The visors in my '86 XLT are in near mint condition, but they sag just a bit and swing to the front. There is a spring on the post that is supposed to keep tension on the trim piece that screws into the headliner. I guess the springs are weak because there is some play between the spring and the trim piece. I tried to cut washers in half and wedge them between the spring and the top of the post where it is bent down to retain the spring. I could tell this would work (in theory-forcing more spring tension), but the half washers won't stay in place. I wanted to replace the spring, but it looks like the crimp in the post would break if I tried to undo it and crimp it back. Anybody have an idea?

Fielden

 

Buy new support brackets - about $20.00 each - Look at ***.

 

Here's a cheap fix and doesn't look bad -no one will notice-
Take a vice or/ grips and compress the spring 'in place'(as
though original). Take a punch and mark a spot a close as
possible to the compressed section. Measure the shaft and
use a good paper clip or hard wire(I used a pin bearing)
less than half the dia. drill a hole slightly smaller than the
wire -insert so there is a overhang less than a quarter inch.

 

Just swap sides with the sun visor rods. It worked for me in my 85 F-150. The visors will pull off of the rods and when you swap sides with the rods they are basically swinging backwards which tightens them up then slide the visors back on the rods keep the visors on the original side.

 

I slid the visors off,then slid a 1/4" washer up to the bottom of the mount and welded in place. Perminent fix.

 

All good ideas, guys... Thanks! I'm going to try bigjon's drill & clip first. If that doesn't get it then chops' swap sounds good. Sorry RAZZ, but I don't have any welding equipment or skillzz, but I can see the benefit. If I didn't mind spending the money, I would definitely go with Oscar.

Again, thanks for the input. I'll post my results.

 

Just did the swapping sides tip and it worked great! Still great advice 20 years later

 

Being this was brought back from the dead here is another fix.

Hit the junk yards looking at the later Ford trucks.
The visors have a clip on the far outside end.
Get the clips and visors.
The visors should bolt in with the same 3 screws but you will need to mark and drill the holes for the clips.
If the color is different than yours use SEM paint made just for this and paint them to match yours.

I did not know of this fix till after I bought new visors from LMC and painted them or O would have gone this route.
Dave ----

 

Just did this very thing on my 85 Bronco.
One thing I noticed before swapping it to the newer style visors with the clip on the end was that the main support rod of the newer visor (92/96), which usually in better shape, can be swapped out and installed into the 80/86 visors if you choose or you can buy them new for around $20 each.

I decided to install the newer visor assembly complete with the end clips because the original bull nose visors have a sharp metal end that can snag the fabric headliner and rip it if you swing it to the door area. Seeing how I just installed a new headliner, that is the last thing I wanted to see happen.

 

I dont think the our visors are open on the ends for the rod to go all the way thru for the clip to grab the rod?
I will have to recheck mine and if open then may look into the longer rods & clips for my truck as the drivers side is saggy
Dave ----

 

The metal rods are virtually (maybe not exact but very close) the same thing. I think there is a slight difference in length but less than an inch if memory serves me.

I actually changed that out alone into the 80/86 visor and it looks and works great and was tempted to stop there until I realized what the crimped decorative metal end of the original 80/86 visor might do to the fabric headliner. And they would still probably bounce around on washboard roads.

The newer visor with the plastic mounting clip, the clip doesn't attach directly on the metal support rod itself. The newer visor has a plastic barrel extention that the new clip attaches to.

 

I have not seen the newer type in person only about posts on it.
I also did not have the time to hit junk yards to go looking but that should change in a week or 2 so I may go looking.
Dave ----

 

I just put small magnets on the roof behind the visors on my truck. The magnets hold the rod inside the visor just fine.

 

Just looked through the last LMC catalog and they have both the 80/86 visors and support rods and the 87/97 newer style.
I think I remember JBG also carrying these.

One point of clarification: the later model visors made of fabric have a real short support rod but the vinyl visors have the longer rod that is comparable to the 80/86 type. To use a later support rod in your 80/86 visors it would need to be from a later vinyl visor.