On Mon, 27 Jan 1997, Charles D Earl wrote:

> (Provided your mirror is the same as my '83.5) remove the two phillips 
> head screws at the base.  If the base seems stuck to the metal (theres a 
> rubber washer between it and the sheetmetal) take care not to remove 
> paint when pulling it off.
> 
> Inside the base you will see (probably covered with corrosion) a nut 
> (10mm?) over a spring/washer assembly.  By tightening this nut (hold 
> mirrow securely and use a socket) you can reduce the play.  Its really a 
> kind of ball and socket mechanism.

Unfortunately, this was a poor design by VW.  The piece of hex stock 
which has been threaded to take the nut sticks into the "socket" of the 
mechanism by only about 1/8th inch, and can be backed out by the action 
of tightening the nut.  When this happens the mirror is basically junk.  
I've tried repairing this with epoxy-type glues and a pin, with limited 
success.

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Tom Young               young@sherlock.SIMS.Berkeley.EDU
Lafayette, CA  94549    '81 Vanagon
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