This thread should definately become an "article" after you're done. I can't imagine a more complete discussion of sun visors!
Heath
Q45 sun visor repair
The two Q45 sunvisor Technical Service Bulletins are invaluable!
The first TSB (ITB90-036 Nov. 29, 1990) showed the exact Q45 sunvisor step-by-step removal procedure (which is different than what I posted above in some respects).
The second TSB (ITB94-006 Jan. 20, 1994) explained the removal procedure for the sunvisor vanity mirror and lighting assembly (leaving the sunvisor attached to the Q45).
The good news is the combination of the two sunvisor TSBs gave me an idea for a better fix than what has been previously noted; when I get a chance, I'll try it out (perhaps this weekend if I can find the time between gift shopping) and (of course) document every step with an explanation & a photo so folks in the future can follow our best path.
One question about the cryptic (to me) abbreviations used in the TSBs.
Under "Claims Information", the first TSB notes:
The second TSB uses similar abbreviations:
Do these cryptic (to me) abbreviations mean anything to you?
Alora Duncan
The first TSB (ITB90-036 Nov. 29, 1990) showed the exact Q45 sunvisor step-by-step removal procedure (which is different than what I posted above in some respects).
The second TSB (ITB94-006 Jan. 20, 1994) explained the removal procedure for the sunvisor vanity mirror and lighting assembly (leaving the sunvisor attached to the Q45).
The good news is the combination of the two sunvisor TSBs gave me an idea for a better fix than what has been previously noted; when I get a chance, I'll try it out (perhaps this weekend if I can find the time between gift shopping) and (of course) document every step with an explanation & a photo so folks in the future can follow our best path.
One question about the cryptic (to me) abbreviations used in the TSBs.
Under "Claims Information", the first TSB notes:
- OPERATION: Replace both sunvisors
- OP CODE: VA22AA
- PNC: 96400
- CS: 3G
- CT: 34
- FRT: 1.0 hour
The second TSB uses similar abbreviations:
- OPERATION: Repair Wiring Harness
- OP CODE: RA16AA
- PNC: 24160
- CS: ZE
- CT: 61
- FRT: S/T (straight time)
Do these cryptic (to me) abbreviations mean anything to you?
Alora Duncan
Sorry to keep you waiting.
During the Christmas vacation, I finally got back to repairing the driver side 1990 Q45 defective sunvisor post attachment.
Expressly so others can save time & effort, I snapped a series of photos showing the Q45 sunvisor repair steps (& some tricks I learned on the way).
The first trick I gleaned from the TSBs was to remove the mirror assembly. While not required for the Q45 sunvisor defective post repair, removing the sunvisor mirror assembly has advantages, as will be shown later.
During the Christmas vacation, I finally got back to repairing the driver side 1990 Q45 defective sunvisor post attachment.
Expressly so others can save time & effort, I snapped a series of photos showing the Q45 sunvisor repair steps (& some tricks I learned on the way).
The first trick I gleaned from the TSBs was to remove the mirror assembly. While not required for the Q45 sunvisor defective post repair, removing the sunvisor mirror assembly has advantages, as will be shown later.
Then, as explained in the Q45 ITB94-006 TSB titled "Sunvisor Vanity Mirror Repairs", remove (and save!) the four white pieces of tape covering the mirror mounting bolts (I pried them off using the letter opener again).
Then remove the four vanity mirror attachment bolts using a #1 phillips screwdriver.
Then remove the four vanity mirror attachment bolts using a #1 phillips screwdriver.
Make a note of the path the wires take:
- First, the wires pass through the sunvisor body (contrary to what is shown in TSB ITB90-036 Nov. 29, 1990 titled "Q45 Sunvisor Misaligned")
- Then the wires enter the sunvisor post elbow (from the outside, in)
- Then, after exiting the sunvisor post, the wires pass through the sunvisor pivot joint
- Last, they pass through a washer, a spring, and the defective so-called "press-on nut") until they terminate at the white, two-pronged, sunvisor connector[/list=1]
Add a new nylon-capped 8 x 1.25 mm steel lock nut when you re-assemble the parts & re-thread the wires (I chose to leave the defective press-on nut on the vanity mirror wires, but you may wish to discard it).
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Note: As the unsprung coil spring alone is longer than the available stud, with the addition of the new lock nut, you'll almost certainly need to effectively extend the shaft length any way you can. I tried using clamps, pliars, vise grips, etc., but I could NOT compress the coil spring enough to get the threads on the nut to bit onto the shaft.
Therefore, I finally followed the recommendations in this NICO forum by sanding down the pivot point landing tower by about 5 mm, effectively halfing the tower size and adding the desired 5 mm to the effective shaft length of the sunvisor attachment stud.
Having no sanding or grinding equipment available, luckily I found that the soft plastic pivot point landing collar was surprisingly soft. Only a few minutes rubbing the collar back and forth against a piece of sandpaper (left over from when they refloored my kitchen) did the trick.
Therefore, I finally followed the recommendations in this NICO forum by sanding down the pivot point landing tower by about 5 mm, effectively halfing the tower size and adding the desired 5 mm to the effective shaft length of the sunvisor attachment stud.
Having no sanding or grinding equipment available, luckily I found that the soft plastic pivot point landing collar was surprisingly soft. Only a few minutes rubbing the collar back and forth against a piece of sandpaper (left over from when they refloored my kitchen) did the trick.
Strip about 3 or 4 mm of bare copper wire and slip heat shrink tubing over each end BEFORE soldering any wires back together.
Note the joints do not overlap (thereby better protecting against shorts later on).
Also note the wires were cut in the low stress area BEHIND the mirror (instead of in the higher stress area above the roofline as initially considered).
Note the joints do not overlap (thereby better protecting against shorts later on).
Also note the wires were cut in the low stress area BEHIND the mirror (instead of in the higher stress area above the roofline as initially considered).
At this point, the repair has been completed.
Re-assembly should be the reverse of the dis-assembly procedure.
By the way, does anyone know why, all of a sudden, after I used the "CODE" buttons, the web page no longer fits the text to the window?
I've been forced to enter copius line returns just to be able to see what I've written.
I think there is a bug in how those code tags are interpreted.
Can someone fix it (it makes it very hard to read).
Re-assembly should be the reverse of the dis-assembly procedure.
By the way, does anyone know why, all of a sudden, after I used the "CODE" buttons, the web page no longer fits the text to the window?
I've been forced to enter copius line returns just to be able to see what I've written.
I think there is a bug in how those code tags are interpreted.
Can someone fix it (it makes it very hard to read).
Thanks for the kind words.
I am (slowly) getting better at using this forum and at posting pictures which try to convey the desired point. I've experimented with a variety of backgrounds, for example, from my frost-covered tabletop to the bland white background of the TSB itself.
I also experimented with the SIZE of the pictues (noting that the original size of my photos is 4 or 5 mbytes). I hate to shrink the photos (lose data); but it must be done for the forum to accept the shots. Also I've experimented with colors and fonts and sizes of text and wordings, etc., to try to convey the best shortest description of the component of the problem that threw me when I did the task.
It was too cold today (for me, a warm blooded DIY) to work outside. Hopefully tomorrow (Sunday) I can get to the visor (and, oh, the brake light sensor just went on so I can feel an article on replacing brake pads coming on
...
Alora
I am (slowly) getting better at using this forum and at posting pictures which try to convey the desired point. I've experimented with a variety of backgrounds, for example, from my frost-covered tabletop to the bland white background of the TSB itself.
I also experimented with the SIZE of the pictues (noting that the original size of my photos is 4 or 5 mbytes). I hate to shrink the photos (lose data); but it must be done for the forum to accept the shots. Also I've experimented with colors and fonts and sizes of text and wordings, etc., to try to convey the best shortest description of the component of the problem that threw me when I did the task.
It was too cold today (for me, a warm blooded DIY) to work outside. Hopefully tomorrow (Sunday) I can get to the visor (and, oh, the brake light sensor just went on so I can feel an article on replacing brake pads coming on
... Alora