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I've had a set of Zoom Carbon Side mirrors tucked away for a while. They're not in great condition with CF needing refinishing and the threaded connector lock nut between the base and mirror corroded.
Getting the CF looking good again shouldn't take too much effort, but I'd like the complete package looking good, and therefore would like to replace the locknut so I thought I'd ask if anyone has had their mirrors apart before I take to it with too much force.
So in the absence of any guidance on the interwebs, I took things into my own hands. It's pretty obvious that to get to the corroded ball connector with threaded extension, I'd either have to break the mirror glass itself, or find a way to separate the CF housing from the aluminium bezel. I wasn't really inclined to take the destructive path so bezel removal it was. The aluminium bezel fits the CF housing really well and I couldn't see any gaps, but decided to apply thinners to the join in the hope it would find its way inside and go to work on the glue holding the two pieces together.
A liberal application and leaving it overnight didn't seem to do the trick so again I applied a dose of thinners to the join area. I came back an hour later and with a bit of coaxing managed to get a small separation. From there it was a 5 minute job applying thinners and gentle but firm twisting separated the CF housing from the aluminium bezel.
Repeat on the 2nd mirror which took quite a bit more effort, but it worked eventually and I now have the mirrors in bits and ready to clean up properly.
Seems it was a silicon type adhesive holding it together.
https://i.imgur.com/9zBygVG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XGuA46B.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YeVmexl.jpg
Seems it wasn't actually a silicon based adhesive, but rather synthetic rubber based adhesive made by Cemadine. Thanks to an incredibly helpful Zoom Eng employee for that info. Link to the adhesive below. Thus far I've not found it available outside of Japan and there don't appear to be any international shipping options either...
Moving forward, the CF mirror shells have received a bit of attention and a dose of 2K.
https://www.cemedine.co.jp/home/adhe...an_gclear.html
https://i.imgur.com/dYeoUpO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/L1l2Cpb.jpg
Great work, Mike! They look fantastic!:slayer: Appreciate the boldness to rip apart not so cheap mirrors in the name of restoring. Was the clear just aerosol or you use a paint gun? I presume you wet sanded with different grits?
These are easily my favorite aftermarket mirrors for the NA/NB and have held off getting a set for the sake of doing things different(had a set on Warbird, my previous na8) this time around but every time I see a set I get that much closer to getting them. :lol:
Thanks! The decision became a lot easier when I realised I'd never use them in the state they were in :). The old/new combo has always intrigued me. Retro design element in the shape of the piece, but built with a modern material in carbon fibre.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000
I considered spraying them myself, but eventually took them to a local carbon fibre magician who, um, weaved his magic, so not sure exactly what he ended up doing. He asked that I bring them back in a few weeks for a final polish.
The replacement bits (and some other treasures) from Zoom Eng should be here in a day or so, so I'll probably get into re assembly this weekend.