'06 Damaged Passenger Tow Mirror
#1
'06 Damaged Passenger Tow Mirror
Luckily it wasn't my truck.
My co-workers have been playing jokes on each other for years. Unfortunately today the problems became serious. The one employee has a 2006 Dodge Ram SLT with the CTD and a lift kit on it and so on. He has a difficult time parking in his small garage, so he leaves the passenger side mirror folded all the time for clearance.
So the other guy opens up the mirror expecting him to have to stop, and get out and fold it before pulling into his spot.
Wrong!
He slams the mirror against the support wall to his garage. The mirror folds but not before doing some cosmetic damage to the wall and shatters the outer plastic housing of the mirror support arm.
So naturally, he is crying to me (the site manager) about it.
Is it possible to simply replace that outer plastic facad? The electronics still work fine. It looks if you could get the housing apart, it would bolt on in a snap. However I cannot see how to disassemble it -- Or did our friends at Mopar design it so you much buy an entire new mirror?
Replacing the entire mirror looks pretty simple. However, it would be far cheaper to replace that single piece if it is possible. If an entire mirror must be bought, where is the cheapest place? Ebay?
I'd really like to be able to point them to the single piece, a gallon of paint to fix the stuco and some alcohol wipes to clean the sand out of their mangina's.
One good thing is it tells me how touch the mirrors are on our trucks.
Thanks,
Steve
My co-workers have been playing jokes on each other for years. Unfortunately today the problems became serious. The one employee has a 2006 Dodge Ram SLT with the CTD and a lift kit on it and so on. He has a difficult time parking in his small garage, so he leaves the passenger side mirror folded all the time for clearance.
So the other guy opens up the mirror expecting him to have to stop, and get out and fold it before pulling into his spot.
Wrong!
He slams the mirror against the support wall to his garage. The mirror folds but not before doing some cosmetic damage to the wall and shatters the outer plastic housing of the mirror support arm.
So naturally, he is crying to me (the site manager) about it.
Is it possible to simply replace that outer plastic facad? The electronics still work fine. It looks if you could get the housing apart, it would bolt on in a snap. However I cannot see how to disassemble it -- Or did our friends at Mopar design it so you much buy an entire new mirror?
Replacing the entire mirror looks pretty simple. However, it would be far cheaper to replace that single piece if it is possible. If an entire mirror must be bought, where is the cheapest place? Ebay?
I'd really like to be able to point them to the single piece, a gallon of paint to fix the stuco and some alcohol wipes to clean the sand out of their mangina's.
One good thing is it tells me how touch the mirrors are on our trucks.
Thanks,
Steve
#2
RE: '06 Damaged Passenger Tow Mirror
I dont fold mine in but I go very slow when pulling in my garage. I put a 4" strip of weather stripping on both sides of the garagewherethe mirrors go. It has saved scratching the mirrors a few times. Pulling into my garage is like docking a oil tanker. I have about 1.5" on both sides. I do think the entire mirror needs replaced. Ask the parts guy at the dealer.
#3
RE: '06 Damaged Passenger Tow Mirror
On my '02 ram, I remember the back cover of my mirror actually fell off after the dealer fixed a recall issue with something inside the mirror. So that year the backing was a seperate part. I don't know about any other year. I would also put a stop to the fooling around with peoples vehicles! Good luck. Red
#4
RE: '06 Damaged Passenger Tow Mirror
I found this complete unit on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/02-03...76192809QQrdZ1
Not bad really, prices ranged from 175 - 185 all day long for a brand new in the box complete mirror assembly. Heated and power just like what he has now.
I was looking in my truck to see what is required to replace the unit. 3 bolts appear to hold it in place. One thru the inside of the door and two under the corner interior facad panel. Then a simple wiring harness plug. A Philips head screw holds the top of the facad in place, but how do you remove the bottom section? Trying to remove that bottom nut with the facad in place would be a real bastard. Is a special tool needed, or a special trick?
Thanks
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/02-03...76192809QQrdZ1
Not bad really, prices ranged from 175 - 185 all day long for a brand new in the box complete mirror assembly. Heated and power just like what he has now.
I was looking in my truck to see what is required to replace the unit. 3 bolts appear to hold it in place. One thru the inside of the door and two under the corner interior facad panel. Then a simple wiring harness plug. A Philips head screw holds the top of the facad in place, but how do you remove the bottom section? Trying to remove that bottom nut with the facad in place would be a real bastard. Is a special tool needed, or a special trick?
Thanks
#7
RE: '06 Damaged Passenger Tow Mirror
Check the ebay link pricing. I'm rather surprised it is so cheap for OEM replacement brand new. I even offered to do the fix for him if I can find out how to remove the interior facad professionally. I wouldn't want to get a scratch on the inside of the cover. I even offered to help him patch his stucco. That should take about 1 minute. Hardest part will be driving to the hardware store and matching the paint.
I do not know how someone would not notice their mirror out, expecially during a complex parking manuever he must do to get it inside that garage. I kind of see it like, if someone left my tail gate down, and I backed into something, it would be my problem -- not theirs. However, I think the "men" should split the cost and call and end to their childish war before I must get officially involved.
Dodge gets the thumbs down for making the mirror itself pretty much impossible to disassemble so you can remove the decorative housing and replace it easily.
Now would your boss go to all this trouble for you?
-Steve
I do not know how someone would not notice their mirror out, expecially during a complex parking manuever he must do to get it inside that garage. I kind of see it like, if someone left my tail gate down, and I backed into something, it would be my problem -- not theirs. However, I think the "men" should split the cost and call and end to their childish war before I must get officially involved.
Dodge gets the thumbs down for making the mirror itself pretty much impossible to disassemble so you can remove the decorative housing and replace it easily.
Now would your boss go to all this trouble for you?
-Steve