Ducato long arm mirror folds in on M/way (1 Viewer)

sennen523

Free Member
Sep 30, 2007
45
14
Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy, North
Funster No
485
MH
Coachbuilt.
Exp
Started 2007.
Hi Bart,
Nearly 6 years. The Fiat dealer got approval from Fiat to replace. Didn't have any further problems. It didn't seem to "lock" into place properly.
Al. sennen523. :)
 
Sep 6, 2011
81
114
Carmarthenshire
Funster No
18,088
MH
WildAx Con3 XL PVC
Exp
Started 1989
The arms each are covered by a pair of plastic mouldings, split vertically along their length. You can prise these gently apart using a broad blade ( not a small screwdriver ). Inside you can see the pivot bolt which you can lube and tighten slightly. You still want it to move when necessary! My '08 Boxer was like Dumbo until I did this, they wouldnt stay still!

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Bart

Free Member
Jun 4, 2016
3,188
1,396
Northern Ireland
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43,436
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Boxer L4H2 van build
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Since 2016
The arms each are covered by a pair of plastic mouldings, split vertically along their length. You can prise these gently apart using a broad blade ( not a small screwdriver ). Inside you can see the pivot bolt which you can lube and tighten slightly. You still want it to move when necessary! My '08 Boxer was like Dumbo until I did this, they wouldnt stay still!
But is there not different types ? some have like a star washer which is pressed into place to hold the pressure ? ( as that looks like what mine is ) or am i wrong
 
Sep 6, 2011
81
114
Carmarthenshire
Funster No
18,088
MH
WildAx Con3 XL PVC
Exp
Started 1989
Mine was a '57 plate (new shape) Pug Boxer. There was a (I think) 17mm nut with a spring compressed underneath, all recessed into an alloy housing, on the lower arm. Maybe the later ones are different, but it worked for me.
 
Sep 6, 2011
81
114
Carmarthenshire
Funster No
18,088
MH
WildAx Con3 XL PVC
Exp
Started 1989
Sorry I said lower arm, was actually upper arm, doh! The lower pivot holds the "ident" mechanism which gives the mirror it's central "normal" position.
 

PeteH

Free Member
Nov 22, 2007
6,853
9,029
East Riding of Yorkshire
Funster No
900
MH
Rapido, 999M.
Exp
18+yrs plus 25+Towing
Update on this for those interested. Having put up with it for nearly 2 years!. Took the "bull by the horns" yesterday to try and correct the same tendency to "fold" underway. Used a Broad Scraper to part the sections and remove the lower cover, and the DIY "method" shown to give the Star washer a bit of a "nip". I am hopeful that this will help. However looking at the fitting it would appear that
there is a lot of "slack" still. With the Castellated washer under the lower arm,being the main cause?.

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injebreck99

Free Member
Dec 5, 2011
1,706
1,795
norfolk
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MH
Low profile C Class
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Since 1997
I'm just sorry that modern Fiat/Peugeot vans don't have electrically folding mirrors, used them a lot in dodgy situations on my X Trail and my wife's i20., it would stop the, mirrors folding in on their own as well.
 

mike mcglynn

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Deceased RIP
Jan 6, 2008
2,700
32,552
St. Helens MERSEYSIDE
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1,144
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A long time now
Being the owner of an older Ducato sometimes has its advantages when my mirror did this folding back trick, I took a look at the rubber shroud,:) folded it back and lo and behold top and bottom adjustment bolts built in to the arms ,a quick nip to both and its not happened again happy days. x 244 March 2006 model .
 

sdc77

Free Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,244
4,550
Weardale, Co Durham
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since 2011
Our nearside mirror did that and I used two bike brake rubbers wedged in to prevent it but since replaced the mirror.

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Johnnyb

Free Member
Jan 21, 2015
149
139
Yorks/Derbys
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34,837
MH
Coachbuilt
Pete, on this photo of the top arm is that the top of a screw head that I can see? Maybe this could be nipped up.
 
Sep 12, 2016
2,262
5,012
Chesterfield England Tellus 3
Funster No
45,091
MH
Lunar Roadstar 800
Exp
6 years
Got this job to do my self now ( serves me right for misjudging a bridge arch in wales height was OK didn't say anything about width )

at present got a large jubilee clip holding the arm tight whilst I try to find a replacement with aerial inside may have to go down the replacement aerial and a mirror without one inside

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Gadget

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Dec 15, 2017
76
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Lincolnshire
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AutoTrailTribute620
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Since 1999
This thread has got me a bit worried as although I do not have a problem with the mirrors moving whilst travelling, however I do have to fold them in to get my ducato based m'home up our driveway. We have only had this van since Nov 2017 so still fairly new. Will my folding them in and out weaken them unduly?
 
OP
OP
GAVLAD
Jul 31, 2014
1,928
3,240
West Yorkshire
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32,620
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EuraMobil Activa 820HS
Exp
2007
I was informed that excessive folding in of mirrors can weaken the spring/tensioner which then eventually makes them slack.
I’m sure you’ll have plenty of folding in and out on a newer van though
 
Aug 5, 2018
1,567
3,513
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a
Old thread but I was looking at mirror prices and this popped up...
I folded mine in yesterday... rather abruptly though as I hit a tree hidden in what I thoughts was just light hedge leaves..
F****SAKES!! Put a small dink in the door as well.. F****SAKES

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Apr 2, 2014
285
296
Lancashire
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30,795
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A Class
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Since 2003
Yes ... ours is a Peugeot (2010) but the same as Fiat.
My driver's mirror used to fold in above about 55mph .... it was still under warranty at the time and the dealer said there was no adjustment (which I find hard to believe) so they replaced the whole unit.
Unfortunately, this is correct. Happened to me two vans ago, and I replaced the unit. The sceptic in me made me dismantle the old one. It's crazy, but true - no adjustment
 
Aug 5, 2018
1,567
3,513
Funster No
55,394
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a
If you were a tight ass I'm sure you could "install" a grub screw in one half so it "rubbed" up against the other. Would only require drilling and tapping and a dot of thread lock.
 
Aug 5, 2018
1,567
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Funster No
55,394
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a
Note to one and all searching for their mirror online, as many many manufacturers use the same "wide body" or "long reach" mirror in their conversions..
If yours appears as OEMW1117 for either
Peugeot Boxer Citroen Relay, or Fiat Ducato, around 98-06
then look up Lucas ADP933 (Left hand side electric) as it will be cheaper than all the "motorhome" suppliers. This is the Original equipment part.

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Last edited:

kenjones8@gmai

Free Member
Sep 13, 2019
1
0
Wales
Funster No
64,149
MH
Ken
Exp
Fiat Ducato Auto-Roller 694
Hi, I have a Fiat Ducato Auto-Roller 694.
Having had the same problem with the long arm mirrors. Not considered replacing them as I have only had the van about 6 months but I have now tightened the cross head bolt on the top arm and it seems to be a lot tighter. Haven't tried it at 55 plus as yet, it's about 30 miles to anywhere that I'd feel save doing over 50 in it, so we'll have to see. It did strike me that making it tighter may mean that if your mirror does hit something that may have just push it in, it may now just break.
 
Mar 14, 2019
1,121
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Sutton Coldfield but East Yorkshire man at heart
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Elddis Autoquest155
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Since 2018
I'm also interested in any answers to this as I had this happen to me for the first time last weekend driving down from the Lakes. The weather was pretty bad with very high winds and I think a combination of these plus motorway speeds overcame the tension in the arm.

From a bit of digging on the internet the general view seems to be that they aren't repairable and Fiat recommend complete replacement, they would say that though :whistle:. As a temporary repair I've pushed a small piece of rubber between the mirror arm and the plastic door bracket and this has done the trick for now but a permanent repair would be better. It would be nice to see how the arm hinge is tensioned, as if there is a bolt or nut that can be tightened up from underneath then it would be worth the risk trying to remove the lower cover.

Watching with interest...
how long did you have the van after the mirror was replace, and did the new replacement work as it should and not move ^^ ??
I had my mirror on the passenger side fold in last Tuesday (4th May 2021) in the very high winds along the M40. On investigating my 2009 Ducato based motorhome I found that the mirror has a central screw under the cover (remove the rearward part). Needless to say the screw is into plastic which when I tightened it stripped the plastic. So have drilled out the plastic to a through hole (6mm) and put a large washer on the inner metal fixing and large washer underneath with a self locking nut, not pretty but works. Have just bought two 60 mm long stainless steel bolts and self locking nut to replace the mild steel nuts and bolts. The washer underneath I am modifying to a steel plate which has a number of ridges to prevent bending as the plastic is squashing in so intend to cut to fit the profile of there plastic to eliminate squashing. May add photos later.
 
Sep 9, 2019
833
1,850
Runcorn
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63,956
MH
Autotrail Apache 632
Exp
Since Sept 2019
Ian show us your fix! Also give us all a clue about how to get inside the mirror to access the hinges please!

Ta!


Russ

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Mar 14, 2019
1,121
1,123
Sutton Coldfield but East Yorkshire man at heart
Funster No
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Elddis Autoquest155
Exp
Since 2018
Ian show us your fix! Also give us all a clue about how to get inside the mirror to access the hinges please!

Ta!


Russ
You have to remove the two rearward covers top and bottom on the arms, a sharp substantial spudger or a pen knife will do the job. The hinges are not adjustable in any way. Having damaged the whole thing last week in the narrow lanes of Somerset I ova just bought a brand new on for £65 arrived yesterday looking good. Gaffer tape has had to suffice meantime to hold it in place wrapped round the arms and stuck onto the wing and windscreen. Sorry no picture as my son is using the Moho.
 
Jul 19, 2022
4
1
Funster No
89,992
MH
autotrail Dakota
how long did you have the van after the mirror was replace, and did the new replacement work as it should and not move ^^ ??
Hi I have had the same problem on my Fiat Ducato motorhome. I have the star clips on my mirrors so I popped off the small plastic cover under the bottom arm. I then drilled a small hole through the clip and inserted a 15mm self tapping screw which has locked the mirror in place. Hopefully this will sort the problem.
 
Apr 22, 2018
6,779
12,489
Herts.
Funster No
53,503
MH
Adria Coral lowline
Pop off the top arm cover, expose the screw, tighten screw. Job done.
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2C951334-117D-4935-9ECD-ADC653C8AEC5.jpeg

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TheBig1

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Nov 27, 2011
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many many years! since I was a kid
If you are on a stop over without tools, a quick temporary solution is cut a long elastic band. Stretch it and as you do, wind it into the gap where the mirror pivots. As you release the tension the rubber expands so giving more friction i the joint. A long term fix is drill and stainless self tapping screw to permanently lock the arm. Down side is anything clipping the mirror will destroy it rather than fold it in
 
Dec 23, 2021
24
8
Funster No
85,951
MH
Compass Rambler
I also came here hoping It would tighten up but I had to replasce one last year and now it olooks like the other one. Doesbn't help that we have to push them in and out to get out of our drive. What a rubbish design not to be tightenable.
 
Jun 6, 2022
294
625
Bottesford, Scunthorpe, UK
Funster No
89,122
MH
Autotrail Cheyenne
Exp
Newbie
You prize off the lower arm plastic (back) cover and you will find a pozidrive/philips screw to tighten up, this video show how change a complete damaged plastic arm but you can see how it comes apart, wish I videoed it when I did mine :)

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