Repairing a Velvac 2030 Mirror

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JoelP

JoelP

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
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735
Location
San Jose, CA
I have scanned the many posts about repairing Velvac mirrors, but they all seem to be aimed at repairing the entire mirror head. My mirror has stopped adjusting in one direction as if something anchoring it to the adjuster mechanism has come loose. I wonder if anyone has taken their mirror head apart to repair it. If so how is that done? Are subassembly parts available?
 
Have you tightened the screw at the bottom of the mirror arm.  Ours comes loose from time to time and the mirror will do what yours is doing.  Requires a small allen wrench. 
 
The issue isn't that it is loose.  It is very tight.  The problem is that it will adjust from the controls just fine up and down, but only adjusts to the left.  When trying to get the motor to move the mirror to the right the mirror doesn't move. That is why I am thinking that there is some disconnected linkage to the servo motor. I would like to take the mirror housing apart, but don't want to break it further trying to do so.
 
Sounds like the arm, the mirror shell, or both may have moved.

If you adjust the mirror in the direction it will move in can you movie it back in the other direction?  If so the problem is 99% likely to be the above.

The mirror in the shell can also be moved manually.  It will kind of click into place as you push it one way or the other.

We've had this happen more than once.  I recommend that everyone with these mirrors loosen the set screws about once a year and put a small drop of oil in the threads.  I've got one that froze and I've destroyed two Allen wrenches trying to get it to budge.

Hey!  I just realized you're in San. Jose!  What area?
 
Thanks for your suggestion. I recently had to readjust the mirror manually after it was bumped, so perhaps I did move it to the point to where it can?t adjust. I will try to loosen the Allen screw, move it about and see if it allows the motor to move it to the right.

I am in the Evergreen part of San Jose in The Villages.
 
JoelP said:
The issue isn't that it is loose.  It is very tight.  The problem is that it will adjust from the controls just fine up and down, but only adjusts to the left.  When trying to get the motor to move the mirror to the right the mirror doesn't move. That is why I am thinking that there is some disconnected linkage to the servo motor. I would like to take the mirror housing apart, but don't want to break it further trying to do so.
Click to expand...

I have the motion carriage of 2030 (passenger side) in front of me as I type this.  If you can move the mirror in both directions, the full distance of their normal travel, and hear and/or feel a strong ratchet type clicking, then the pivot is functioning.  Compare the feel of this action with the opposite mirror.  The mechanism is as indestructible as any thing you have ever handled.

The mirror and heater assembly mounts to the motion carriage via clips that are not intended to be removed without damaging the mirror.  With luck it could be done and I don't recommend it.

The linkage consists of a nylon spiral shaft that is part of the gear reduction assembly built into the motor.  The worm gear is fixed in place with the motor and the worm follower is attached to the mirror carriage via a ball joint.  The follower is designed to ratchet along the length of the worm, indefinitely, without damage, yet still retain a firm grasp.

There are .pdf files available from the manufacturer with some assembly and wiring details.

I suggest, if you have not yet done so, that you investigate the electrical aspects of system, starting with the control switch, before attacking the mirror itself.

Phil
 
JoelP said:
Thanks for your suggestion. I recently had to readjust the mirror manually after it was bumped, so perhaps I did move it to the point to where it can?t adjust. I will try to loosen the Allen screw, move it about and see if it allows the motor to move it to the right.

I am in the Evergreen part of San Jose in The Villages.
Click to expand...

I think you may have the answer, right there..^


Phil
 
psouza said:
I have the motion carriage of 2030 (passenger side)

There are .pdf files available from the manufacturer with some assembly and wiring details.

I suggest, if you have not yet done so, that you investigate the electrical aspects of system, starting with the control switch, before attacking the mirror itself.

Phil
Click to expand...

Thanks Phil for the description of the mechanism. I have seen pdf files with the circuit diagrams but nothing g as descriptive as what you sent of the transport mechanism.

I will compare this mirror to the one on the opposite side as I move the mirrors about in the mount.

As for the electrical connection I assume that if I remove the head from the arm that I can accesss a connector that can be probed
 
JoelP said:
Thanks Phil for the description of the mechanism. I have seen pdf files with the circuit diagrams but nothing g as descriptive as what you sent of the transport mechanism.

I will compare this mirror to the one on the opposite side as I move the mirrors about in the mount.

As for the electrical connection I assume that if I remove the head from the arm that I can accesss a connector that can be probed
Click to expand...

If you remove the head from the arm there will be a connector with enough slack in the wire to make measurements.  Beware that: 1. The coach side of the wire may have tension on it and pull back into the sidewall of the coach. 2. The wire from the coach is likely to be a pigtail about 2 to 3 feet long, that may not have a lock on the connector and pulling on the wire may disconnect the cable.  Whichever side this may be on, prepare to hire a 10 year old kid to go looking for it  :-\ ....or maybe remove the seat.  Yes!

Any way it is easier to just move the mirror head a bit in the needed direction to see if more work is needed.

Hint:  Center the mirror in the head at mid travel and then rotate the head to position the desired field of view. :))

Phil
 
Well To take apart the mirror start by removing and securing the glass.

At the bottom of the mirror the plastic part there there is a segment that can pull down it's snap locked in place you may need to
1: Tilt the mirror up as far as possible
2: inspect along the bottom (At least on mine) with an inspection mirror to see where to use a tool to release the clips (You can just pull down but that may break the clips) and then pull it down. CAREFULLY remove the mirror and unhook the wires  Then you can see inside the gear.

NOTE: that piece may be at the top as well in which case you tilt DOWN it's easy to figure out where it is.
 
Unless I was seeing things, when I worked on my velvac 2030 mirror this year the worm drives didn't go up-down and left-right.  They were opposed diagonally, so in order to go straight up and down or directly left and right, both motors run simultaneously.  Which means, if it can't go "right", but can go other directions the motors and drives are OK.  Just one direction not running implies a switch issue.  So if it were my project, before I went so far as to pry the glass off (without breaking it, and it's considered sacrificial) and mucking with the mechanics, pluck the mirror assembly off the mount, unplug the connector and verify power and grounds at the pins.  There are electrical diagrams online that show the connector pinout.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
Today I followed up on the suggestions here.  First of all I loosened the set screw and moved the mirror.  This had no effect whatsoever since it is only a mechanical adjustment to the mirror body. I would have been surprised if this helped since I could not see how that had any impact on the motor drive for the mirror mount.

Next I tried to hand adjust the mirror left and right to see if there was a position that would center it in the adjustment range and allow it to move the mirror to the right.  After many attempts I could find no position that caused the motor to move the mirror to the right.  It only moves to the left.  If I move it too far left the motor won't move the mirror either left or right.

Next I noticed that when I press the switch to the right I hear the same sound of the motor drive as if I were trying to move it to the left. This eliminates any concern with a broken wire or bad connection.  If there were an interrupted connection it should be dead silent.

I tried to compare the motion left and right to that of up and down and then noticed that I can move the mirror up, but it also will not move down.  That is to say that the up down motion is behaving exactly the same as left to right.  No matter how I physically adjusted it up and down it only moves up, but never down.  As before I can hear the motor trying to move it both up and down, so it too is getting a electrical signal.

The mirror on the opposite side of the coach works just fine.  If it were an issue with the switch it ought to be affecting the opposing side the same way as the the other.

I am nearly ready to risk damage to remove the mirror to inspect the mechanism since the next step would otherwise be to replace the entire head.

 
Mark_K5LXP said:
Unless I was seeing things, when I worked on my velvac 2030 mirror this year the worm drives didn't go up-down and left-right.  They were opposed diagonally, so in order to go straight up and down or directly left and right, both motors run simultaneously.  Which means, if it can't go "right", but can go other directions the motors and drives are OK.  Just one direction not running implies a switch issue.  So if it were my project, before I went so far as to pry the glass off (without breaking it, and it's considered sacrificial) and mucking with the mechanics, pluck the mirror assembly off the mount, unplug the connector and verify power and grounds at the pins.  There are electrical diagrams online that show the connector pinout.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Click to expand...

Mark, your comment is consistent with the fact that it neither moves right nor down, so perhaps the connection between one motor and the mirror is compromised.  I didn't think it could be the electrical connection to that motor since it makes noise. It is, however, possible that I may be hearing the sound of one motor while I need both to be running.
 
That's why I asked if it would go in both directions after you moved the shell. 

The situation I described has happened to us a couple of times.

Have you tried having someone 'help' the mirror move while you the button?

From the manual & drawings it looks like taking the glass off is only a moderate pain.  I hope you don't have to take it to a shop.  All the ones around us are solidly booked through January.  The exception might be Specialty in Morgan Hill.  Don't know.
 
It would seem if the screw drive or pivot are "stuck" you wouldn't hear the motors run, they would stall.  I don't recall seeing an overload clutch in there and it seems odd it would only spin in one direction.  Seems you might be digging in there after all to figure this out.  The good news is it's a very simple assembly, once you get it open it will all be very obvious to identify the problem.  Maybe a combination of wear and maybe some dirt?

The glass on mine was stuck to to the frame with penny sized blobs of silicone in each of the four corners.  I used a thin putty knife to wedge in underneath from the edge and pull/tease it away.  But it's a fine line between getting the glass off and busting it so you can either get a new glass kit and just bust the old one off, or be OK with the idea you'll beat the odds and get it off without breaking it, and possibly ordering it after the fact.   

I didn't research to see if the drive mechanism parts are available to order, mine was working OK.  If it turns out you have something broken or worn in there be sure to factor cost, availability and shipping of those parts (plus possibly the glass) vs ordering a whole new mirror.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
Lou Schneider said:
Velvac has a comprehensive document library covering their mirrors, including illustrated instructions on how to remove the mirror glass to gain access to the interior of the head shell.

https://www.velvac.com/resources/field_vehicle_segment_reference/motorhome-rv-56
Click to expand...

Thanks!  This is very helpful. The next step will be to remove the head and check that there is signal integrity. If that fails I will follow these instructions to remove the mirror glass.
 
8Muddypaws said:
That's why I asked if it would go in both directions after you moved the shell. 

The situation I described has happened to us a couple of times.

Have you tried having someone 'help' the mirror move while you the button?

From the manual & drawings it looks like taking the glass off is only a moderate pain.  I hope you don't have to take it to a shop.  All the ones around us are solidly booked through January.  The exception might be Specialty in Morgan Hill.  Don't know.
Click to expand...

Good thought about getting someone to help persuade the mirror when the control is activated. There is no way that I will be taking this the shop. It will be quicker and cheaper to replace the entire head assembly if it comes to that.
 
Let me know if you need help.

I went out to work on my stuck set screw yesterday and it started raining like crazy.  Must have been some sort of a sign.

Yup, it was a sign.  I attempted to get the set screw out and my Allen wrench started bending.  I found another (better quality?) wrench and it shattered.

Anybody used an E Z Out on these little buggers?
 
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