Taking apart the RT's mirrors...

[Bob Denman]

:gaah: Getting these suckers loose from the bike is easy... and I even managed to get them unplugged without drawing blood...nojoke.
But I just haven't been able to unlock the mystery of the tabs that hold these :cus: things together!! :banghead:

Does anybody out there have an EASY step-by-step process for this? "Mirrors For Dummies"; if you know what I mean!
Thanks!

 

[Lamonster]

Be prepared to break some locking tabs.
nojoke

 

[lionking]

Broken tabs

:gaah: Getting these suckers loose from the bike is easy... and I even managed to get them unplugged without drawing blood...nojoke.
But I just haven't been able to unlock the mystery of the tabs that hold these :cus: things together!! :banghead:

Does anybody out there have an EASY step-by-step process for this? "Mirrors For Dummies"; if you know what I mean!
Thanks!

I took the fronts off last week to wire a LED strip under the mirror. Broke tabs on the lower front black part. Had to order a replacement. I felt it was still worth it for safty reasons.

 

[fastfraser]

I just tense up every time I pull the mirror off, it just sounds wrong, then a sigh of relief when I see the tabs didn't break off . I've not separated the mirror halves yet i don't know what you are up against.so

 

[AnthonyG]

I thought it was just me...

I did the turn signal mod a few weeks back and could not see how the center tab (the one unreachable from the outside *by me*) could ever be accessed, but figured I must be doing something wrong. I finally 'brute forced' it and one did unsnap intact while the other one just snapped off. With the help of JB Weld and some hot glue it repaired easily and I did not need a replacement. There seems to be plenty of room to rebuild the 'hidden' latch once you finish the autopsy and see how it works<G>. The mod is definitely worth the agony however. Good luck. A.

 

[ARtraveler]

That one sounds scarry from here. Let us know if you find a good solution to taking it apart without breaking anything.

My guess is they were made to put together and not be taken apart.

 

[Bob Denman]

I guess the next question has to be, "How much does one of those suckers cost once you bust a tab?" :shocked:

 

[bluestratos]

I installed turn signal arrows on each mirror. I took one a apart and seen the insides but broke a tab in the process. I fixed the tab then put the mirror back together as I now knew the secrete on how to do this without dissasembling the mirror. If you push the mirror in on the bike side, you can see behind it. There is a little hole about half way (on a left mirror it will be on the left end) up so I drilled a 3/16" hole below it. This allowed me to push a long snap tie (anything that is stiff and will not hang up works but wire is too flexable) into the body of the mirror. If you watch from the end of the mirror where it mounts to the bike you will be able to see the tie as it moves along. I fished the wire up through the hole where the signal light connector comes out then I spliced into the wires and connected the new signals. I was finished in 30 minutes including soldering and shrink tubing the wires.

When I take the mirror off I only need to disconnect the orginal connector.

Regards,

Randy

 

[Bob Denman]

Good idea! :2thumbs::clap:

 

[GeoffCee]

But I just haven't been able to unlock the mystery of the tabs that hold these :cus: things together!! :banghead:

The same difficulties you've discovered now was what I found. The difficulties I encountered trying to dismantle the mirrors was one reason why I eventually decided to mount my blinker LED's on the dash. At least the dash dismantles and goes back together relatively easily. The other reason was to mount the LED's closer together than the mirrors would allow. I wanted to easily see both of them at once, to know if cancelling the turn signal had worked or whether I had inadvertently switched over to indicate a turn in the other direction. That was the problem all along, that and the dimness of the blinker display.

 

[Bob Denman]

I might have just lucked out beyond belief! One of our other members was cleaning out some spare parts and had the top covers in Blue up for sale... WOO-HOO! Back in business! :2thumbs:hyea:

 

[CyncySpyder]

I believe there are a total of 5 locking tabs

3 that are easy to see & get to & 2 that are a PITA, but once I got the 3 loosened the other 2 "popped" right out. Honestly not sure if they broke or not, but it all went back together well & mounted back just fine. Definitely a job worth doing tho Good luck.

 

[redfox]

Installed the LED arrow mirror signals a few weeks ago. Ran the wires behind the mirror not inside the housing, drilled a small hole throught the bike side of the housing after pushing the mirror back to get the wires to the area between the bike and mirror housing itself where the plug is. Worked real good, we did 2 more spyders this way recently. Only difficulty was the wires were not quite long enough so we spliced/soldered some extensions on. Everyone loves those LED arrow signals. No more wondering if the signals are on cause ya can't see that little green light during the day and they are a good safety upgrade for letting others know your intentions to turn especially at night. 3 hands definitely helps. If you don't like tinkering with small wire (very small on the LED arrows), splicing, soldering, drilling, retaping, shrink wrapping or pulling and reinstalling the mirror housing ----------forgetaboutit ---:2thumbs:

 

[SpydherLuv]

I installed turn signal arrows on each mirror. I took one a apart and seen the insides but broke a tab in the process. I fixed the tab then put the mirror back together as I now knew the secrete on how to do this without dissasembling the mirror. If you push the mirror in on the bike side, you can see behind it. There is a little hole about half way (on a left mirror it will be on the left end) up so I drilled a 3/16" hole below it. This allowed me to push a long snap tie (anything that is stiff and will not hang up works but wire is too flexable) into the body of the mirror. If you watch from the end of the mirror where it mounts to the bike you will be able to see the tie as it moves along. I fished the wire up through the hole where the signal light connector comes out then I spliced into the wires and connected the new signals. I was finished in 30 minutes including soldering and shrink tubing the wires.

When I take the mirror off I only need to disconnect the orginal connector.

Regards,

Randy

:nopic:

 

[redfox]

Push mirror back to drill hole, run wire behind mirror not inside housing, push mirror back to hide wire.

 

[Bob Denman]

Pretty slick idea! :thumbup: Proof again that there's always more than one to to ski... uhhh... pet a cat! :clap: