise) the metal on the ball (I guess that could work on a plastic ball too). Then when you move the socket back over that mark, it should provide more tension. Might need a few nicks at it.
 
Not a fan of convex mirrors, "objects closer than they appear"
I prefer flat glass mirrors, currently running 3" bar ends, that came with convex.
A glass shop cut me a few mirror rounds from flat mirror, and changed them myself.
I did some grinding to get a better surface to Goop it.
Glass is available if you have to destroy to repair.
Loose mirror heads, I've taped/glued them in place.
 
In the good old days before everything was made in China and the “throw away, buy another” business model was adopted, the screws to adjust the ball socket were on the outside of the back of the mirror. Another method was to rotate the mirror on the ball and that tightened the coil inside the housing and that fixed the problem. Now it is “toss it, buy another, repeat as required!”
 
I remove the glass and tighten the little nut on the inside, I also stretch the spring in there as it gets a little weak and thats why the mirror moves.
Youtube has tutorials on glass removal, head gun and suction cup.
 
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