At 07:15 PM 2/1/2013, sailingfc @dslextreme.com wrote:
>My experience with "DMS" (Droopy Mirror Syndrome) is that the washer under
>the spring is rusted to the shaft.  Remove the 2 screws holding the mirror
>to the door.  You will see a nut holding down a spring against a washer.
>  After a squirt of penetrating fluid, remove the nut and spring.  Apply
>more penetrating fluid and attempt to remove the washer (disk) from the
>shaft.  It took me a while to do on my mirror, but it did finally come off.
>  Clean up the rust on the flat shaft, trial fit the washer back on, if it
>is tight, more sanding/filing of the shaft is needed.  The washer must
>slide freely, that's what transfers the spring pressure to the ball &
>socket to keep it tight and not allow the mirror to droop.  Once everything
>has clearance, apply some grease on the inner parts/shaft and reassembly.

This may complement your excellent description quoted in full above:
https://picasaweb.google.com/117189706757545167023/VanagonSideMirrorRepair#

Once everything moves freely you do not have to bind up the coils on
the spring to get things to stay in place properly; there should
still be a bit of give.

Yours,
David