side mirror removal to replace mirror cap

[Sspearsau]

Hey every, great information across the board here. I appreciate seeing everyone's feedback. My caps arrived today, so I am going to give this a go this weekend before applying my ceramic coating on the car. It looks like there are two approaches (pry with a screwdriver or suction cup), and I think I will go with the suction cup. A few quick questions:

1) I have the power folding mirrors. Can those be manually folded the opposite way of the standard fold (i.e. can you fold toward the front of the car) to make more room for removing?

2) Can someone please confirm that the best position to have the mirror is tilted away from the car? Before reading the thread I would have assumed straight on would have been best, keeping everything squared up.

3) It will be roughly 70 degrees out when I do this. All agree that applying heat is the way to go in order to soften the plastic where the clips are. How hot are we talking about trying to get the mirror though, and is the goal to get the heat behind the mirror through the gap to have it hit the internals, or is the goal to heat the mirror itself to hopefully have it conduct heat back to the clips?

I tend to overthink things. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Jako]

Hey every, great information across the board here. I appreciate seeing everyone's feedback. My caps arrived today, so I am going to give this a go this weekend before applying my ceramic coating on the car. It looks like there are two approaches (pry with a screwdriver or suction cup), and I think I will go with the suction cup. A few quick questions:

1) I have the power folding mirrors. Can those be manually folded the opposite way of the standard fold (i.e. can you fold toward the front of the car) to make more room for removing?

2) Can someone please confirm that the best position to have the mirror is tilted away from the car? Before reading the thread I would have assumed straight on would have been best, keeping everything squared up.

3) It will be roughly 70 degrees out when I do this. All agree that applying heat is the way to go in order to soften the plastic where the clips are. How hot are we talking about trying to get the mirror though, and is the goal to get the heat behind the mirror through the gap to have it hit the internals, or is the goal to heat the mirror itself to hopefully have it conduct heat back to the clips?

I tend to overthink things. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I used a brake adjustment tool as pictured to reach in where the clips are in the center of the mirror. I followed the TSB on the mirror position and supplied heat. The dealership had to replace my mirror after cracking it while replacing a light lens. It took a while for them to get the part along with the appointment so I was able to try out the removal process on the broken mirror. Suction cup would not hold on the cracked mirror.

Be advised I was told it was cracked when putting it back in place. I used a little red rubber grease on the parts when I installed the mirror.

 

[Sspearsau]

Results are in:

- No broken mirror glass. I got a little impatient and did not use heat. I used the orange suction cup, and they came off a lot easier than expected.

- Difficulty for me came when removing the caps when came time to disengage the clips. The clips were really brittle and just about all of them split or broke off. I was using a screwdriver to release them, but for some reason presented a challenge. Good thing those are no longer needed.

- Looks so much better with the painted covers. The chrome was just too much.

Thanks to all for the info on the thread!

 

[TNRamGuy]

Results are in:

- No broken mirror glass. I got a little impatient and did not use heat. I used the orange suction cup, and they came off a lot easier than expected.

- Difficulty for me came when removing the caps when came time to disengage the clips. The clips were really brittle and just about all of them split or broke off. I was using a screwdriver to release them, but for some reason presented a challenge. Good thing those are no longer needed.

- Looks so much better with the painted covers. The chrome was just too much.

Thanks to all for the info on the thread!

Photos?

 

[Sspearsau]

I did not get before pictures, but I snapped a quick shot this morning to show the mirror caps installed.

 

[OutlawHemi22]

Anyone happen to have to the part number for the PXJ - Black Diamond mirror caps? Can’t seem to find them.

 

[OutlawHemi22]

Anyone happen to have to the part number for the PXJ - Black Diamond mirror caps? Can’t seem to find them.

Anyone looking for these, this is the
part# 6RP44KXJAA 6RP45KXJAA

 

[ramcharger1967]

@I Love Grits by chance do you or anybody know how to remove just the side view mirror to get to the cap screws?? thanks in advance

It is possible to change the cap without removing the glass.
That torx screw will come out if you angle a torx screwdriver at it. Don't put pressure on the glass. You don't need that screw to hold them in.
I broke my pass glass by doing exactly what the service manual said. Changed the drivers side without removing the glass.
Waiting on a replacement glass(backorder). Got one from another dealer and it was broken in the package.
Dealer cost on the glass with blind spot is $173. Cost me 10% over that.
I bought a suction cup kit from amazon for future use at work. Worked great on a 2016 mirror glass exchange for a recall. Used it for the install as well. I've broken a few mirror glasses installing them. Really you put pressure in the wrong place and crack.

 

[Jako]

It is possible to change the cap without removing the glass.
That torx screw will come out if you angle a torx screwdriver at it. Don't put pressure on the glass. You don't need that screw to hold them in.
I broke my pass glass by doing exactly what the service manual said. Changed the drivers side without removing the glass.
Waiting on a replacement glass(backorder). Got one from another dealer and it was broken in the package.
Dealer cost on the glass with blind spot is $173. Cost me 10% over that.
I bought a suction cup kit from amazon for future use at work. Worked great on a 2016 mirror glass exchange for a recall. Used it for the install as well. I've broken a few mirror glasses installing them. Really you put pressure in the wrong place and crack.

Dealership broke mine when installing for a signal light lens replacement.

 

[OutlawHemi22]

It is possible to change the cap without removing the glass.
That torx screw will come out if you angle a torx screwdriver at it. Don't put pressure on the glass. You don't need that screw to hold them in.
I broke my pass glass by doing exactly what the service manual said. Changed the drivers side without removing the glass.
Waiting on a replacement glass(backorder). Got one from another dealer and it was broken in the package.
Dealer cost on the glass with blind spot is $173. Cost me 10% over that.
I bought a suction cup kit from amazon for future use at work. Worked great on a 2016 mirror glass exchange for a recall. Used it for the install as well. I've broken a few mirror glasses installing them. Really you put pressure in the wrong place and crack.

I used the suction on my mirrors and had zero problem getting the glass out safely.

 

[RockJock]

I got mine changed today. In June i put black plastidip on my chrome caps. It was starting to chip off. Now I have black OEM mirror caps.

The $5 one piece suction cup was junk. It would simply break loose from the glass when I pulled. Almost ended up on the ground myself. I bought the $15 one with the locking handle next. That worked great. I really didn't have to pull that hard on either side and they came right off.

I don't think it matters what terminal the black and black/blue mirror heat wires are connected to. From my experience, if the position is important the connectors are usually keyed somehow.

No broken glass or any other apparent damage. I couldn't test auto dimming and heat but blind spot and movement is working.

 

[wangfuco]

I just did the job today using the harbor freight orange suction cup and a heat gun. Left side went very well, but when I was pulling on the right side, I tore a hole in the side of the mirror motor... After putting everything back, my right mirror moves but doesn't respond to memory recall. Diagnostics shows the position sensor was broken.

Time for ebay... fortunately there are replacement mirror motors available... FML

 

[ramButz]

I just did the job today using the harbor freight orange suction cup and a heat gun. Left side went very well, but when I was pulling on the right side, I tore a hole in the side of the mirror motor... After putting everything back, my right mirror moves but doesn't respond to memory recall. Diagnostics shows the position sensor was broken.

Time for ebay... fortunately there are replacement mirror motors available... FML

following

 

[ramButz]

I watched a dealer tech doing them this week - actually was replacing a scratched chrome cover on a brand new truck. He used a propane tank heater aimed at the mirror to warm it up. Then took what looked to be a modified pingpong paddle - narrowed and notched like a U - slide it behind the mirror with the window down with a FAST jerk outward. Popped out perfectly! I may let this guy install mine!

 

[Ellisstrong]

I need to do this soon since I’ve had the mirror caps for a month now

 

[ramButz]

I need to do this soon since I’ve had the mirror caps for a month now

since i had to take them off.i bought some new ones.the stock one the truck now are those ugly "ABS"plastic.i bought these new painted ones

 

[TheLegend]

I replaced my side view mirrors last weekend and I had no issues I just got a flat head and pushed the mirror down as far as possible put the flat head in between the mirror and top and slowly wedged them out (not using a ton of force) on the inside top part of the mirror towards the door on driver (2 o’clock) and passenger side (10 o’clock) and they very easily came off. It was 45-50 degrees outside when I was doing it and no cracks breaks or anything. I was adding blind spot on driver side and blind spot + auto-dim to the passenger side both with success and was actually very surprised at how easy it was using this method.

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

anyone know the part # for Granite Crystal Metalic caps?

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

Used the suction cup method and had no issues. Thanks to everyone who posted their experiences on here!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

looks like you have the GCM color do u have the part # by chance?

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

Changed my chrome mirror caps from chrome to bodycolor today.
Used a different kind of suction cup, the ones they use to lift glass. Works even better than the dent puller suction cup because this one is more solid.
I heated up the mirror for about 5 minutes with the heat gun. I didn't even had to pull that hard.
No broken mirrors and both caps changed witin 30 minutes.
View attachment 45827
View attachment 45826

do you have a link or part # for the caps ? looks great BTW!