red threadlock: how much heat do you need? Birkin mirror adventure.

[pethier]

I figured that changing the side mirrors on the Birkin would be a walk in the park.  The mirrors that came to me with this car are flat.  The left one is wonky, and a DPO tried to fix that with an airplane clamp.  That does not work.

 

Got new mirrors.  Convex.  Look good.  Mounting method looks identical.  I rolled back the big locknut.  Now all I have to do is grab onto the mirror strut and rotate it out.  No go.  I took a closer look:

 

I see red.  I fear that some DPO has used Red LocTite on this mirror stem.  WHY?  There is a massive locknut on this (much-more substantial stuff than on my Caterham).  I can't believe it would rattle loose untreated, much less rattle loose with Blue LocTite.

 

Just for laughs, I check the right mirror.  No, that one is not coming off either.

 

OK, so if it is re LocTite, there is no way it is coming out without heat.  So how much heat do I need?  Will a serious heat gun do the job?  

 

I have already wrestled off the wind deflectors, since they certainly will not survive any heat in the area.

 

Should I not try heat here?  Plan B would be to declare the removal imposible,

 

crack the nut and Dremel the part that didn't fracture 

 

saw the mirror stem off leaving the threaded stub sticking out of the windshield frame

 

find or make coupling nuts and screw the new mirror into that.

 

 

[wdb]

Would freezing it break the bond?

[wemtd]

Use a heat gun & be patient. 
iirc the #on the thread locked corresponds to the F release temp. But easier for you to double check.

also:

Did I mention patience ?   to ensure the whole piece warms up… I once encountered a wheel spacer glued by the thread locker.

[pethier]

OK.  I'll take a shot at it with the heat gun.