Rearview Mirror glue

[Mule]

Okay, it's not rocket science, the instructions are written so a 4th grader could follow and understand it... dafuq am I doing wrong.

Original mount busted off the windshield thanksgiving-ish. Held for years, no issues. Bought a tube of Permatex stuff... "metal buttons only", okay, that's what I have. "Clean, wipe, tear corner of adhesive packet and put one drop on the button, press onto windshield, let it sit for 30 minutes." Pretty simple.
A few days later, that popped off. Back to the parts store, buy another glue kit. Held for a while...
Today ... get in the truck, damn thing pops off again.

Parts store had a different kit next to the one I bought before, still Permatex but this one's a little more $$ and is "Extreme Performance" or something.

Is there a trick for making the damn button stick for more than a month? Any glue better than this Permatex stuff i've been using?

[RustyPW]

Haven't done this in years. What I remember doing is to use a razor scraper to scrape off the old glue on the windshield. Then use alcohol wipes to clean it. Then I sat there with my fingers pressing the piece of metal to the windshield for 30 minutes. I didn't use tape to hold it. It's mostly hit or miss if it sticks or not. The other thing. you could go to a glass replacement place and see what they use.

[yooper68]

I thought it was just Super-Glue, but it has been several years since I've had to do that.

Yes, try scrapping the old stuff off 1st with a razor blade; I do remember doing that.

[Mule]

I've scraped the old stuff with a razor... both windshield- and button-sides are clean. Alcohol wipe both sides, let it dry. Then use the primer/prep wipe with the kit.

If this one fails, I may just take it to a windshield place.

[RustyPW]

One car, it would stick for a a week or so. Another had no problems.

[DamageWagon]

Make sure application temp is within range. It's been fairly cold where we are lately.

[Mule]

Yea, the last two were within temp spec.
This one, there's not much I can do about it. Truck doesn't fit in my tiny-ass garage.
Cleaned everything real good... scraped the old glue, clean with windex, clean several times with alcohol.
Used the prep-pad to clean and prep the surface. The last two popped off pretty clean from the windshield, so I'm starting to wonder if the prep pad is preventing good adhesion on the window. Buffed that with a terry cloth, then applied the glue and taped the button to the windshield. We'll see how long this one goes.

[DamageWagon]

Unless it's electronics grade isopropyl it will leave a residue. That could be part of the problem. Don't know, haven't tried flying things to glass aside from windows with glass adhesive. If the pad is big enough you could probably score with 3M VHB if this round doesn't work for you.

[Rodeoflyer]

If I recall...it's been a few years lol there's an 'activator' or hardener along with the adhesive. If you just use the adhesive it's worthless. It's a two-part epoxy adhesive for glass to metal.

[Ducky's Dad]

Clean the glass with acetone, just like in high school chemistry lab. Watch out for condensation on the glass. Cleanliness is mandatory.

if the adhesive is cyanoacrylate, you can get a spray bottle of accelerator at a good hobby shop. I have used CA with accelerator for sticking plastic rocker switches into plastic dash panels, and those are notoriously hard to bond.

[Mule]

Unless it's electronics grade isopropyl it will leave a residue. That could be part of the problem. Don't know, haven't tried flying things to glass aside from windows with glass adhesive. If the pad is big enough you could probably score with 3M VHB if this round doesn't work for you.

All I get is 90+% stuff. I don't like paying that kinda money for water, I can dilute it myself if I want thankyouverymuch.

If I recall...it's been a few years lol there's an 'activator' or hardener along with the adhesive. If you just use the adhesive it's worthless. It's a two-part epoxy adhesive for glass to metal.

The pad says "cleaner/activator". Both times I did it before, the cleaner/activator left quite a haze on the windshield, and both times the button broke off clean from the windshield.

Clean the glass with acetone, just like in high school chemistry lab. Watch out for condensation on the glass. Cleanliness is mandatory.

if the adhesive is cyanoacrylate, you can get a spray bottle of accelerator at a good hobby shop. I have used CA with accelerator for sticking plastic rocker switches into plastic dash panels, and those are notoriously hard to bond.

I think the multiple-alcohol, swab with cleaner/activator, then buff out the cleaner/activator worked.
Pulled the tape holding the button on this morning, slipped the mirror over that and connected everything. Held for the drive to the airport, we'll see if it's still stuck'd when I get back, after a few temp cycles (40-50ish in the day, to 20's at night).

Time will tell.

[FordyceCreekTrail]

On an old Car we had I finally gave up after a windshield change, Never could get it stuck on long term again.

[TwinStick]

[Bill2014]

Surface prep is everything...

And don't forget about the puck - scrape it clean with a razor blade, and then clean it with acetone (not moisturizing nail polish remover )

Scrape the glass with a razor blade - feel it with your fingers, it should be silky smooth. Clean the glass with acetone, and only as a last resort use xylene for residue that acetone won't remove. (DON'T USE HF ACID - A tiny exposure can kill you )

Now - follow the application instructions with the kit

[RustyPW]

Surface prep is everything...

And don't forget about the puck - scrape it clean with a razor blade, and then clean it with acetone (not moisturizing nail polish remover )

Scrape the glass with a razor blade - feel it with your fingers, it should be silky smooth. Clean the glass with acetone, and only as a last resort use xylene for residue that acetone won't remove. (DON'T USE HF ACID - A tiny exposure can kill you )

Now - follow the application instructions with the kit

DON'T get HF Acid on your skin!!!!!!!!!! It will burn a hole through the skin. Then attack the calcium in your bones. Once it hits the bone. It's hard to stop. May have to cut the limb off to save the rest of the body. Some oil refineries use HF Acid in their processes. Everytime I would go into one of those refineries. They would issue me a small tin of black slave to neutralize the HF Acid if I would ever get some on me.

[Mule]

I do my best to avoid anything fluorine-related. Shit's bad yo.

When I was in the cylinder retest industry, our process/product didn't require devalving cylinders (unlike traditional hydro). We got a LOT of specialty stuff (read: real expensive stuff). One of the semiconductor plants in town had a bunch of cylinders of tungsten hexafluoride - WF6 - unlike SF6 (which is a lot of fun), WF6 is stuff you only breathe once. It's stored/shipped in nickel cylinders, since it hardens metals. Because nickel is so soft, when those cylinders are devalved for hydro test, sometimes the threads come out with it. At $3k/cyl, it's worth what we'd charge to not have the risk of thread damage during devalving/hydro test.
So we'd get cylinders in that were supposedly empty and N2-purged. Except some weighed significantly more than others. Hmm, that's weird. "Empty and purged, huh..."
I kinda don't miss that industry.

Or this stuff:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_trifluoride

It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that's the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water—with which it reacts explosively. It can be kept in some of the ordinary structural metals—steel, copper, aluminum, etc.—because of the formation of a thin film of insoluble metal fluoride which protects the bulk of the metal, just as the invisible coat of oxide on aluminum keeps it from burning up in the atmosphere. If, however, this coat is melted or scrubbed off, and has no chance to reform, the operator is confronted with the problem of coping with a metal-fluorine fire. For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes.

[RustyPW]

There is a lot of fun stuff out there that normal people have no idea about.

[olyelr]

There is a lot of fun stuff out there that normal people have no idea about.

I am one of those normal people... that shit sounds insane.

[RustyPW]

There is a lot of fun stuff out there that normal people have no idea about.

I am one of those normal people... that shit sounds insane.

You should work in a power plant. EVERYTHING there is designed to KILL YOU!

[Mule]

Mirror was still stuck to the windshield when I got back, and it made it all the way home. So far so good.

[Mule]

Still stuck'd to the window. Going to call this one a win.

But .... apparently in one of the falling-off-glue-falling-off-glue-falling-off-glue events I managed to lose the set screw that holds the mirror onto the button.
The mirror wiggles up and gets loose every now and then. Not a big deal to shove it back down onto the button, but ... annoying.

Anyone know the size/pitch of that set screw? Might just pop it off and see what I have in my garage.

[Rodeoflyer]

Just buy a new mirror...its a 3rd gen. you are a serious tinkerer my friend. Is it an auto-dimmer? I long for the 80s/90s when you just when to the store, bought a new mirror and stuck that shit on.

[Mule]

Auto-dim with the uconnect stuff (inop, the uconnect module's borked).

[TwinStick]

LOL Proof that all that shit is cool........until it breaks & your new mirror is "dealer only" & $700+ or some crazy shit ! LOL

[Mule]

which is why i'm looking for a 60-cent set screw, instead of the whole assembly.