www.jec.org.uk

Hi, Hello,
Like some others ,I had a stuck/seized drivers door mirror, soon to be too loose, too free and aided by me!
I have a £7 fix.

Its a known problem that the internal shaft rusts, or circlip, or spring, or all three!
Not too sure if this fix would work for pre-facelift XJS 's.

Once the door mirror is free from the door and the wiring is disconnected (ok...slap my wrist...I just cut through it, to re-crimp later.)
First I had to remove the 24 year mirror glass..so that broke (please wear googles as the splinters fly!),then you can un-stick the heater element to expose 3x Torx 15 (or T10?) screws. You cannot remove the two T20 screws that attach the black plastic to chrome body, unless it has been removed first.
The old rusty splined hollow tube was hack-sawed along its entire length and removed.
I obtained a 40mm x 14mm x 2mm stainless steel tube (around £7 from the internet.)
If you do not have these tools already, you will have to purchase a M14 x 1.0 Tap & Die (its large, so had to make a tool to take the Die.)
I put a thread (14:1mm) a long the entire 40mm length of the SS tube.
I then put a matching thread in the original, alloy body hole with my M14 tap.
I cleaned-up the old spring and coated venerable parts in Alu anti-seize grease.
Now, I can use a brass M14,flat nut to screw-up the tension on the spring, so hopefully, its now fixed.
I also like the thought of being able to disassemble everything, if I ever want to re-chrome the door mirrors in the future.
I might even do the same anyway, to the passenger mirror ,even though its not stuck...yet!
A point of interest...I had to get a new mirror glass (exact fit) from the US (£23inc.),but it has an etched safety message on it. Does anyone know where I can get the same, but from the UK?
I hope this helps?
Nick
ps. Pictures not in order and I could only attach 3.

Hi Nick. Thanks for sharing your fix.
Is there any chance you could send me the pictures in their original resolution (and any others you may have) so we can publish it in the magazine? Email XJS.jec@gmail.com
Regards
David Randall

Sure David...they will be with you soon.
Regards

I'm not proud admitting this publicly but I squirted silicone sealant in there and this has worked perfectly over the last ten years. 5 minute fix. Obviously a significant bodge (I was late for the ferry) but has stood the test of time. Would I resort to such again in the future. Hopefully not as I'm going to retire this year so will have time to attend to such

Nick

As many of you will know from the various threads which have been written about the mirrors, play in the mirror is caused not by wear, but by seizure of the shaft against the the tube.

Whilst using sealant to prevent the movement, as mentioned by Nick, is a potential short-term fix, the one thing you must never do if you have play in the mirror, is to try and fold it. You WILL shear the shaft and ruin the mirror!

Paul

Hi Paul - I'm not happy to admit public ally to such a horrendous act of vandalism. I did it in a moment of panic, it worked and I will get around to a proper resolve when I retire this year. My greater concern at the moment is hardening seals in the gearbox presenting in a harsh first to second shift unless I lift.

Happy days
Nick

... My greater concern at the moment is hardening seals in the gearbox presenting in a harsh first to second shift unless I lift.

Try chucking a tin of Wynn's into the gearbox - or rather, it's contents.

... My greater concern at the moment is hardening seals in the gearbox presenting in a harsh first to second shift unless I lift.

Try chucking a tin of Wynn's into the gearbox - or rather, it's contents.

I've just done this myself today for the same harsh 1st to 2nd issue, will see what happens!

Hi. A question if you don't mind ... how do you actually remove the door mirror glass? I need to get to the mechanism behind the glass but don't want to break my mirror glass if I can avoid it.
Thanks in advance.
Wolfie Souter
Westbury, Wiltshire

Hi Wolfie,
I think it is near impossible to remove the glass without breaking it after all these years. Maybe, others have done it(?)
I broke mine, but I guess first, I should of tried a low- heat hairdryer.

As I said in my earlier post, I ended up getting a correct size replacement from the US.
I will replace again though, because I was not too keen on the warning safety script etched on it.

I have just found on eBay, a seller who can supply Right/Left Heated Convex Mirror Glass, for the XJS 1976 to 1996... (£8-9.)
They also indicate that if you can get your old mirror glass to them or a template etc. they can cut a new one to shape.. Please note, I haven't tried them yet, but might try when I am ready.
Their company is called 'Channel Auto Parts Ltd.'
Part No.(?) 388RSH
EAN 5054528340082
Good luck and I would be interested if anyone has gone down this route.
Cheers