Removing Rearview Mirror Button

[RamFan]

So let me preface this by stating that I'm an idiot. We had a rather warm day today 92* and the 12 year old rear view mirror decided to come off the windshield of the Monte. No big deal, went to O'reilly's on the way home from work and picked up some Permatex Rearview Mirror Adhesive. 30 minutes later I'm in the garage, prepping the glass, applying the adhesive and setting the button. Held it for the minute necessary to grab onto the windshield then walked away to let is set for about an hour.

In my infinite brilliance, I was so preoccupied making sure I put the button back up right side up that my dumb@$$ put the button on backwards. So when I went back out and attempted to mount the mirror, I found that the clips on the mirror wouldn't grab onto the button nor can I screw it in because of course the threads are now sealed against the window.

Any tips on removing this? I'm thinking a heat gun is about my only solution here. Your 2 cents would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NHGUY]

Get another button from the dealer and mount it aside the glued one.

 

[spackard]

Maybe Permatex has an idea. Should give them a call.

 

[Trav]

Get a piece of thin uncoated wire and cut through the glue starting at one corner. You can strip the insulation of a piece of insulated wire and take a few strands long enough to get a grip on it.
Remove the residue with acetone. Be sure not to get any on paint or plastic, cover the dash before messing with acetone.

 

[StevieC]

Maybe take a box cutter type knife and extend the blade out long and try to work it back and forth between and cut through the adhesive to get it off and then clean up both surfaces once it's off?

Option 2: Gorilla-Tape.

 

[maxdustington]

If you could get a safety razor blade, I think that would also work well. I was surprised by how thin they were when I first handled them.

 

[Leo99]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK8khV41-R0

Hope your windshield doesn't crack.

 

[dogememe]

haha that is the reason we don't help customers with this at the auto parts store - somebody who used to work there made that same mistake. and i've had a few customers make that mistake. our advice/solution is always just buy another and put it right next to it.

 

[DBMaster]

Get another mounting pad and glue it ON TOP of the one that you mounted wrong.

 

[nthach]

Trav's method does work if you take the time, it's pretty much how windshields are removed these days.

I know overclockers and other computer modders stick video cards or other PCBs with glued-on heatsinks in the freezer for an hour. After it's cooled down, a butter knife is used to "pop" the heatsink off. You could spray an inverted can of Dust-Off to "freeze" the mirror button and use a putty knife to pop if off. Caveat emptor and do this when the windshield is cool and in the shade - glass doesn't like thermal shock.

 

[RamFan]

Thank you for all the feedback. I will try using a blade/wire and working at it. If that doesn't work I'll just buy another button and put it on/next to the existing one. Preferably on, but think that won't hold as well.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted by RamFan
Thank you for all the feedback. I will try using a blade/wire and working at it. If that doesn't work I'll just buy another button and put it on/next to the existing one. Preferably on, but think that won't hold as well.


Why wouldn't it stick well? It is sticking well to the current button, so unless the other side is a different material, it will likely stick equally well.

 

[RamFan]

Originally Posted by javacontour
Originally Posted by RamFan
Thank you for all the feedback. I will try using a blade/wire and working at it. If that doesn't work I'll just buy another button and put it on/next to the existing one. Preferably on, but think that won't hold as well.


Why wouldn't it stick well? It is sticking well to the current button, so unless the other side is a different material, it will likely stick equally well.


I'm sure it will stick equally. But my thought is that it would be more affected by vibrations and jolts which could cause premature failure of the adhesive.

 

[brages]

Wait a couple of days for it to fall off and then you can glue it on the right direction... I don't know why, but my experience with those kits is that they never seem to work. Maybe my prep was bad. It's been decades since I had to deal with one of these.

 

[javacontour]

Hopefully, in that case, the one on the windshield upside down is the one that comes off, without damage to the windshield.

Then, they can get a new one and put it on the right way

Originally Posted by RamFan
Originally Posted by javacontour
Originally Posted by RamFan
Thank you for all the feedback. I will try using a blade/wire and working at it. If that doesn't work I'll just buy another button and put it on/next to the existing one. Preferably on, but think that won't hold as well.


Why wouldn't it stick well? It is sticking well to the current button, so unless the other side is a different material, it will likely stick equally well.


I'm sure it will stick equally. But my thought is that it would be more affected by vibrations and jolts which could cause premature failure of the adhesive.