- Joined
- Jul 16, 2020
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- 30
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- 798
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- Location
- Goshen, Ky
- Vehicle(s)
- 05 Mustang, 05 F150, 08 Expedition EL, 23 Bronco
- Your Bronco Model
- Badlands
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- #1
For starters, I do all of my own maintenance on my '23 Badlands, as well as my previous '21 Badlands.
The last time I did an oil change/tire rotation, I had the front driver's wheel up and off for the filter change. When I was done, without thinking I released the (floor) jack with the handle in the upright position while it was directly under the mirror. I could see it happening and couldn't react quick enough, so I watched the handle bust my mirror right off. Ouch!
So I looked around for a replacement; Ford website was around $1600, but I could find it a few places for $850 (with the high package I have all the gizmos in there). That hurt my feelings too much, so I figured it was broke already, might as well tear it apart and see what busted. Using a copy of the service manual (use search function to find it, it's for the '22 model year) I tore the thing apart.
There's a post that the mirror rotates on that goes up through the base into the mirror housing that had busted. Of course you can't get just the post, you have to buy the whole assembly. At the time (about 6 months ago), I just glued it back together with some of that fancy super glue (that has the activator), reassembled and it worked... until it didn't, about a week ago.
So, I dusted off the 3D modeling skills and printed one to see if it would be strong enough. Worst comes to worst, it may eventually fail and I'll print another, 'cause I ain't paying $850 for a mirror (BTW, the driver's mirror has the ambient air temperature sensor in it, so it's about a $150 more than the right side. I also thought of getting a base mirror to source just that part at $700. The passenger side probably has the same post in it, so I could get a RH base model for about $375, but its backordered).
This picture is after I tried using some epoxy to put it back together, but I didn't even get it reassembled before it failed again. I tried using 2 small steel strips inside for extra support, but no luck.
30 minutes with my calipers and AutoCAD Inventor, then about an hour and 45 minutes later I had a new post. Printed on it's side for strength using ASA.
I didn't catch a picture of the post and the spring before I put reassembled the base with the housing (and it was such a pain that wasn't about to disassemble just for a picture)
I used a 32mm deep well socket inserted into this side to press down on to depress the spring enough to get the post rotated into position.
When taking the plastic housing off the bottom of the arm, be aware of the T10 screw to get them apart. This step is not in the service manual (I assume because it's an assembly meant to be replaced as a whole).
Reassemble and reinstall.
PSA: if you start the engine while the mirror is disconnected, you'll get a CEL because the Ambient Temperature is disconnected. I used my scanner to clear the fault.
The .stl file can be found here.
The last time I did an oil change/tire rotation, I had the front driver's wheel up and off for the filter change. When I was done, without thinking I released the (floor) jack with the handle in the upright position while it was directly under the mirror. I could see it happening and couldn't react quick enough, so I watched the handle bust my mirror right off. Ouch!
So I looked around for a replacement; Ford website was around $1600, but I could find it a few places for $850 (with the high package I have all the gizmos in there). That hurt my feelings too much, so I figured it was broke already, might as well tear it apart and see what busted. Using a copy of the service manual (use search function to find it, it's for the '22 model year) I tore the thing apart.
There's a post that the mirror rotates on that goes up through the base into the mirror housing that had busted. Of course you can't get just the post, you have to buy the whole assembly. At the time (about 6 months ago), I just glued it back together with some of that fancy super glue (that has the activator), reassembled and it worked... until it didn't, about a week ago.
So, I dusted off the 3D modeling skills and printed one to see if it would be strong enough. Worst comes to worst, it may eventually fail and I'll print another, 'cause I ain't paying $850 for a mirror (BTW, the driver's mirror has the ambient air temperature sensor in it, so it's about a $150 more than the right side. I also thought of getting a base mirror to source just that part at $700. The passenger side probably has the same post in it, so I could get a RH base model for about $375, but its backordered).
This picture is after I tried using some epoxy to put it back together, but I didn't even get it reassembled before it failed again. I tried using 2 small steel strips inside for extra support, but no luck.
30 minutes with my calipers and AutoCAD Inventor, then about an hour and 45 minutes later I had a new post. Printed on it's side for strength using ASA.
I didn't catch a picture of the post and the spring before I put reassembled the base with the housing (and it was such a pain that wasn't about to disassemble just for a picture)
I used a 32mm deep well socket inserted into this side to press down on to depress the spring enough to get the post rotated into position.
When taking the plastic housing off the bottom of the arm, be aware of the T10 screw to get them apart. This step is not in the service manual (I assume because it's an assembly meant to be replaced as a whole).
Reassemble and reinstall.
PSA: if you start the engine while the mirror is disconnected, you'll get a CEL because the Ambient Temperature is disconnected. I used my scanner to clear the fault.
The .stl file can be found here.
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