Rear View Mirror.. Help!

[Thomarse]

My dearest 3 year old son has broken the rear view mirror in my car. he twisted it round on itself and the ball has come out of the socket.

I have tried to push the metal ball (cast) back into the tube arm it has come out of but it wont go in no mater how hard I try. Obviously the end of the tube is slightly rounded and smaller than the ball itself so when it is in there the mirror pivots on it without coming out. When he twisted it he oviously created some leverage that yanked it form its socket.. unfortunately for me getting it back in seems to be alot trickier!

any ideas how I can do this? Nothing is really broiken as such so I dont want to pay for a new one unless I have to.. its just he ball socket joint thats come apart but wont go back together!!!

Kids!

[Thomarse]

My dearest 3 year old son has broken the rear view mirror in my car. he twisted it round on itself and the ball has come out of the socket.

I have tried to push the metal ball (cast) back into the tube arm it has come out of but it wont go in no mater how hard I try. Obviously the end of the tube is slightly rounded and smaller than the ball itself so when it is in there the mirror pivots on it without coming out. When he twisted it he oviously created some leverage that yanked it form its socket.. unfortunately for me getting it back in seems to be alot trickier!

any ideas how I can do this? Nothing is really broiken as such so I dont want to pay for a new one unless I have to.. its just he ball socket joint thats come apart but wont go back together!!!

Kids!

[Thomarse]

My dearest 3 year old son has broken the rear view mirror in my car. he twisted it round on itself and the ball has come out of the socket.

I have tried to push the metal ball (cast) back into the tube arm it has come out of but it wont go in no mater how hard I try. Obviously the end of the tube is slightly rounded and smaller than the ball itself so when it is in there the mirror pivots on it without coming out. When he twisted it he oviously created some leverage that yanked it form its socket.. unfortunately for me getting it back in seems to be alot trickier!

any ideas how I can do this? Nothing is really broiken as such so I dont want to pay for a new one unless I have to.. its just he ball socket joint thats come apart but wont go back together!!!

Kids!

[NOSPAMnet]

I guess you simply are not pushing hard enough . The manfrs would have put it in so you should be able to as well.altho' they wouldn't have had a windsreen attached ...lol....Have you looked at the edges of the socket opening to make sure that it isn't bent thereby stopping the ball going in? . Are you holding the arm in one hand while pushing the ball in with your other hand ..if not might the arm be bending away and thereby reducing the pressure you are exerting ? Try some lubricant on the ball or around the opening of the socket..It's amazing what a drop of lube can do :-) ..would some gentl heat applied to the socket help,perhaps?

[NOSPAMnet]

Not the only thing you are having problems with today ...lol

[Mike Dodd]

I assume that the arm is still fixed in the car? There may be some merit in getting a freezer-spray (Maplins, etc), shielding everything around the ball-joint (a bit of cardboard, etc) and lowering the temp of the ball (thus causing it to shrink slightly).

Can't say I've every heard of anyone doing this for this purpose, but it might be worth a try. I would take care not to cool the windscreen glass too much.

[EricP]

Is there some allen key/screw adjuster on the socket so you can tighten/release the grip on the ball??

[John]

I wouldn't try freezing as: 1. The cast metal is already quite brittle - when colder it may be more brittle. 2. A few thou is unlikely to make a difference.

Have you carefully checked all around the ball - sometimes they are not spherical and may slip in more readily in a certain position. I agree with lube.

[The Natural Philosopher]

If its a metal ball in a plastic housing chances are it was fitted in a press.

Basically a lot of force and it pops in.

Before the glass mirror as attached..

[Dave Liquorice]

Naw it's just feking google groups again.