[asteude]

I recently broke one of the mirror snap-on bolts -- I have no idea what they're officially called -- and ordered a replacement from the local BMW dealership. This is what they sent me. The brass colored bolt is like the originals. The silver one is the one they sent.

I even went back to the dealership and had the Parts guy double check to make sure he got the right bolt. He confirmed it and just said they must have changed the design. That seems pretty unlikely to me. The silver bolt only has a little divet in the end, so you have to tighten it down with pliers.

Lucky for me, Uni-Go Bill graciously mailed me a spare bolt he had. Thanks again, Bill! (BMWLT people rock! :yeah: )

I'm still curious though: What in the world could the silver bolt be? Do the newer LTs use these after all?

Well, if anyone needs it, I'll keep it around for a while until I forget what it is and toss it.

 

[High_Plains_Drifter]

You have a reject part that made it throught the manufacturing process. Take it back and get a refund and order another one somewhere else.

 

[asteude]

You have a reject part that made it throught the manufacturing process. Take it back and get a refund and order another one somewhere else.

:histerica:

Here I thought I had something special! What a noob!

 

[lesn]

That bolt is obviously not correct. It needs to have that dome--so it can slip between the spring.

 

[deanwoolsey]

And unless you installed it, there are tool marks visible on it where it was likely installed and returned previously.

 

[UncleMark]

This is the part of the OP's note that bothers me...

I even went back to the dealership and had the Parts guy double check to make sure he got the right bolt. He confirmed it and just said they must have changed the design.

Good parts folks double check... and should know a little bit about the parts they sell...

Then again, maybe it's just me...

 

[wa1200lt]

Do yourself a favor and pitch the thing in the trash. Use a plastic #8 bolt and drill a hole through the little vent thingeys in the front of the mirror and use a tap to thread a hole in the plate that the mirror attaches to. Thread the plastic bolt into the hole and you are done. It will break away just fine when you bump it against the mirror on your Yamaha Maxim.

Best part is none of the ridiculous balls and springs and broken plastic of the original design.

I didn't get rid of the pieces of the original system that were left I just augmented them with the plastic bolts.

Loren

 

[johnbaker15]

Do yourself a favor and pitch the thing in the trash. Use a plastic #8 bolt and drill a hole through the little vent thingeys in the front of the mirror and use a tap to thread a hole in the plate that the mirror attaches to. Thread the plastic bolt into the hole and you are done. It will break away just fine when you bump it against the mirror on your Yamaha Maxim.

Best part is none of the ridiculous balls and springs and broken plastic of the original design.

I didn't get rid of the pieces of the original system that were left I just augmented them with the plastic bolts.

Loren

What's that saying I usually see when someone mentions a mod. :worthless

 

[wa1200lt]

I wish I could. I am in Phoenix, and my bike is back home in God's country. This has really turned out to be a good mod. I was a little reluctant to share at first because I wasn't sure if it would break away. It does so I will gladly share. I will be be back on Saturday and available to take photos on Sunday.

BTW, the temp is nice in PHX but there seems to be a nearly perpetual ball of annoying gas in the sky that I am not accustomed to. Thankfully, it seems to go away at night.

Loren

 

[Voyager]

What's that saying I usually see when someone mentions a mod. :worthless

My thought exactly! I have repaired my mirrors once when the plastic on the mirror itself broke (where the spring is that snaps onto the bolt). And now one is broken again. I'd like a more permanent fix and was thinking about trying magnets, but the plastic bolt idea sounds interesting, but I am not quite getting the gist of it from the text alone...

 

[johnbaker15]

I wish I could. I am in Phoenix, and my bike is back home in God's country. This has really turned out to be a good mod. I was a little reluctant to share at first because I wasn't sure if it would break away. It does so I will gladly share. I will be be back on Saturday and available to take photos on Sunday.

BTW, the temp is nice in PHX but there seems to be a nearly perpetual ball of annoying gas in the sky that I am not accustomed to. Thankfully, it seems to go away at night.

Loren

So Loren are the plastic screws...purple. :rotf:

 

[asteude]

Dean - you're right. There are tool marks. I did, just for giggles, install it and try to force the mirror on. And, of course, installing it required judicious application of vice-grips and liberal application of some choice words.

John, Voyager - I think what Loren is describing is the method whereby you take your mirror and aim a drill where you want the new plastic bolts to go. Then you drill the crap out of the thing and hope you don't hit anything vital in the process.

But seriously, Loren, did you just add one plastic bolt? You must have had at least two of the original attachment points still reasonably functional, right? I might do this mod on my right mirror as a prophylactic. It's a bit wobbly.

 

[DanDiver]

There must be a 1,000 threads on mirrors and all of the problems and solutions. This one has a picture of a bolt in the mirror. There are probable lots more, but it was the first I round.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45296

 

[wa1200lt]

Dan, I agree with your comment about Ari's screw method being too secure. The bolt I use is a #8 plastic bolt, much thinner and quicker to snap by far than Ari's steel bolt.

I have at least one ball mount on each mirror but I would just add one more screw if I didn't.

Loren

There must be a 1,000 threads on mirrors and all of the problems and solutions. This one has a picture of a bolt in the mirror. There are probable lots more, but it was the first I round.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45296

 

[jzeiler]

You can get the plastic bolt at a hobby shop for model airplanes - commonly known as wing bolts. They snap when you crash so your wing has half a chance of surviving

 

[wa1200lt]

John, you are absolutely correct. I go mine at the local ace hardware. Mine are Phillips head, the ones from the hobby store are hex head which is much better. Mine are black, it seems like I remember the hobby store ones being whitish colored. Not sure of the defining characteristics either way.

Loren

 

[Voyager]

There must be a 1,000 threads on mirrors and all of the problems and solutions. This one has a picture of a bolt in the mirror. There are probable lots more, but it was the first I round.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45296

I have seen the metal bolt solution, but no thanks. I want to keep the break-away feature adn this won't do that!

 

[jzeiler]

I have seen the metal bolt solution, but no thanks. I want to keep the break-away feature adn this won't do that!

The plastic 1/4 x 20 bolt is used in place of the metal bolt but in the same location. Will still break away on a dirt nap but will not let go while riding.

I guess I am lucky as I have never had one pop off or break (yes I have the tethers). But then I do pull them at the 12K and clean & re-grease the ball studs and wires.

 

[GlennM86]

I recently broke one of the mirror snap-on bolts -- I have no idea what they're officially called -- and ordered a replacement from the local BMW dealership. This is what they sent me. The brass colored bolt is like the originals. The silver one is the one they sent.

I even went back to the dealership and had the Parts guy double check to make sure he got the right bolt. He confirmed it and just said they must have changed the design. That seems pretty unlikely to me. The silver bolt only has a little divet in the end, so you have to tighten it down with pliers.

Lucky for me, Uni-Go Bill graciously mailed me a spare bolt he had. Thanks again, Bill! (BMWLT people rock! :yeah: )

I'm still curious though: What in the world could the silver bolt be? Do the newer LTs use these after all?

Well, if anyone needs it, I'll keep it around for a while until I forget what it is and toss it.

This happened to me today also. Does anybody else have an extra "correct" screw?

Thanks,

 

[asteude]

This happened to me today also. Does anybody else have an extra "correct" screw?

Thanks,

I posted a Wanted ad in the Classifieds section. That's how I got my bolt. Or you can order the part. It costs $5-6. Your parts guy at the Chesapeake dealership seems to know what he's doing.

Good luck!