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E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
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X5-D-Sport
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E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by X5-D-Sport » Fri May 19, 2017 9:46 pm

E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply.

I am up for sharing easy fixes here, so... if you don't like it, or have some Axe to grind in between my butt cheeks... please keep it to yourself.

OK, we know how expensive & FRAGILE the door mirror case shells are, how easy they split & bits break off...
So, a cheap & easy fix to most of the damage issues... and looks pretty good too.

As follows.... Go to B&M or Pound-Land & get ..
**a couple of tubes of Epoxy resin - the one that self mixes as you squirt it out of the syringes...
**A roll of 2" masking tape....
**Ebay.. a meter of similar colour Carbon Wrap Film... the sort that Chavvs put on their Corsa Bonnets...but you can get it in Black, Silver & white etc & I have also seen it as just Smooth with zero carbon lines as a smooth coloured film.... and in matted or shiney..

1.The damage to the Mirror shells can be reworked by applying the masking tape over missing areas from the outside & use the tape as a mould, & you can even Round the edges & corners too.

2.squirt the epoxy into the mirror shell damaged area from the inside - after removing the shell from the mirror... noting that the epoxy will run downwards when possible.
If you use the type that has the self mixing nozzles, fine.. other wise you mix it on a piece of card & spatula it into the damage area from inside the shell.

3. You can Dam the location of the epoxy with additional walls of tape internally to prevent it dripping/running onto clips & location tabs.

4. leave to totally harden for 2 hrs... even if set in 10 minutes... it needs to fully harden.

5. The Masking tape must be pulled away from the epoxy, in a direction as if you are pulling Over the shell.. ie do not pull the tape off at 90' to the surface, or you will likely tug it off.

6. Inspect your handy work... and if the outer epoxy surface need to be filled a little more, then mix & apply a tinsy blob or resin to the outer low area, & apply another piece of tape over this re-adhesived low area.
The tape outer edge needs to be pressed down while also teasing the epoxy resin to smooth over the low spot.
Again, give it an hour or so & ease the tape off & this should reveal a nice smooth surface.

7. Clean the shell outer with brake cleaner & a rag to remove debris, grease etc... & using the Carbon Wrap lookalike film, apply a piece to the lower side of the shell 1st, then the sides & then the top while wrapping it downwards.
the last wrap application is from the top, so that any dirt/debris/road grime is not visible in the seams.

8. With a hair dryer, heat the wrap film teasing out bubbles by a single pin-prick in the centre & heating the area while pressing the film down. the Heat-Gun / Hair Dryer will also ease out any small wrinkles too.

End result, is a case shell that is repaired, much stronger & less likely to crack with the film applied.. & £50 cheaper than a new set of shells..... and you have not had to spray them & risk a messy spray job.

Just done mine, after a van shattered my drivers mirror case... I collected all the bits I could find, solvent welded them all together & repaired the missing bits as above with epoxy resin & made them nice & pretty again.
Total cost £9:50 & an afternoon tinkering with my favorite toy  ;)
Last edited by X5-D-Sport on Fri May 19, 2017 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Alan Gunn
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by Alan Gunn » Sat May 20, 2017 7:47 am

Nice one.
Will give that a go as i am rebuilding the motor in the mirror this weekend and the cover does have a bit missing.

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Greydog
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by Greydog » Sat May 20, 2017 7:57 am

With the world we live in most people are educated to live a disposable life, don't fix it just throw it away and get a new one is modern philosophy.
So top fix matey, I will try it on my
4.6is X5 Estoril Blue (current)
4.4 X5 Sport Topaz Blue LPG (now gone squashed by a tree)
Subaru Outback 3.0 Rn Star Silver (current)
AMG 6.3 CLS Obsidian Black (sold)

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Greydog
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by Greydog » Sat May 20, 2017 8:00 am

Ooops fat finger syndrome
Meant to say I will give it a go on my cracked passenger mirror shell today.

Now if you could just bend over while I sharpen my axe !!
4.6is X5 Estoril Blue (current)
4.4 X5 Sport Topaz Blue LPG (now gone squashed by a tree)
Subaru Outback 3.0 Rn Star Silver (current)
AMG 6.3 CLS Obsidian Black (sold)

X5-D-Sport
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by X5-D-Sport » Sat May 20, 2017 11:57 am

Hi GreyDog,
the Axe wont work today, because I was bent over earlier checking tire my pressures, & some klutz parked a bike in my Butt Crack...

now I am crawling round on my knees  :))    O:-)    :blink:      :camera:

max
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by max » Sat May 20, 2017 7:59 pm

Any pics of your handy work sir?

X5-D-Sport
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by X5-D-Sport » Sat May 20, 2017 9:23 pm

Pics a-plenty, but I've never managed to get any images loaded here, not even one of my X5 in my user profile.
The picture God hates me...

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lezmtaylor
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by lezmtaylor » Sun May 21, 2017 8:44 am

picture god hates me too !!

Lez
2002. 4.4lpg,ledAE's,Xenons,paddleshift,compass mirror,inst rings,led int lights,rear camera,crystal tailights,eisenmann road exh,Schnitzer pedals,chrome indicators,colour co-ord headlamps & bonnet grilles,hualigim entertainment system.dash and rearcamera,comfort seats.hud,bull bars,engine instalube

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Alan Gunn
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by Alan Gunn » Wed May 24, 2017 6:29 pm

Test pic
Image

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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by X5-D-Sport » Wed May 24, 2017 8:54 pm

Nice looking machine  :)

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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by dark_stranger » Thu May 25, 2017 9:54 pm

I have seen the cases going for £50+, but also £20 or £30ish for both sides. I chose the cheaper alternative and they were perfect and also came with pubble lights.

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Alan Gunn
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Re: E53 Door Mirror Shell Fix- Cheaply

Post by Alan Gunn » Fri May 26, 2017 8:14 am

[quote="X5-D-Sport Salisbury"]
Nice looking machine  :)
[/quote]
Thanks
It's my first and i love it.

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