western mirror hardware
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Senior User
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From: charlotte, nc
western mirror hardware
Does Motorhaven or any other vendor carry the little pieces for the western mirrors? The actual mirrors are fine, and so are the arms they attach to. The various nuts and bolts are rusted (and "frozen"), and I'd like to replace just these little parts. Short of going to a hardware store and digging through their fastener bins, where can I find these things? The nuts are the acorn type, is that OEM?
I could not find them at Motorhaven, Dennis Carpenter, or ***. Any ideas?
I could not find them at Motorhaven, Dennis Carpenter, or ***. Any ideas?
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Clayton CA
western mirror hardware
Lowes has the acorn nuts in stainless steel. Still not rust proof but a lot better than the original hardware. I replaced my Western mirrors with a more modern style I got from Ford and the mirrors came with chromed hardware so you might be able to get a replacement hardware set from Ford if you're looking for OEM.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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western mirror hardware
You know what will happen if you put shiny new hardware on the mirrors...then it will be clean up the windows, then new rubber seals, gaskets, hinges and befor you know it you are knee deep into a frame off restoration....all because the acorn nutz will be too shiny. (grin)
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Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Brea CA
western mirror hardware
Yes, acorn nuts are stock. Star washers are used on all the T-bolts going through the door brackets. There was a service bulletin on this back in '66. Originally they used lock washers but they were found to be too thick and not enough threads from the bolt protruded through for the nuts so over time the brackets came loose. Answer was to replace the split washers with the thinner star washers.
Barry
Barry
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From: charlotte, nc
western mirror hardware
Mine look horrible (the nuts/bolts), extremely rusted. I'm sure if I tried to adjust the mirrors, the bolts would snap off. I think the star washers would be easy to find. Would Lowe's have the T-bolts as well, or do I need to go to an auto parts store, or try Ford for something that might work?
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From: Clayton CA
western mirror hardware
You might be able to find the T-nuts somewhere but you'll probably find that, by the time you get the old T-nuts out, your holes are too big to accomodate the new T-nuts tightly. If you take your door panels off you can just use stainless bolts with the acorn nuts and bolt through the door. Then you can use all the lockwashers etc. that you feel are necessary to keep everything together. My new mirrors came with the T-nuts but they were such pieces of cr*p that I ended up just bolting through the door. Easier and more secure.
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From: charlotte, nc
western mirror hardware
Fasttexan, are the T-nuts holding the mirror to the door, or the mirror to the bracket? My problem is with corroded fasteners holding the mirror to the bracket. Are the mirror to bracket nuts T-nuts or something else? I don't think my mirror to door fasteners are in bad shape, I'll have to take a look when I get home.
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From: Clayton CA
Oh, sorry, I was talking about the door fasteners. 
For the bracket fasteners I would just get stainless bolts and acorn nuts at Lowes. I forget what size you need but that should be pretty easy to figure out. I doubt it'll cost more than a couple of bucks for both mirrors and should really clean things up. For future reference the T-nuts are pushed through holes in the doors and provide a fairly tight friction fit so that you can just bolt the mirror to the door without needing a nut on the back. They work pretty well until they get loose.
For the bracket fasteners I would just get stainless bolts and acorn nuts at Lowes. I forget what size you need but that should be pretty easy to figure out. I doubt it'll cost more than a couple of bucks for both mirrors and should really clean things up. For future reference the T-nuts are pushed through holes in the doors and provide a fairly tight friction fit so that you can just bolt the mirror to the door without needing a nut on the back. They work pretty well until they get loose.
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From: charlotte, nc
thanks
Actually, once I got home and looked at the mirrors again, they could all use replacing, Its just the ones holding the mirrors are the worst. Good to know about the T-nuts also.
Once I track down all the loose hardware I'll post a list so in the future some one can do a search and call it up quick.
Once I track down all the loose hardware I'll post a list so in the future some one can do a search and call it up quick.
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