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Mirror help please


1redcummins

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I have a 86 ranger with the small paddle mirrors on it. They are wore out and will not stay adjusted, I modded them and it helped for awhile but now they are loose again. I purchased a set off of "Discount auto mirrors" and when bolted to the truck they will not pivot "up high enough to even get them level. My stock mirrors would go past level. I have never have had any luck with getting aftermarket mirrors that don't shake, don't get loose. I just want it to have full range of movement like the stock ones do. They hang down and look horrible. Does anybody know where i can get a set that has had good luck with them and understands the issue i am having?!?!?. This seems like a common problem with any aftermarket mirrors that they have some kinda fitment issue. sometimes small, sometimes big no matter what vehicle. I would not mind to buy factory ones but cant find them at dealers. Thanks in advance
 


1redcummins

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No thoughts!?!?!
 

Mazda

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I have no idea what your mirrors look like . Can you post pics. Most of the time you just need to tighten the bolt that holds the mirror to the mount. Always use some lock tight on the treads and it won't loosen up.

I believe your mirrors are like my old ones on my 94. Sent years going down very bumpy dirt roads and never had any get loose that much where they flop down.

Do they look like this

http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/AC/5511-04004414.html?utm_content=AYY&utm_term=1983-1992+Ford+Ranger+Mirror+Action+Crash+FO1321108+Right+-+Passenger+Side+Platinum+Plus+83-92+Ford+Mirror+1985+1987&fp=pp&gbm=a&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=PartsGeek+Google+Base&gclid=CN3S37PrscgCFQeUfgodJI8Law


You will never find anything that old at a dealer. Have to buy aftermarket on the net.

Bryan
 

Mark_88

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Howdy and welcome to TRS~!

I know you've been here for a while but it's not that long....really!

The flag mirrors are infamous for their "sagging" and many people simply replace them...only to find the same problem you are seeing...they are too stiff.

I managed to "fix" my sagging mirrors by simply putting a zip tie around the very base of the mirror where the shaft meets the base.. The "knuckle" of the zip tie I put on the outside edge of the base so that it pushes the upper part upright...I might have a picture of how I did this and it worked out really good...the mirror never sags.

The mounting of the mirror is another story. As Bryan mentioned above, lock tight or whatever it is called helps. The mount part where the screws go into the base can actually be replaced without too much effort, but it may require taking your door apart...I don't really recommend this if you are anything like me...I can take things apart but always manage to have a few extra screws or nuts after wards...

I used the original mounting screws that Ford provided...the ones with the Torx heads...on my last install...but for some reason that I haven't looked at yet, the screws don't go all the way in...so maybe a good time for me to finish that task...

I recently upgraded from 1988 doors to 1992 doors...some might not agree with that being an upgrade, but the inside trim is much nicer in my mind...but with small issues that needed to be addressed...

I will say that I had at one time the tow mirrors on my truck...they were factory installed...and very nice and firm...but they seemed like too much for my non towing truck and I swapped on the flag style...and my point being they are as firm as you will get if installed properly using the inside mounts that Ford provides. The top mount is the same for both styles of mirrors...so you just need to drill out the bottom holes and get the back plate...should you decide to replace them some day...

I will try to attack my mirrors today and get some pictures...
 

kimcrwbr1

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Have you tried LMC truck?
 

1redcummins

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No I have tired to fix my old mirrors and I understand the zip tie thing. What im saying is that ANY aftermarket mirror I buy will not go up more than a small amount and that is not enough to be level. So when the mirror is tight to the body and the nut on the bottom of mirror is tight they have that hanging look instead of sitting level. Its a design flaw from all the aftermarket mirror people. when mounted and pushed up as high as they go they hang down. Its as simple as they did not take the body line of the truck into factor when making them. if the body roller even more at the top of the door where they mount it would not be a problem. I do not know how to put pics on here or i would show you all. thanks for the replies.
 

Mark_88

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OK, well that makes a bit of sense...

did you try a shim on the base to see if that would work out or are you done with trying to make something work?

The ones I bought were aftermarket and they worked fine for the first few years...they didn't have any visible issues either and were just like the OEM mirrors...I still have an extra set from another vehicle that I've been hanging on to...the previous owner put those huge convex mirrors on them and I was going to try to pry those off...they look funny to me, but may be better over the smaller ones that I use for wide angle viewing of the blind spots...
 

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