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MG MGB Technical - Door mirrors

Having done only 300 miles since rebuild completion I was a bit surprised to see that the driver's door mirror fixing has become loose. Removing it showed that the screws holding the base section to the door would both rotate with no grip. Extracting the base plate showed the door inserts, which are supposed to expand when the screws are inserted, had both split where they join the base plate.
I'm looking for a more durable solution and wondered if anyone has one? My first thoughts were to use an a Rawl nut but the minimum external diameter I've found is 8mm and I'm loath to enlarge the holes in the door just yet. Obviously removing the door trim and doing a 'proper job' is another way but I wanted to explore the external-only methods first.
Richard Coombs

How about something like a rivnut? Might be available in a smaller diameter....
Rob Edwards

My M3 nutsert uses a 4.73mm hole, but I'd guess the screw may be bigger than M3.

IIRC the inserts are glorified plastic Rawlplugs. Can you find some and fit them without splitting? A twitch of superglue might hold them enough to allow the screw to grip as it expands the plug.

Or remove the door skin and make a nice load spreading plate to take them!
Michael Beswick

"Or remove the door skin and make a nice load spreading plate to take them!"

That's what I did, although removing the door trim rather than the door skin! The main reason for that was to have belt and braces to strengthen a repair on a door skin split.

It's possible your holes were too small, so the screw put too much pressure on the plastic inserts and cut through them.
Paul Hunt

I'm going to try the Rivnut method. Plenty available on ebay and at sizes that mean the door holes need not be modified, a real consideration with all that new paint!
Richard Coombs

I'm going to try the Rivnut method. Plenty available on ebay and at sizes that mean the door holes need not be modified, a real consideration with all that new paint!
Richard Coombs

I've never had any luck with the expanding plastic nuts. When I installed a new set of Tex mirrors, I removed the interior door panel and used stainless steel bolts, lock washers and nuts to secure both mirrors. They haven't budged a bit is 15 years. RAY
rjm RAY

x2 with Ray.

I've used small stainless steel cap head (allen key/hex key) bolts and nyloc nuts to secure the Tex mirrors to our cars.

First used them on the race midget as I was forever getting mirror vibration and that was an easy swap as we didn't have any door internals to remove.

Subsequently done that route on the other cars we've got without a second thought and all of them hold fast with no movement.

Andrew
Andrew McGee

Would never use anything other than a SS screw and nylock nut with an aluminium backing/spreader plate, just drill out the expanding plugs and use the plastic base again. Also make an aluminium block to locate the mirror stem. Better than the cheap plastic effort.
Allan Reeling

Succeeded with a Rivnut. I used an aluminium part, external diameter 7mm which has an M5 nut. I used a SS socket head countersunk screw for the final assembly. All very secure.
I made my own installation tool following advice on the net. If anyone wants to do this I would advise testing the tool first before you get close to any paintwork. All it takes is a 2mm thick steel strip (mine was about 2cm x 10cm) an M5 hex screw and nut and maybe a washer or two to give some comfort distance from the paint. I would also recommend using good quality screws/nuts (SS) as the forces required are quite high and it's all too easy to burr the nut and slip off towards the paint. You know how I know!
Richard Coombs

This thread was discussed between 22/05/2013 and 28/05/2013

MG MGB Technical index

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