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How do you install the Donnelly - Mirror and a GPS receiver?

9K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  hack123456 
Gary,

Did you have to remove and then replace the "button" on the windshield with a standard one? Or is there a version of the Donnelly mirror that works with the "button" on our windshields already?

Thanks,
MF
 
I've been wondering about this one, too - I'm very tempted by the Donnelly mirrors, but worried about breaking my windshield. A year or so ago, I was cleaning the inside of my last car's windshield, and wasn't paying attention when I swept my hand with the paper towel in it past the mirror. I bumped the mirror with my forearm, knocking the mirror, the mounting button, and a chunk of windshield onto the floor of my car.

Fortunately, my state is a "free windshield replacement" state, so I got a new windshield for free. I've been very careful using the Windex ever since.

Makes you wonder how many state legislators the auto glass industry donated to in their effort to get that law passed - Massachusetts must buy more new windshields than any other state in the union. Easy when they're free. Of course, we pay for it through our insurance rates.

MF
 
Maybe you'll have better luck with glass shops than I did. I stopped by the one closest to me a few weeks ago, and when I asked them about it, they gave me blank looks, and finally said "well, the windshields come to us with the buttons already on them."

I gave up at that point.

It was kind of like the scene in Spinal Tap in which Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) is showing off his guitars and amps, and says "This one goes to eleven."

MF
 
Holy necropost, Batman!

Well, it took me a few years to get around to it, but I finally replaced my factory mirror with the Donnelly compass/temperature mirror. More challenging than I expected, and I needed to ask for help from Rick Reece and the local Radio Shack, but by this evening, all was installed and working fine.

At this point, we may be past the wave of people trying mods and add-ons like this. But just in case, here are some lessons-learned. Those of you who are familiar with auto electronics and wiring won't learn anything from this; those of you like me who get in over your heads but keep trying anyway might find a tidit or two.

1. Replacing the windshield button. My windshield had a huge crack in it before I started this project, and it had to be replaced in its entirety. When the auto glass guy showed up in his van, with a new windshield complete with standard Insight button, I asked him how I would replace it with the more common one which would allow me to install the aftermarket mirror. He said "I can take it off for you." He warmed the button with a blow torch for a few seconds, and then used his vice grips to twist it off. I bought a replacement at the auto parts store for a few bucks, with glue to attach it; also bought a cheap ($15?) plain mirror that fit the new button, because I didn't have the Donnelly one yet.

2. Got the Donnelly mirror via ebay for $149 including shipping. It was "new, never installed" but looked like an open box. Came with all parts, though. Only blue LED ones are available on ebay these days. Green seems to be all gone.

3. Put the temperature sensor just in front of the radiator on the driver's side. Ran the wire into the driver's side front wheel well (removed the wheel and plastic liner, as another post recommended). But got stuck trying to get it through the rubber gasket into the car. I asked Rick Reece for help; he let me know that you can squeeze these wires into the port in the rubber gasket used by the existing wiring - it stretches. Not easy to do though - very hard to work and apply leverage/force appropriately in the narrow space between the outer body panel and the tub. I tried sending a wire coathanger piece through from the inside to the outside; I then taped the wires to the wire using duct tape and tried to pull them back to the inside. Bad idea -- the gasket opening was too tight and squeezed the tape/wires off the end of the hanger wire. And now the wires were covered in stickiness from the duct tape, which made them MUCH harder to get through the gasket. I had to clean them off with "goo gone" and then just pushed them through. Sounds easier than it was. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

4. No problem getting the wire from the mirror itself tucked up under the headliner and down the driver's side A-pillar so that all wires come together near the fuse box. Now I had to attach the grounding wire, which comes with a little O-fitting to slip over a screw. I popped out the little cubby to the left of the steering wheel where I keep quarters for parking meters, and saw a screw I could use. Worked fine.

5. Then had to attach the live wire to a switched 12V wire. I didn't even have a meter in my tool box to find a switched 12V wire. This led to my trip to Radio Shack, where a nice young man who looked about 15 was kind enough not to snicker at yet another middle-aged guy coming in for help in the middle of a project. He sold me a cheap multi-meter, and then helped me brainstorm how to find a live wire when they are all insulated. We settled on using a needle to poke into the insulation; one lead to ground, the other to the needle and see if I have 12 volts. Sure enough, that approach worked.

6. Finally, the wire tap that came with the mirror (to connect the mirror's live wire to a switched 12V wire) was impossible to figure out. The Radio Shack guy couldn't understand how that one was supposed to work either. He sold me a 12-pack of simple wire taps (only needed one but they don't sell them individually).

And that was the last step. Amazingly, it worked the first time I turned the key after connecting the wire tap and reconnecting the car's 12V battery.

So... I realize I may be the last person to try this on an Insight, but if there is someone as inexperienced as me who tries it, I've at least published where I got stuck and how I got through it. Thanks again to Rick and everyone else for inspiration and guidance.

Yours,
Mike
 
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