Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Seems the two threaded inserts used to mount a left side mirror on my ‘29 closed cab are both wallowing around in their respective holes, making it impossible to tighten down the mirror mount screws. Has anybody encountered this, and is there a fix outside of pulling the mirror and replacing it with a hinge mounted unit, or living with a loosey-goosey mount? Help always appreciated!!:confused:

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

tackweld from the inside - i believe you can get to em as they are just the typical ford D nuts

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Do you mean tack them through the threaded hole of the D nut or around the edges?Either way, guessing any repair means a repaint of the area of the two holes.

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Not if you do it from inside the door/cab.
Paul in CT

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

You may be able to back the D-Nuts up with something heavy and then carefully peen over the D-Nuts so they are tight in the holes again. You'll have to pull the windshield garnish to get to the back of those D-Nuts. You should be able to do this without harming enough paint that wouldn't be covered by the mirror base. There are various ways to tighten those D-Nuts, probably a search on fordbarn would bring it up.

As an alternative, how about making a spacer to go between the mirror and the door post? If you cut the spacer to the size of the mirror bracket base, and cut holes in it larger than the D-Nuts it should pull tight. Seems like 1/8" would probably be enough to do the job. Make the spacer out of some hard material, like the stuff a fiber washer is made out of, or some tuff plastic.

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

I would use longer bolts and put nuts on the inside. You would need to take off the windshield garnish to access the bolts. This way you could remove the mirror if need be sometime in the future. If you tack weld it, not so good if removal is required, like if you broke the mirror.
Rusty Nelson

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Appreciate the replies. Thought about drilling through the pillar and using a bolt and nut arrangement - may go that route. If it wasn’t for the paint issue, would be straightforward to just tack the D Nuts back in place from the outside, dress the welds down, and repaint, but so it goes. Thanks again to all the folks who jumped in on this one.

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

To get to the inside of the d-nuts requires removing the front belt rail finish strip, windshield, windshield female hinge (after removing the upholstery panel above the windshield), and then removing the moulding at the side of the windshield opening. So, lots of places to mark/chip the paint.


Mirror brackets mounted on the hinge would be for the 82-B cab and I believe they will not fit the 82-A hinge.


A wire feed welder might allow tacking the d-nuts in place without a paint issue and almost no grinding.

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Would drilling the holes out and Helicoiling be an option?

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Bud, the threads themselves in both D-Nuts are in great shape, so helicoils not necessary. The problem is that they have pulled out of the cavity to an extent that they are loose and the mirror base can no longer be drawn up to the door frame surface. They don't free-wheel in their homes, but they just don't hold the mirror frame solidly. I may try doing some very surgical peening around each ones circumference to see if that helps, but I think I am faced with some tacking to really secure them properly. I really appreciate your response. Thanks, Bud

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

Bud,
Re-read the second half of response #5 posted by Mr. Partain. That is by far the easiest solution to your problem.

Re: Loose Closed Cab Side Mirror
 

[QUOTE=Neil Wilson;1637052]To get to the inside of the d-nuts requires removing the front belt rail finish strip, windshield, windshield female hinge (after removing the upholstery panel above the windshield), and then removing the moulding at the side of the windshield opening. So, lots of places to mark/chip the paint.


Mirror brackets mounted on the hinge would be for the 82-B cab and I believe they will not fit the 82-A hinge.


A wire feed welder might allow tacking the d-nuts in place without a paint issue and almost no grinding.[/QUOTE

I did the nuts inside job, and all I had to do was remove the upper inside dash rail and open the windscreen and remove the side pillar cover .

Easy job.