Drooping Visor fix
:smash As promised, I am posting my fix of the drooping sun visor situation.
Here is the procedure.
1. Go to your local hardware store and purchase 2 hose clamps of the type that are worm drive, the size on the package should read 1/4" to 5/8" (the kind that has a band with groves cut for the worm screw to tighten) and purchase a stone grinder that comes to a point (about 3/4 inch at the butt and comes to a rounded point of about 1/8") which will fit into a drill & a 1/2" (with a tapered point) rasping file about 10 or 12" long (longer is ok, shorter is hard to deal with). (note you could use the stone grinder but I feel the file is safer to work with inside the SSR)
Also have on hand some super glue that will stick to the plastic barrel where you will place the hose clamp and the metal of the hose clamp. (test a small area with a drop on the outside of the barrel below where the hose clamp band will go, if you can't scratch it off when dry it is a go as long as it states it will adhere to metal also)
2. Remove the visor and note there are 3 slots cut in the upper part of the barrel where the visor shaft comes through. This is the area you will place the hose clamp. Slide the hose clamp over the barrel making sure, as you tighten it, that the end opposite the tightening bolt is barely over one of the three landings where the three attachment screws come through and the other end is about the same (split the difference) figuring you are going to grind off the tightening nut as much as possible (I got mine down to 1/8"). Also make sure the top of the band is completely on the barrel.
3. Tighten up the clamp quite tight and test the increased tension. When you think it is tight enough, give it a bit more. (note you muscle men might not take this additional step). It is helpful if you test the tension prior to making the repair so you have some reference as to the added tension.
3a. After making a final adjustment and before using the super glue or grinding off the tightening bolt, trim off the excess part of the belt. Mark the cut area to cut at by scoring a line with the edge of a file and use needle nosed pliers to bend it back and forth until it breaks at the line.
4. Grind off the tightening bolt as described above. When grinding off the tightening device, remember to not get too heavy handed as you may create enough heat to melt the plastic. (the new clamps you buy have a longer tightening device, and thus more grinding, then the two, lucky me, older clamps I had in my fastener bin).
5. put a small amount of super glue at the lower & upper part of the hose clamp belt to make sure it cannot slip up. (just a dot here and there as you may have to remove it in the future)
5. To install the modified visor you will need to file off both sides of one of the 3 possible areas the hose clamp tightening device will fit. This will become obvious when you attempt to insert it without doing the filing first. (DO NOT FILE THE AREA WHERE THE SCREWS GO THROUGH!!) NOTE: it does not matter which of the 3 areas you choose as any will do.
Once the area is widened enough, check by trial and error, attach the repaired visor and you are done. I would guess no more than 1 hour for the fix and about 7 bucks for the material.
I applied this fix to the passenger side and, while driving with the top down and on bumpy city roads, was able to move the visor to any position at the side and have it stay in place. Still, I feel I should have gave the clamp a bit more tension, time will tell.
Good luck,
Harlan
