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Installing CJ Mirrors on an Early Bronco (Roadster)

cgbexec

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
2,071
Loc.
Naples, FL
I installed Jeep CJ (Stainless) mirrors on my 1976 Roadster Conversion. If you run without doors or you run a roadster with soft doors, these are a must have. They mount to the side of windshield (You can still lay the windshield on the hood).

Here is a tech article if Admin deems it worthy of the Tech Articles Section.

You will need the following:

1) Part # 7458 (Jeep CJ Mirrors - Stainless). This is a set of passanger and drivers side mirrors.
2) Drill
3) 3/16 Allen Wrench
4) 17/64 Drill Bit (1/4" will work, but you need to be extra careful with the tap).
5) 5/16-18 Tap
6) 12mm socket & wratchet and a 12mm wrench (I used two 12mm sockets).
7) Punch & Hammer
8) Sharpie marker or pencil
9) anti-seeze
10) angle grinder or dremel with cutoff wheel (you could use a thin file, but that would take alot of patients).
(See 1st picture)


Now find the arm and bracket that you will be installing. They are different passanger and driver.

1) Tighten the bolt and nut on the arm & bracket. (See 2nd picture)
2) Hold it up to the side of the windshield you will be installing it on. I installed mine flush with the bottom edge of the windshield where the hing is. (See 3rd picture) As you can see the bracket is going to have to be notched to make it fit perfectly.
3) Use the sharpie and make a mark half way between the front edge of the windshield and where the rain drip channel begins in the middle of the braket holes.
4) Now take the sharpie and mark on the rear of the bracket where it comes into contact with the rain drip rail. You are going to notch the bracket here so that it will fit flush with the edge of the windshield (See 4th picture).


Now is time to notch the bracket.

1) Very carefully notch where you marked the bracket. It would be better to notch it too small and have to take out some material than to remove too much material (See 5th picture).
2) This about how much material you need to remove (See 6th picture).
3) Check the fit (See 7th picture). I need to remove more material.
4) Perfect fit! (See 8th picture). It is so perfect that the bracket stays put without my assistance.


Now it is time to drill and Tap the holes in the windshield.

1) Take a punch & hammer and indent the two sharpie markes we made in the side of the windshield.
2) Using a 17/64th Drill Bit drill out the two holes. Be very careful and don't push too hard. Let the drill bit do the work. (You can use a 1/4" Drill Bit if you don't have a 17/64th Bit, but you must be extra careful when tapping out the hole that you don't break off the tap.
3) Carefully tap the 5/16" holes in the side of the windshield (See 9th picture).


Now it is time to mount the bracket & arm.

1) Now take the bracket off of the arm (See 10th picture).
2) Loosely install the top and bottom brackets using the anti-seeze (See 11th picture).
3) Install the arm with black bushings (Don't install arm bolt).
4) Make sure the bracket lines up and is where you want it.
5) Tighten the brackets to the windshield with the 1/16th allen wrench.
6) Now install the arm bolt using the lock washer & nut using the 12mm socket & 12mm wrench (snug it, don't fully tighten it).


Time to mount & align the mirror.

1) Mount the mirror using the lockwasher, nut and acorn nut (12mm socket or wrench).
2) Align the mirror and arm where you want it and where you can see best from the drivers seat.
3) Tighten the arm bolt and mirror face.
4) Now do the other side.
5) Done! (See 12th picture)

They fit perfectly and look like they belong with just a little modification. Now you can run with soft doors, tube doors or no doors. Enjoy!

Chris B.
 

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cgbexec

cgbexec

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
2,071
Loc.
Naples, FL
I am waiting for a fan and shroud before I fire her up. I should be driving it next weekend hopefully. :)
 

mr.n

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2004
Messages
710
Very nice write up cgbexec!


I'd suggest for anyone reading along to mount them to the front of the windshield.
Being on the side, they could hit a branch or rock while trail riding.
On the front they can still be swung out to use.
 

Sweathog

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
311
Loc.
Lansing
Thanks for the tech tips. Great insight and they look good. Doesn't matter if the doors are on or off.
 

Landho

Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
442
Loc.
Cypress, TX
Nice write up. Get's my thumbs up for a tech article.

I wonder if you could mount to the front of the windshield instead of to the side. I'd like to be able to fold them completely out of the way for certain pinetree/stone wall situations.
 

TN1776

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
2,632
Very nice! I may have to copy this idea. Do you have a picture that shows both mirrors, as taken from in front of the rig? I smoothed my doors and do not want to mount mirrors back to them - and will likely run doorless for 6 months out of every year anyway...

Great write-up!
 

904Bronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
5,743
Loc.
San Martin, CA
Very nice... Definately should be a write-up in Tech ;D

Did you buy the mirrors locally or someplace on line?
 

bax

Contributor
Old Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
14,490
Looks good and I know you said Roadster but would a set of doors hit the mirrors?
 

bigmuddy

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 28, 2004
Messages
6,994
Loc.
Marthasville Missouri
I got to thinking last night, that the last set of jeep mirrors I saw mounted this way, you couldn't see out of the passenger side mirror very well? I beleive I have seen the passenger side mounted to the front of the windshield frame so the driver could look through the front window and get a better view out of the mirror instead.

Ben
 

Scrapper_MV

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
948
Great write up! I'm going to make my doors removable with lift off hinges, this solves the side view mirror dilemma!

I have that same grinder with the missing safety shroud. It magically fell off the first day I used it and I haven't figured out how to put it back on yet! And I have scars to prove it.:eek: ;)
 
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cgbexec

cgbexec

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
2,071
Loc.
Naples, FL
Very nice write up cgbexec!


I'd suggest for anyone reading along to mount them to the front of the windshield.
Being on the side, they could hit a branch or rock while trail riding.
On the front they can still be swung out to use.

They can be mounted on the front of the windshield, but then you can't lay the windshield down on the hood (Safari Style).

They can be swung back against the soft door for trail riding. You will have have to swing them forward again to open the door. Once bolt and you can remove the entire arm with mirror and just have the brackets left.
 
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