MSA Bullet Mirrors Installation?

[chaseincats]

Hi guys,

Not sure if any of you have tried installing the MSA bullet mirrors (https://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic02e02/50-1178) but I'm having a bit of trouble here.

They mount by way of 2 bolts with their hex head facing the inside of the door (basically the mirror is installed such that the bolt sandwiches the door between the mirror's threads and the hex head of the bolt which is located under the curvature of the top of the door.  This seems incredibly difficult to install as you are basically holding the hex head inside the door and hoping you can find the threads of the mirror blindly so I'm figuring I must be doing something wrong.

Anyone have any experience with these?

[Zed Head]

By hex head do you mean hex or Allen head?  The terminology is generally not clear for anybody.  I'd switch them for a "socket cap" (AKA "Allen) and use an Allen wrench.  It will stay in place on the wrench so you can get more room to work.

[Mike]

I've installed these on my Z.  It was quite a long time ago.  I do remember that we had to remove the door panel and a wrench with a long extension and a knuckle to get through the tight area.  It was a pain in the butt, and you'll need to find someone with small hands to help out.  Before you tighten them completely (or install the door panel), make sure you sit in the drivers seat to make sure the mirror can be rotated to the correct position to look behind you.  

[chaseincats]

33 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

By hex head do you mean hex or Allen head?  The terminology is generally not clear for anybody.  I'd switch them for a "socket cap" (AKA "Allen) and use an Allen wrench.  It will stay in place on the wrench so you can get more room to work.

Its the hex head on the chart

[chaseincats]

29 minutes ago, Mike said:

I've installed these on my Z.  It was quite a long time ago.  I do remember that we had to remove the door panel and a wrench with a long extension and a knuckle to get through the tight area.  It was a pain in the butt, and you'll need to find someone with small hands to help out.  Before you tighten them completely (or install the door panel), make sure you sit in the drivers seat to make sure the mirror can be rotated to the correct position to look behind you.  

If it's that tough, I may just send them back unfortunately.

[Patcon]

I put rivnuts in the doors so I won't have that issue. Everything tightens down from the exterior of the door

[Zed Head]

Patcon makes a good point.  Are you putting the nut on the bottom or the top?  I'm not familiar with how that one mounts.  Do you mount a plate first then mount the mirror to the plate?  Or does the plate have threaded holes in it (looks like that's what you said but can't be sure)?  Post some pictures.  MSA's pictures and instructions are bad.

I used the Mustang mirrors and they just had two sheet metal screws through the top.  You could see the screw heads.

[chaseincats]

5 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Patcon makes a good point.  Are you putting the nut on the bottom or the top?  I'm not familiar with how that one mounts.  Do you mount a plate first then mount the mirror to the plate?  Or does the plate have threaded holes in it (looks like that's what you said but can't be sure)?  Post some pictures.  MSA's pictures and instructions are bad.

I used the Mustang mirrors and they just had two sheet metal screws through the top.  You could see the screw heads.

The bolt goes from behind the door, through the drilled hole, through the rubber gasket, and into the threads under the stand like in the picture.  It just seems needlessly complicated.

Do you remember where you got the mustang mirrors you have?

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by chaseincats

[Zed Head]

How about putting studs in the mirror and using nuts inside the door?  Then you'd only have to find the end of the stud with the nut, from inside.

I got the Mustang mirrors from MSA.  I like the way they looked and they worked fairly well (they were small, with a narrow range of view), but they were noisy with the window down.  Wind noise.

[chaseincats]

50 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

How about putting studs in the mirror and using nuts inside the door?  Then you'd only have to find the end of the stud with the nut, from inside.

I got the Mustang mirrors from MSA.  I like the way they looked and they worked fairly well (they were small, with a narrow range of view), but they were noisy with the window down.  Wind noise.

Dude that is a great idea!  Can't believe I never thought of that.  I'll report back.