Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => Technical / Authenticity => Topic started by: d307p on July 22, 2012, 01:20:27 PM

Title: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: d307p on July 22, 2012, 01:20:27 PM
Passenger sunvisor on 76 Eldorado Convertible falls completely down, and driver's visor on 77 Coupe Deville falls a couple inches.  Tried the screw on the visor but didn't work on either.  Any suggestions?
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: Cadillac Nut on July 22, 2012, 03:02:28 PM
Hi,
Mine do that too.  If I tighten the screw hard they work fine for several months.  Try replacing the screw.  If that doesn't work, replace the sun visor mount.  My passenger side sunvisor was as bad as yours, after I replaced the mount it worked much better.  Hope this helps.  :)

Regards,
Garrett Baker
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 23, 2012, 02:18:21 PM
Inside the visor there are some bushings. The visor from the Seville kept flopping down too. Replaced the bushings, and much better now. Saw the other day that USA Parts supply sells a Visor Repair kit for $4.99.
I took my bushings from a car in the junk yard, but maybe the ones they sell might work better.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: TJ Hopland on July 23, 2012, 11:26:03 PM
How hard is it to replace those bushings?
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: The Tassie Devil(le) on July 24, 2012, 12:14:02 AM
What i did years ago on another brand of vehicle was increase the diameter of the shaft slightly with the application of Bronze, and then machined it down to slightly thicker than it was.

Putting the visor back on to this "new" shaft solved the problem.

Bruce. >:D
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 24, 2012, 12:18:44 PM
Quote from: TJ Hopland on July 23, 2012, 11:26:03 PM
How hard is it to replace those bushings?

Unscrew the visor from the roof (3 screws)
Unscrew the one one screw that holds the metal shaft in, pull that out, and the bushing is there.
More difficult getting the whole thing in with the new bushing without breaking the bushing. Might also be an electrical connection that goes into the visor, so dont pull too hard on the shaft.
If you do pull too hard, will have to take the mirror off to put the connector back on.
I took one visor apart and made the mistake of spraying on some electrical cleaner. The stuff you use to clean starters. I usually use electronic cleaner, but was out of it. Within a minute, all the springs jumped out and the interior of the visor was cracked. Reading the label on the back, that stuff eats plastic. Nice.....
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: TJ Hopland on July 24, 2012, 01:35:18 PM
How about the visors that dont appear to have a screw on them?
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 24, 2012, 01:50:52 PM
Which cars dont have the screw?
Might go to junkyard this weekend then. Rip apart one and take pics.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: d307p on July 24, 2012, 02:43:19 PM
I'd be interested to know what the bushing looks like before I take the visor apart. 
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 24, 2012, 02:55:17 PM
Download the USA Parts catalog for 71 - 85 cars. Page 4 had a pic of the bushings.
http://www.usapartssupply.com/

Says Sunvisor Repair Kit. I remember the bushings having a longer piece of plastic at the bottom than what they have in the pic, but might work.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: 76eldo on July 24, 2012, 04:50:47 PM
The 80's Seville's and Eldo's do not have any type of adjustment screw, and always sag.

I have never found a satisfactory repair method either.

Brian
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: TJ Hopland on July 24, 2012, 10:32:17 PM
I was thinking of the 80's cars too that don't have a visible screw like the older stuff did. 
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: The Tassie Devil(le) on July 24, 2012, 11:00:20 PM
This is what I did to the "non" Cadillac shaft that didn't have an adjusting screw.

Yes, the initial Bronzing was a bit messy, but cleaning it up in the lathe worked wonders.

I wouldn't recommend doing this to the faint-hearted as turning the piece in the lathe with the mounting bracket attached was a precarious undertaking, but it had to be done.

The trouble was that the re-chromed part was that smooth and slippery that the friction between the spring in the visor and the shaft just simply wasn't enough to hold it up.

The completed job worked out beautifully.

Bruce. >:D
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 25, 2012, 12:56:57 PM
Very nice Bruce.
Anything that can make the shaft a bit bigger should work. I once tried putting some gasket material around the shaft to tighten it, but that did not work. The bronze is very nice, but for me, I dont have access to those tools. Not sure what else you could do to make the shaft slightly thicker.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: Jeff Wilk on July 25, 2012, 06:20:28 PM
Go to an orthodontist and get a bag of rubber bands for braces (or borrow some from a teen). Wrap two or three on each visor shaft and reassemble.  Should work great!!! ;D.  ;D
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 25, 2012, 09:05:37 PM
Quote from: Jeff Wilk on July 25, 2012, 06:20:28 PM
Go to an orthodontist and get a bag of rubber bands for braces (or borrow some from a teen). Wrap two or three on each visor shaft and reassemble.  Should work great!!! ;D.  ;D

Wish would work. The shaft is pretty tight in there. When you try to put it back in, the bands will slip off. If you can make the shaft wider by 0.2 mm, that would probably be enough.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: Jeff Wilk on July 25, 2012, 09:20:53 PM
OK...did not know it was that close of a tolerance.  That being the case, what about a simple wrap or two/three of plumbers pipe thread, or even saran wrap?  These are very very thin and do have a degree of "Cling" to them.  I've used this before on other situations needing some tightening......and if they don't work, total cost less than $5 and no harm done......
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: Hankk17 on July 25, 2012, 10:09:37 PM
Bruce - you crazy.

but in a good way, lol

-Hank
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: Gene Beaird on July 26, 2012, 10:07:13 AM
Quote from: Jeff Wilk on July 25, 2012, 06:20:28 PM
Go to an orthodontist and get a bag of rubber bands for braces (or borrow some from a teen). Wrap two or three on each visor shaft and reassemble.  Should work great!!! ;D.  ;D

You can also get those by the bag at Sally Beauty Supply.  Heck, you may even be able to get them at a drug store, not sure.  We get ours from Sally. 

Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 26, 2012, 12:55:40 PM
Quote from: Jeff Wilk on July 25, 2012, 09:20:53 PM
OK...did not know it was that close of a tolerance.  That being the case, what about a simple wrap or two/three of plumbers pipe thread, or even saran wrap?  These are very very thin and do have a degree of "Cling" to them.  I've used this before on other situations needing some tightening......and if they don't work, total cost less than $5 and no harm done......

That might work. Just once again, when you try to push the shaft into the bushing in the visor, it will probably push the wrap back and bundle it up. . Bruce's idea is nice because it really creates a thicker shaft. Bruce, you might have a business opportunity here.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: 76eldo on July 26, 2012, 01:43:26 PM
I'm going to try wrapping something the nub that clips into the retainer in the center of the header to see if that provides enough resistance to keep the visors up.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: d307p on July 26, 2012, 01:51:27 PM
Brian, I tried that on my 77 Deville driver visor.  Used black electrical tape.  Didn't work for me....
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: 76eldo on July 26, 2012, 04:59:07 PM
Sticky side out? >:D

Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: TJ Hopland on July 28, 2012, 07:53:16 AM
How about a slight bend to the shaft?
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on July 28, 2012, 08:18:55 AM
Slight bend might work.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: Dan Koser on August 04, 2012, 01:54:17 PM
Now I have NOT tried this as a solution here, but I've read about attempts to make the sunvisor rod larger.....what about trying to make the sleeve smaller? Perhaps the kit mentioned in the thread is the right way to go, but I recall....back in the day....that valve guides were sometimes not replaced, but were "knuralized" (not the Men in Black type), but with a tap like you'd use to chase threads. In this case, you'd thread the sleeve, which has the effect of pushing material from the sleeve into the area occupied by the rod, thus decreasing the i.d. of the sleeve. Just a thought.   Options are good...right? Regards,   Dan
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: dirtycustom40 on August 07, 2012, 08:40:03 PM
Mine were  fine till i saw your thread.Thats typical.I went to true value and looked their massive hardware assortment.A good ace hardware should have one too.I found 5/16 thin walled plastic bushings.I bought 2 trimmed length on one and and slit both from top to bottom as visor rod is an odd size.Reinstalled and snugged up screw real good.Dont over tighten it though or you might break clamp.So far so good at holding visor up.5 minutes work and 30 cents plus tax to fix.You could also try a good sharp tooth pair of vice grips to roughen up the rod to get it to hold better.Not smashing it just chewing up the end a bit for resistance.That has worked for me on other vehicles in the past.I have also used allen set screws after drilling a small hole on other stuff to get resistance.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: TJ Hopland on August 07, 2012, 09:52:09 PM
So how do the later ones that don't have a visible screw come apart?
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on August 27, 2012, 01:27:17 PM
Quote from: TJ Hopland on August 07, 2012, 09:52:09 PM
So how do the later ones that don't have a visible screw come apart?

Went to junkyard yesterday. Pulled apart one of the visors without the visible screw. there is a screw, but its on the back, under the fabric. I could see it when I ripped the thing apart, but you might feel it.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: TJ Hopland on August 28, 2012, 12:37:50 AM
I was wondering about that.   Did they hide the screw when they went to the cloth covering perhaps?  My vinyl ones have screws and the cloth ones dont.  That also could just be age....
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: waterzap on August 28, 2012, 01:48:41 PM
The one I tore apart was cloth. Should have taken photos. See if you can feel a screw head. The screw is in about the same place as the older ones, just on the other side. By the way, I was able to pull the metal bracket out without even touching the screw. The bushing looked fine afterward. Probably not very tight to begin with.
Title: Re: How do I fix sunvisor that keeping falling down?
Post by: eldofixer on July 20, 2014, 09:08:26 PM
I know this is an old subject....but there haven't been too many simple solutions put forward that really work. This is my 2nd '85 Eldorado, just got it and guess what, the sun visors won't stay up. So I ripped one out of my old car, took it apart once again. It's the one with the two black plastic flanged pieces an no tension screw. I tried a number of things to get the black plastic pieces to grip the rod better but to no avail. Just about to give up when I spotted my tube of blue threadlocker. Slid the plastic pieces as far as I could on the rod, smeared on some threadlocker, pushed the plastic pieces back over it. Couple of hours later they were really tight, but could be moved......wonder how long this will last, and has anybody done this before?
Thanks
Mac