I commented on sloppy side mirrors a couple weeks ago...here it is:

Too much tightening will pull the bolt out of ball
 joint.� I fixed it this way:� using a drill press, I bored a 1/8" hole 
through the plastic, through the ball, through the bolt, and out the 
plastic on the other side.� Inserted a 1/8" dia x 1 1/8 long stainless 
steel dowel pin through the hole, "pinning" the bolt into the ball 
(doesn't even have to be perfectly centered).� Worked GREAT, now I can 
tighten to proper tension, nor more floppy mirror.� Worked so well (and 
was so easy and cheap to do) I did it on the other mirror, too.� Been 
that way now for 4 years.� Can barely see the hole when the dowel pin is
 inserted....it's flush with the surface.

NOTE:� David Beierl commented that he did the same fix as me...except he used a roll pin instead of a solid dowel pin.� As I remember, I applied some epoxy to the my solid dowel pin to secure it....a roll pin would be better, but just happened to have solid dowel pins in my junk drawer so that's what I used.

ALSO:� If stud is pulled out of ball partly (probably is), disassemble and using a vise squeeze the stud back into the ball before doing the cross-drilling operation above.� I think this is what I did 4 years ago...hazy memory now.

AND:� To give black mirror housings and rear air vents and front grills an as-new look, remove from vehicle, clean real good with rubbing alcohol, then apply 2 light coats of Ace Hardware brand satin black spray paint....or something similar...looks great, lasts a long time.� Be sure to carefully mask your chrome VW emblem on the upper grill....got to keep your van looking sharp!

Rich
85 GL with 
"normal" mirrors
San Diego

--- On Sun, 5/9/10, Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG> wrote:

From: Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Subject: Re: Side mirror fix
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 12:59 PM

At 12:33 PM 5/9/2010, B Feddish wrote:
>My passenger side mirror will not stay put. Is there a fix for that
>or do I need a new one?

I had the same problem on my '84.� Plus I felt I could not see well
enough through the right-side mirror.

Various vendors offer the later-model electric mirrors when
available.� They stay put, but they're expensive:

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_884

If you want to hook up the electric mirrors, the switch
 is expensive:

http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3281

GoWest offers truck-style mirrors.� Still expensive:

http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4039

I didn't want to spend so much money, so I camped out on eBay for a
few weeks until I was able to pick up electric mirrors, left and
right, for around $100 each, and a used switch for $15.

I installed the right-side convex mirror a few weeks ago.� It makes a
huge difference!� Much safer!

Still waiting for the left-side mirror and the switch to arrive.