TRICKS FOR REMOVING K75C MIRRORS

[sooprvylyn]

I've tried to remove the mirrors on my K75C and they are securely stuck in the holes.  I removed the nuts on teh bottom, and the mirrors will turn in the holes with much force, but removing them is impossible.  I even took a hammer to the bottom to see if I could get them to budge, not budging.  Is there some trick to these things I am missing?

I'm about ready to cut them off with a grinding wheel and drill out the stems from the holes.

[Laitch]

I'm about ready to cut them off with a grinding wheel and drill out the stems from the holes.

This seems like a drastic strategy, soopr. You may have a second nut or seized washer on there that you didn't notice. How about warming up the thread end of the assembly with a hair dryer, spraying it carefully with Liquid Wrench then going to bed or going out for cafe cubano and trying again later by twisting the stem?

You could always attach a chain fall to a rafter and the mirror stem, put a few hundred pounds of portland cement sacks on the seat and give 'er the old heave-ho.

Posting a photo of your tribulation might be helpful, too.

[sooprvylyn]

Well, I tried WD40 and heat(heat first) to no avail.  Even after that the stems still dont easily turn and even firm rapping with a hammer after all that only budged them about 1/8 inch, but was causing my bike to move around enough to make me stop.  I have the same issue with both mirrors.  It's really weird that I cannot get them to loosen up no matter what I try.  I've been wrenching on bicycles for years and years so I've seen my fair number of stuck metal parts and can usually sort them out so this one has me a bit baffled.  The dern thing will turn in the hole, but only with a lot of force, yet I cannot even wiggle it back and forth to ease it up and out.

I was hoping there was something else I'm missing other than the nut on the bottom that holds em in, but I dont see anything else in the way.  I havent even had those nuts installed on my bike for weeks, they are totally unnecessary as my mirrors stay firmly in place without them.  I'll see if I can get some pics up when I get a chance.

[Laitch]

You're certain there is no seized washer on that threaded stem?

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I had a pair of 75S mirrors that were pretty rusty on the part of the shaft that goes through the mount.  WD40 is pretty worthless on heavily rusted stuff, even when heat is added(it is NOT a penetrating oil for rusted parts).  I would suggest that you get a can of Liquid Wrench.  Put a few drops on the joint a couple times a day and work the mirrors around.  The shaft may be powder coated, and the rust bubbles the coating up.  You're going to need to flush the rust out and hope the coating hasn't bunched up in the hole. 

Worse comes to worst you might have to put vise grips on the mirror shaft and simultaneously twist and pull to get them loose enough to get really serious with the Liquid Wrench. 

[sooprvylyn]

Good point actually.  Hadn't thought about the potential powdercoat bubbling issue, thats probably it, they are def powdercoated black.  Those stems must be steel as they didnt bend when I dropped the bike at 30mph, though they did scratch up good, hence my desire to change em out.  My clutch lever pivot screw is stuck as well, its inches away and is most assuredly steel.  Rust seems to be a very likely culprit to hit both places.  That powdercoating really hides the telltale signs of rust.

Will get liquid wrench and try again. Hope it works on that pivot pin too, also have to change the lever out for the same reason.

Thank you both, and especially Mighty Gryphon for the anecdotal on this specific issue. I'll update on whether this works for future generations of motobrick owners.