Big mistake: removed retaining ring on side mirror pivot

[Redsquall]

Anyone ever had to put the Retaining ring back on while smashing down the convex washers that are inside of the side mirror at the swivel point?
if so how did you do it?

Attached is the photo of it before I took the little black retaining ring off. I found out that the convex washers are convex so you have to smash them together and that’s what puts the stiffness in the mirror pivot. Problem is is I can’t smash the washers down enough to get the retaining ring back into its slot

61090

[DMC5180]

Rob Grady has a method for doing it but it’s a bit of PITA, I guess.

[Redsquall]

Rob Grady has a method for doing it but it’s a bit of PITA, I guess.

Thanks

[Soundkillr]

Wrap the spring coil with strong zip ties to compress the spring. Put retaining washer in place, and cut zip ties.

[r00b]

I had to straighten some of the washers, it's not as tight as before but it's not bad. Only way I could do it.

[Redsquall]

I had to straighten some of the washers, it's not as tight as before but it's not bad. Only way I could do it.

Thanks guys. I ended up getting a new snap ring because I found out that my method of using a clamp with a socket from a socket wrench set to push down the washers and the snap ring was indeed working but my snap ring was stretched out so we just come back up to easily. The new snap ring and same method worked like a charm

[DMC1890]

Is that snap ring a generic part? For some reason I thought it was not obtainable.

TIA
Robert

[lazabby]

The snap ring broke in mine. I had to replace it. Something is still not quite right as the mirror (not the housing) moves a lot while driving. May I'm missing a washer.

[Redsquall]

Is that snap ring a generic part? For some reason I thought it was not obtainable.

TIA
Robert

Here’s what mine looks like. I replaced the washer and the snap ring that hold down the convex washers underneath.

How I got mine back on without removing any washers is I had the mirror out of it and a clamp on top that pushed this little bracket that I curled up into a circle. The bracket pushed down on a temporary washer which pushed down on The retainer ring in the rest of it until the retainer ring went into the slot. Worked great after I replace the retaining ring. 6113461135