Disassembly of rearview mirror

[LDunville]

I have a 68, quick release rearview mirror and I can't get the rearview mirror/ball joint seperate from the mounting bracket. Does anyone have experience at how to do this without damaging the mirror?

I need to detach the mirror from the left bracket and attached it to the newly rechromed right bracket. It appears to be a threaded connection, and I've used penetrating oil but have no way to get a good grip on the ball connection. Any ideas???

Thanks
Larry

[Jetjok]

You could heat up the area where the ball goes into the socket, then pull the ball out of the back of the mirror, then mount the ball in a vice with soft jaws so as to not damage the ball, and then unscrew the bracket from the ball. Then do the reverse, after gently heating the back of the mirror, and then just press the ball into the socket and you're done.

[raspy2point2]

What about putting the black mirror in hot water to heat up for ball removal?

[Jetjok]

I suppose you could do that, but since I personally don't know what's behind the mirror, I'd be uneasy putting the whole thing in water. What would happen if there's some cardboard or some such material behind the mirror?

[stretch]

Steve, there is a cardboard on the back of the mirror. Was on mine.

[Jetjok]

That's the reason to not dunk it in water. Just use a little heat from your better halfs hair dryer. Will work nicely.

[CarmelSkip]

+1 to what Jetjok said. If you put the mirror face down and push the bracket towards the plastic body after heating the plastic it will pop out. Put something thin/flat on the plastic to protect it from the bracket as you push.

[MrJTP2001]

I used a heat gun, very carefully, to warm up the joint, lubed the ball to reduce the friction and carefully pulled it out with a twisting motion. Worked fine. After restoring the metal bracket I put it back together while warming it again and using a little lube. This was on my 68 but the part you are replacing was the original part on mine. No chrome.