Top case mirror Assy, incl partition

[Silverhair]

My top case vanity mirror hinge is broken. I bet its common.

Is there a good source to buy these reasonably? Sites on the home page seem to be out of stock.

Or... is there a fix using other hardware that is more enduring?

Thanks!

[katnapinn]

My top case vanity mirror hinge is broken. I bet its common.

Is there a good source to buy these reasonably? Sites on the home page seem to be out of stock.

Or... is there a fix using other hardware that is more enduring?

Thanks!Most of us get a small piano hinge from the local hardware store and fix it ourselves. Just dill a few new holes and pop rivet it on or use small screws if you don't have a rivet gun

[Silverhair]

Do you have any pictures of the fix?

[RVB1019]

Ask and ye shall receive:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4143

Picture posted by in Dick in this thread (http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9502&highlight=vanity+mirror).

Thanks for the reminder. I think I'll attempt this in the AM but I'm thinking of painting the hinge black before installing it.

[Dick]

Do you have any pictures of the fix?
Here ya go. Been runnin' this way for 7 years - nary a problem.

[Dick]

Dang, Rob - you're quick!! I never can find that darn file when I'm lookin' fast for it!!

[RVB1019]

Hey Dick, Great minds think alike. But I beat you by 1 minute!:p

Silverhair, I forgot to mention, Welcome to the Board! Don't be afraid to use the search feature. This site has a wealth of information at your fingertips.

ENJOY!

[Silverhair]

Thanks everybody!

I'm off to home depot.

[bblalock]

Be very careful to not over tighten the screws. I did and the plastic pretty much disintegrated. Now I am going to use velcro and faux leather to cover the space and to create storage for the manuals.

[CharlieVT]

Be very careful to not over tighten the screws. I did and the plastic pretty much disintegrated. Now I am going to use velcro and faux leather to cover the space and to create storage for the manuals.

Yeah, pop rivets and overly tightened nuts will potentially crack the plastic.
An alternative:
I scratched up the plactic surfaces where the hinge was to be mounted with a utility knife and bonded the hinge on with epoxy. JB Weld or similar stuff.
Criss-cross angled cuts in the plastic create good retention. Clean the surface of the plastic with alcohol or something. Flow the epoxy into the holes in the hinge for retention to the hinge.

[Eric_R]

+1 on the epoxy.

[Rabbit]

I've been going to do this for a long time but have not got to it yet . Dan

[KeVRod_TX]

The hinge piece on the lower part of mine broke (not the pegs on the mirror) due to me jamming too much stuff in the slot (Anonymous Book gets fatter and fatter) and it sat broken for while until SWMBO complained about it.

Spookily enough, Lone Star keeps them in stock and if I recall it cost about $15, which blew me away, I was expecting at least $100 for the lower part.

[Silverhair]

What is "Lone Star?"

[meese]

My trunk mirror broke the first month I had my '02 LT. I got a replacement under warranty, then put it in a box in the garage where's it's been safe for 5 years. I think the CD changer is in that box too, along with the factory radio. :)

[RVB1019]

I think the CD changer is in that box too, along with the factory radio. :)

Hey Ken,

Why did you pull the factory radio? Did you replace it with another radio? I'm looking at replacing my THIRD one in the next few weeks.

[RVB1019]

Sorry to hijack the thread yet again.

Silverhair,here is a intresting thread about the mirror with some great pics:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5175&highlight=radio

Fellow board member Bustedknuckles took some great shots that tells the story:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1864http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1865

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1866

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1867


http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1868

[RVB1019]

What is "Lone Star?"

http://www.lonestarcycle.com/ (http://www.lonestarcycle.com/)

Lone Star BMW Dealership?

[Diehly]

While I loved the pics of the piano hinge, I am going to start with the black duct tape idea for the flex properties that got me in trouble in the first place. If this doesn't hold up on a season to season basis, I will definately follow Dick's lead.

[rusmckay]

My top case vanity mirror hinge is broken. I bet its common.

Is there a good source to buy these reasonably? Sites on the home page seem to be out of stock.

Or... is there a fix using other hardware that is more enduring?

Thanks!
Being exremely CHEAP, here is What I did. Most of these things break the little tabs off where it inserts into to the hinge bracket. If that's what happened, simply SAW the little buggers off flush and drill a hole a little bit bigger than a coat hanger wire. Epoxy a short piece of coat hanger wire in the hole. Put back together, and walaa a permanent fix. Mine's just over a year old and I know its strong because I hit it hard enough to break the mirror(again) and the hinges didn't even flinch.

And that's my two cents.

[bustedknuckles]

I remember those!

[KeVRod_TX]

Apologies, yes, Lone Star BMW here in Austin.

[WPNorton]

What good timing! Mine just happends to breat ...after three years...this weekend. I was planning on getting piano hinge to fix it. Good to see the idea has been tested and validated.

[meese]

Why did you pull the factory radio? Did you replace it with another radio? I'm looking at replacing my THIRD one in the next few weeks.I pulled the radio to make room for my DIN-sized GPS unit. You can see the replacement glove box cover with the GPS screen in this pic. Since I was using an iPod for music, I didn't need the radio features or the CD changer so I reclaimed a lot of storage space for important things, like BBQ fixin's. http://www.k-bikes.com/forums/images/smilies/port.gif

http://www.bmwlt.com/gallery/files/1/7/8/feast.jpg

[Silverhair]

These are brilliant ideas!

I just gave rusmckay's idea a shot - epoxied a short piece of coathanger into a hole that I drilled into the remnant of the right tab. Cure time is 4 hours - I can't wait...

Hinge idea is great too. May have to resort to that.

Thanks!

[Silverhair]

SUCCESS!

Coat hanger piece works & almost looks OEM.

[rusmckay]

SUCCESS!

Coat hanger piece works & almost looks OEM.
Now Don't break the mirror slamming it shut to see how good your fix is working!

[RVB1019]

SUCCESS!

Coat hanger piece works & almost looks OEM.

Post a pic so we can all benefit. I'm intrested in seeing the finished product.

[dandiver]

My trunk mirror broke the first month I had my '02 LT. I got a replacement under warranty, then put it in a box in the garage where's it's been safe for 5 years. I think the CD changer is in that box too, along with the factory radio. :)

Like minds.... scary! I did almost the same thing as soon as I got the BFP (Big Fat Pig) home. Removed mirror and CD changer. Didn't see the need for and figured I'd save them for the next owner... Too easy for the mirror to break and I preferred the extra space in place of the CD changer. Didn't touch the radio though.

[Silverhair]

Here they are.

I used my Dremel w/flex tool and the smallest drill bit I had turning at the slowest speed possible.

Then cut off a little less that 1/2" of wire hanger & epoxied it.

[KIC]

I pulled the radio to make room for my DIN-sized GPS unit. You can see the replacement glove box cover with the GPS screen in this pic. Since I was using an iPod for music, I didn't need the radio features or the CD changer so I reclaimed a lot of storage space for important things, like BBQ fixin's. http://www.k-bikes.com/forums/images/smilies/port.gif

http://www.bmwlt.com/gallery/files/1/7/8/feast.jpg

And the gas grill fits where...? :D

[Silverhair]

Umnn, how do you upload pics?

Cant seem to make that work.

[RVB1019]

Here are the pics Ed took of his repair. The pics just needed to be made a little smaller.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16819&stc=1

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16820&stc=1

[RVB1019]

A little bigger view:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16822

[Silverhair]

Thanks, Rob!

[rusmckay]

:dance: Again.... American ingenuity defeats poor german design

[RVB1019]

Thanks to Rusty and Edward, my top case mirror is now safely reinstalled.

I guess I cut my hanger tabs a little too long. I had to grind them down a little with my Dremel before the mirror popped right into place.

For backup. I took two pieces of ducktape and placed it right over the pins on the inside of the compartment. We'll see how it goes!

Thanks guys!

[meese]

And the gas grill fits where...? :DOn the back shelf where the trunk used to be, of course. But it is kinda hard to keep the charcoal going at speed, and your passenger has to sit backwards to be able to flip things . . . very carefully. :D