Disassembling & Reassembling Ganador Super Mirrors

Just got a set of JDM Ganador Super Mirrors overnight from Japan? Ready to install them on your FD3S RX-7, GC8 WRX, XE10 IS300 or S13 240SX? Well, before you just bolt 'em up, it's a good idea to disassemble them, clean them up, repaint them and upgrade the mirror glass to help you see a bit better out of your LHD car.

SO LET'S GET STARTED!

Tool List

• Needle Nose Pliers
• Phillips Head Screw Driver
• Flat Head Screw Driver
• 7mm Wrench

Guide

1. Temporarily attach the power connector to your door and adjust the mirror lens horizontally inwards until it can't anymore. The lens is on a pivotal ball with two plastic screws that are threaded into the motors. This way the rubber screw is completely out of one socket. Then carefully separate the lens from the pivot ball (be gentle as the other screw is still threaded and are very weak). Once it has popped off, adjust the mirror upwards to get the lens completely detached.

This is the lens detached (to give you an idea of what you're doing)

At this point - you can use pry tools and razor blades to remove the mirror glass. Once it's removed, you can use 3M Tape to attach your Ganador Super Mirror Replacement Lenses and reinstall them. If you're going to continue disassembly for paint / rebuild... then let's continue!

Note: You can do the following steps with the mirror unplugged.

2) Behind the lens is the motor held onto a backing plate by four screws. Three of which are easily enough to screw out but the fourth has a nut behind it which you can't get to just yet.

3) Remove the two screws holding the backing plate to the housing.

4) Pull the whole part out, it should come out with a bit of force as the spring is holding it in, so just move it until it holds itself ajar.

5) Here you'll be able to see the 7mm nut, use the wrench to hold it and close the gap a bit until you can use your screw driver on the outside.

The motor should come off the backing plate now.

6) Now that the plate is by itself, the only things holding it there are the two springs which are hooked onto holes.

Push the plate back in and try to get the plate back out from the opposite end (opposite to where it is hooked) this will remove the resistance from the springs. Then just unhook the two springs from the plate.

7) The housing can be separated partially now.

8) The parts of the housing aren't actually attached anymore but the motor power cable is threaded through and bolted down on the adapter plate(?). Undo the screw (on the left) that is on the casing not the one on the circuit board. The circuit board holder will now come off.

9) Thread the holder through the hole where the wires are. Your Ganadors will be two parts now.



10) Now I didn't test if the bracket would fit through the hole of the lens holder but I didn't want to chance the squeeze and just undid the screw.

After you undo the screw, you'll have to carefully pry the circuit board off the bracket (its stuck).

11) Thread that through the hole and pull the motor out and.......



12) You're done. Ganador Mirror into pieces.

Now it's time to put it back together, eh? Well, remember the words of the late, great John Haynes "Assembly is the reverse of disassembly". Almost forgot, one note when it comes to paint - put them back together before your last few coats.

All credit Due to Owgasm on SAU.com.au for this write up!