Good morning gentlemen!

I've been putting off replacing the shattered rear view mirror in my '04 Ranger for quite some time now, but the wifey drove my truck to pick up some ice this weekend and came back with a compelling, persuasive contention regarding the importance of having a fully-functioning mirror Here's a quick write-up on the job:


1) Remove the screw at the base of the mirror that secures the rear view mirror to the steel base plate using a Torx head screwdriver.

2) Lift the mirror straight up to remove it from the windshield.

3) Slide the new mirror onto the base plate. I bought a $20 OEM replacement from Part Detail and was happy with the price and quality.

4) Reattach the screw that secures the mirror to the base plate using a Torx head screwdriver.

**Remounting the Rear View Mirror Base Plate**
1) Loosen the set screw at the base of the rear view mirror using a Torx head screwdriver.

2) Pull the steel base plate from the mirror.

3) Place a piece of masking tape above the glue mark left after the steel base plate separated from the glass.

4) Clean the glue from both the windshield and the base plate using a razor blade.

5) Apply the glue from the rear view mirror mounting kit to the steel plate.

6) Press the base plate onto the windshield, just below the tape mark.

7) Hold the base plate in position for 10 to 15 minutes with your hand or a piece of masking tape.

8) Wait two to three hours before reinstalling the rear view mirror

 

After removing the glue from the glass, and the base plate, using rubbing alcohol on both leaves the surfaces squeaky clean or a better bond, for the the adhesive.

 

I use a black "marks-a-lot" felt tip pen on the Outside of the windshield, to trace the outline of the remaining old adheasive as a reference point. It's easily visable from the Inside & provides a reference point for re-locating the foot, without contaminating the bonding surface.

After scraping the glass surface clean of old adheasive as suggested, if we can come by amonium bi-flouride to clean & lghtly etch the glass bonding surface, or use an abrasive cleaner like Ajax, Comet, Old Dutch Cleanser, Bar Keepers Friend, ect, to clean off any residual films from the interior of the glass, like finger prints, or chemicals from plastics that evaporate & settle out on the glass, then wipe it with a good non-residual solvent, like alcohol, napatha/charcoal lighter fluid, or acetone & a non linty wipe, (all shouldn't have any perfume oils in them), then we can get a good clean surface on the glass to make a longer lasting bond.

The metal foot I clean with 240 grit silicon carbide sand paper, on a flat surface, to lightly roughen it's surface to give more bonding surface area, make sure it's flat & get down to virgin material, then wipe it with the above above nonresidual solvents & keep it squeeky clean, don't touch the bonding surfaces with your fingers, as skin oil will contaminate the bond surface.

Apply the accelerator to both cleaned surfaces & let it dry the prescribed time.

I too apply the adhesive to the center of the metal foot, press to squeeze the adhesive evenly out to the edges of the foot & tape the foot in place, so that I can leave it for the prescribed curing time, before hanging the mirror. Make note of the proper up/down orientation of the foot, or you'll have to do it over!!!!

Permatex/Loctite make a good quality kit, with the proper adheasive & activator, for doing this.

More thoughts for consideration.