Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: Rich Mintz on March 25, 2013, 08:06:18 pm

Title: effing mirrors!
Post by: Rich Mintz on March 25, 2013, 08:06:18 pm
Yeah, so since the OEM mirror stalks on my bike are apparently made of aluminum foil, the process of trying to unscrew the left mirror (so I could install extenders) has stripped the mirror stalk, the hole it screws into, or both. (I think the hole can probably be salvaged if I can get a hex key that can apply enough torque to the top of the extender screw, because I've been able to get the extender screw most of the way in. And if not, the bar sheath that contains the hole is a replaceable part.)

I've taken the mirror off once before (to install a wind deflector on the stalk) and had trouble that time too, but this time it was so hard to move that I basically had to tear up the threads just to get it off.

Is this just me, or are these parts made of really soft metal?

Is there anything I can do to salvage the threads on the mirror stalk, or do I need to buy a new mirror?
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Ducati Scotty on March 25, 2013, 08:30:50 pm
I believe the left right hand mirror is reverse thread.  One of them is for sure, just don't remember which.  Yamaha does this too.  Were you aware of that?

Scott
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: barenekd on March 25, 2013, 08:48:06 pm
The best thing to do with the OEM mirrors is to replace them with  bar end Napoleans. Then you can actually see what's behind y0u!
Bare
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Gypsyjon on March 25, 2013, 08:54:43 pm
s there anything I can do to salvage the threads on the mirror stalk, or do I need to buy a new mirror?

Rich, you should be able to clean up the threads on the mirrors with a 10 mm die.  I had to clean up the threads in one of the mirror holes with a 10 mm tap. Turn either one slowly forward, maybe quarter of a turn, then back it out, go ahead on the fresh threads another quarter of a turn then back etc etc..the back part allows the die or tap to clean itself. A little oil might help the process too. When I had the hole cleaned out, I blasted the metal shavings out with an air bottle that I use to clean my computer keyboard.

If you go slowly, you should be OK.

I do not recall that either of my mirror holes was left hand threaded though.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: no bs on March 25, 2013, 08:57:00 pm
the right side is left-hand thread. i installed a right-hand heli-coil[10mmx1.25]in mine to match the left side. worked like a charm!
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Ducati Scotty on March 25, 2013, 09:16:53 pm
Thanks for the correction!

And +1 to the above.  A helicoil would fix it.  The stock mirrors are not great and Napoleons are far better.  They do tend to give the bike a bigger 'wingspan' though.  Since you're in NYC you might not want that.  CRG makes a very nice bar end mirror that has a sping that lets it fold back it it is hit.  You can also buy every piece individually if you need to repair it.

Scott
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: barenekd on March 25, 2013, 09:50:26 pm
The Napoleans can be rigged to move back. Just don't tighten the bolt that holds them on as tight as they will go. They will definitely move when smacked! Mine did on several occasions!
Bare
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: motomataya on March 25, 2013, 10:35:10 pm
Just running a right hand tap through the left hand threads also works.  Strong enough for a mirror, I haven't had a problem doing that.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Arizoni on March 25, 2013, 10:44:29 pm
It might be strong enough for a mirror but I can't recommend removing over half of the threads by changing it from a right hand thread or visa-versa.

Sounds like a good way to make a heli-coil absolutely necessary after the aluminum threads strip out.
Then, that's just old fussy me thinking again. :)
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: no bs on March 26, 2013, 12:11:30 am
after installing literally hundreds of heli-coils during my automotive career, i can recommend them highly. even repaired a stripped out spark plug hole in my 72 r5 yamaha. ran like a stripe-assed ape!
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Rich Mintz on March 26, 2013, 02:00:48 am
Thanks all for the advice. I'll try to sort this out next weekend. In the meantime I have a plug in the hole so I'm not getting rain in or anything, I'm just down one mirror.

I don't know which is "right hand" and which is "left hand" threading, but I do know that the two mirrors are threaded the opposite way.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: High On Octane on March 26, 2013, 02:03:38 am
Right Hand threads you turn clockwise to tighten, Left Hand threads you turn counter-clockwise to tighten.
Scottie
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: tooseevee on March 26, 2013, 02:13:47 am
I've taken the mirror off once before (to install a wind deflector on the stalk) and had trouble that time too, but this time it was so hard to move that I basically had to tear up the threads just to get it off.

Is this just me, or are these parts made of really soft metal?


            It sounds like it may have already been cross-threaded if you had that much trouble unscrewing it.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Rich Mintz on March 31, 2013, 06:38:09 pm
I'm setting off on a long trip tomorrow so I decided to deal with this today. I got a proper 8mm hex key and was able to confirm that the hole is still clockwise-threaded, at least down at the bottom. So I was able to attach the mirror extender properly.

Unfortunately, no matter what I did I wasn't able to attach the mirror to the threaded hole in the mirror extender, which may (MAY) be threaded the opposite way. (By the time I thought to check, I'd worn away too much of the threading on both parts.)

However, I was able to remove the mirror extender and reattach the mirror in its original position -- ONCE. After I removed it and tried to attach it again, it was too loose to hold. Apparently the overlap between (good threads on mirror stalk) and (good threads on mirror extender) was pretty small.

So I just bought a tube of blue Loctite and will see if that provides enough grip to hold the mirror in place while I order a replacement mirror and a replacement for the thingamabob that the mirror screws into -- which my dealer will cheerfully install for me when I go in soon for my next regular service.

In the meantime, today I built a RAM cellphone mount out of about 30 separate plastic and metal parts, and suspended it from the stalk of the *good* mirror on the other side.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Rich Mintz on April 01, 2013, 05:28:49 pm
The blue Loctite held the mirror (with the stripped threads) in place perfectly well -- it held through a 100-mile highway ride this morning. Unfortunately I attached it about 30 degrees too far clockwise, so I'm going to have to crack it and re-set it in a better position. But that's a project for another day...
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Gypsyjon on April 01, 2013, 11:05:45 pm
I'm setting off on a long trip tomorrow so I decided to deal with this today. I got a proper 8mm hex key and was able to confirm that the hole is still clockwise-threaded, at least down at the bottom. So I was able to attach the mirror extender properly.

Unfortunately, no matter what I did I wasn't able to attach the mirror to the threaded hole in the mirror extender, which may (MAY) be threaded the opposite way. (By the time I thought to check, I'd worn away too much of the threading on both parts.)

However, I was able to remove the mirror extender and reattach the mirror in its original position -- ONCE. After I removed it and tried to attach it again, it was too loose to hold. Apparently the overlap between (good threads on mirror stalk) and (good threads on mirror extender) was pretty small.

So I just bought a tube of blue Loctite and will see if that provides enough grip to hold the mirror in place while I order a replacement mirror and a replacement for the thingamabob that the mirror screws into -- which my dealer will cheerfully install for me when I go in soon for my next regular service.

In the meantime, today I built a RAM cellphone mount out of about 30 separate plastic and metal parts, and suspended it from the stalk of the *good* mirror on the other side.

Rich, when you ordered those extenders, you were supposed to order 2 RH. The RH stands for the threads, NOT the side of the bike. I thought I mentioned that in my original post.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Rich Mintz on April 01, 2013, 11:41:19 pm
I bought the extenders as a set from Hitchcocks which said they were intended to fit my model of bike. I don't think the problem is that they were threaded incorrectly, because I was able to bolt the extender into the socket (once) using the bolt provided.
Title: Re: effing mirrors!
Post by: Gypsyjon on April 03, 2013, 01:27:50 am
I got mine on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/10mm-Motorcycle-Mirror-Riser-Extender/dp/B003VBZU7I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1364948816&sr=8-5&keywords=Mirror+extenders