Tighten up side view (flag) mirrors?

[HLBlanton]

Both of my Sideview mirrors are “soft“ in that when I get up to 65 or 70 miles an hour the wind pushes them so that I can’t see where I want to. Is there anyway to tighten these up to make them a little bit more stiff?

[Son of Marty]

If you remove the whole mirror from the door mount you'll see a Philips head screw and spring tighten the screw a little (it's easy to over tighten so the mirror locks up) until you get it stiff enough hold but will still allow for adjustment and remount it.

[HLBlanton]

Hey Son of Marty what took you so long to give me the answer?😂 Seriously, thanks so much! The 2002FAQ is truly amazing and just an incredible resource for someone who is coming back to these cars after a few decades.

[Son of Marty]

If you haven't pulled a mirror before there's a little rubber flap on the rear of the mount right at the door I use a dental pick to pull that open and then there's a small slot screw under there I would recommend a bit of wd40 before starting (the screw is soft) I cover the area with blue painters tape as you'll be working right against the paint work.

[Mike Self]

1 hour ago, Son of Marty said:

then there's a small slot screw under there I would recommend a bit of wd40 before starting (the screw is soft)

While you're doing this, take the set screw down to your local hardware store and get a stainless steel allen head set screw.  Don't quote me but IIRC it has 3 x.8 or 4 x .8 mm threads.  Stainless steel won't rust, and you can apply more torque to an allen head screw than a slotted one that's probably rusty with a boogered up slot...

 

mike

[calw]

And, before you install that stainless set screw, put a dab of anti-seize compound on it. 

['76mintgrün'02]

My mirror has been floppy since before I owned the car.  I think the door skin around the cage nuts is bent.  The slotted screw is stuck and I haven't felt like attempting to drill it out, so I let it flop.

 

I went to RealOEM and they say the little grub screw is NLA but they do list the part number and Roger's Tii claims to have them for sale for $.95.  It is listed as a 320i part, but shares the same number as ours.

 

The tip of the screw is tapered, so a hardware store set screw may not be an exact match.  I assume the taper mates up to a ramped end of the bracket that's mounted on the door, to pull it in tight. 

 

It wouldn't be too hard to add that feature to a hardware store screw, if you bought a long enough one.  You could buy a nut and a screw with the same threads and cut off the screw's head, so you can chuck it up in a drill and then use a nut to hold the hex end of the grub screw to the end of the long screw and use a grinder to put a point on it while spinning it.  Just remember lefty-loosey -- righty-tighty, so the pieces stay together.

 

Edit- you might be able to put a point on a new set screw by chucking a cut-off allen wrench in a drill and using that to hold the screw, while pointing the screw up at the grinding wheel to shape it.

 

I was hoping the RealOEM site would list the screw specs, but no such luck.

 

 

 

No.	Description	Supp.	Qty	From	Up To	Part Number	Price		Notes
01	Rear view mirror		1			51161801866			ENDED
02	Csk.fillister head srew	AM4X22	1			07119901723			ENDED
03	Washer	A6,4-ZNNIV SI	1			07119904202
04	Set tooth washer 25	A6,4	1			07509064287			ENDED
05	Hex bolt	M6X10-8.8 ZNS	1		07/1977	07119913117	$0.40		ENDED
05	Hex bolt	M6X10-8.8-ZNS3	1			07119904633	$0.20
06	Nut	M4	1			07129925804	$1.09		ENDED
07	Exterior mirror left	TRAPEZ	1			51161804452	$202.45
07	Exterior mirror right	TRAPEZ	1			51161807702	$202.45
08	Grub screw		1			51161808536	$2.16		ENDED
09	Csk.fillister head srew	M4X20	2			07119928439	$2.87
10	Seal seft	TRAPEZ	1			51161807731	$12.80
10	Seal right	TRAPEZ	1			51161807732	$12.80
11	Mirror holder		2			51161832567	$7.17		ENDED
12	Frame		1			51161807748	$18.58		ENDED
13	Mirror glass (driver's side)	TRAPEZ	1			51161807747	$38.24		ENDED
13	Mirror glass (co-driver's side)	TRAPEZ	1			51161807753	$38.24		ENDED
14	Exterior mirror right	RHD	1			51161821794	$204.09
15	Mirror holder		2			51161832567	$7.17		ENDED
16	Seal seft		1			51161822061	$12.09
16	Seal right		1			51161822062	$12.09
20	Nut	M4	2			07129925804	$1.09		ENDED

Notes

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by '76mintgrün'02

[Mike Self]

17 hours ago, Mike Self said:

take the set screw down to your local hardware store and get a stainless steel allen head set screw. 

I honestly don't remember whether the ones I got had tapered ends, but...they've been holding both my mirrors on for 25 or so years; haven't fallen off yet 😁. 

 

So long as the end of the screw turns so that it goes under the tapered end of the pot metal bracket that's secured to the door, it'll grab OK.  And you can torque an allen head screw better than a slotted screw without fears of stripping the slot.

 

mike