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Instructions to Repair Side View Mirrors

Omkar Phatak
If you are looking for guidelines on repairing side view mirrors, read on.
Can you imagine a world without mirrors? Well, one certainly can't, considering that it is an essential contributing factor to human vanity. Besides promoting narcissism, a mirror lets you shave without cutting yourself and most importantly, it lets you keep a watch on the road passing behind you, when you are driving.
There are not one but three mirrors installed in your car front to help you get the missing 180 degree perspective of the road behind you.
Both side view mirrors are extremely helpful to a driver and if damaged, they need to be repaired as soon as possible.
The fact that the side view mirror protrudes on one side of your car, makes it highly vulnerable to damage from many external factors, like vehicles driving too close.
Sometimes, the mirror is smashed by passing motorbikes or it simply becomes a victim of vandalism.
Whatever be the case, there are ways in which you can repair it. All it takes is a bit of an effort to get all the requisite materials and spend about half an hour of your time. The repair instructions provided here are entirely concerned with replacing cracked mirrors only. In case of any other structural damage, you will have to go for a replacement.

Repair Procedure

You need not replace the entire mirror if its glass is shattered. The far cheaper alternative is to replace the glass only. It will save you a substantial amount of money.
First and foremost, you need a replacement for your mirror glass. You must ensure that it has the right dimensions or else, it won't fit in the old mirror. You can shop for mirror glass in hardware stores in your area or buy it online. Another thing that you will need is an adhesive which will stick the new glass in place.
Once you are ready with these materials, wear gloves and eye protection to remove the remaining glass pieces in the smashed mirror. You may have to smash these pieces out with a hammer and then remove any pieces that stick. Be careful not to damage the surface of the panel while doing so. Light taps with the hammer should do the trick.
Then spread the adhesive on the back of the mirror evenly. See to it that you cover as much of the mirror back area as possible. Once it has been spread evenly, stick it into the now vacant panel surface and hold it that way for some minutes.
Pack the mirror securely with rope and plastic for a day so that it is not exposed to wind and water. In about a day, the adhesive will have solidified and you will have a brand new mirror in place.
Make sure that you go for a replacement, if it so happens that the mirror is smashed out entirely, along with the holding mechanism.
It is good practice, to close the mirrors when the car is parked, which will save it from any accidental impacts that may cause damage. It is advised that you do not drive without your side view mirrors in place, as it will be risky to overtake on roads without them.