[MBeige]

Folks,

Has anybody installed a Homelink/autodimming/compass-equipped mirror in their W123? What power source did you use?

The illuminated sun visors and front dome light always have 12v power so they are not recommended as a power source for the mirror.

I'm thinking of installing one equipped with auto-dimming, Homelink and compass. The standard mirror is 11.5 inches wide, and 2.75 inches tall.

 

[::matthew]

I had modified a sunroof switch, fit into the fader location to operate my opener. no light, but otherwise blends in very well. I used a 9V power source soldered onto the board, but you could probably rig power from the car.

 

[240_benz]

Grumpy560 from the w126 section is putting a Homelink mirror in his SEL: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w12...ation-040-black-swap-works-4.html#post4429291

He talks more about it in the following pages too

 

[mike-81-240d]

2Phast modifies and sells the mirrors for W201's, W124's, W126's, and W123's. You might want to ask him.

Link: http://www.2phast.com/mirror/

 

[joe green]

Wow that is a nice mirror for $165. I think that's what he means 165 shipping. I hope its not $165 just for shipping. what a great addition.

 

[MBeige]

2Phast modifies and sells the mirrors for W201's, W124's, W126's, and W123's. You might want to ask him.

Link: Mercedes Auto dimming mirrors with Homelink & Compass

Yes, I already have made my purchase and he will build it next week due to me being 5th in his queue. The price quoted is the mirror shipped to the US. It costs more to ship international, but he does that service too.

But I wanted to know whether others have done this modification and if so, where they tapped a switched 12v power source.

 

[joe green]

cool. I may have to do this on my car. When you receive your mirror make sure to take pictures of the installation and where you tapped into power. I love that someone is making these.

 

[DieselKraut]

Yes, I already have made my purchase and he will build it next week due to me being 5th in his queue. The price quoted is the mirror shipped to the US. It costs more to ship international, but he does that service too.

But I wanted to know whether others have done this modification and if so, where they tapped a switched 12v power source.

It will be east to tap into the sun visor lights or dome light.


If you want to have it only be able to get power when the key is in the first position then you will have to remove the driver side A pillar instead of just the dome light.

 

[MBeige]

It will be east to tap into the sun visor lights or dome light.


If you want to have it only be able to get power when the key is in the first position then you will have to remove the driver side A pillar instead of just the dome light.

Using a live 12v source is just asking for trouble. I'd prefer a switched 12v as Rik recommended.

How does one remove the A-pillar? I prefer to remove the passenger side pillar, to avoid damaging the VIN tag on the driver side A-pillar.

 

[joe green]

thats a good idea. the passenger side. When do you expect to have the mirror.

 

[MBeige]

Sometime this week, he will start building mine. So I anticipate the mirror to arrive late this week, or early next.

 

[gatorblue92]

2Phast modifies and sells the mirrors for W201's, W124's, W126's, and W123's. You might want to ask him.

Link: Mercedes Auto dimming mirrors with Homelink & Compass

Now that is cool. Way down the list for my 240D but a great item to have.

 

[MBeige]

I just received the custom W123 mirror, so I compared it with a fresh early-style W123 mirror I had in my parts stash.

The new mirror is definitely heftier, due to the added parts. The thickness of the mirror body is significant compared to the thin, older mirror. The older mirror is very light compared to the new one, but certainly feels just as durable.

The ball mount on the new mirror is not as difficult to move as the older mirror, which still retains a very good grip despite the years. The older mirror is slightly wider by an inch (half an inch on both sides), but height is the same. Older mirror has a wider range of adjustment through the ball joint, and slightly less with the anti-glare tab flipped. The anti-glare tab moves the ball mount within the mirror body, so this somewhat lessens the range a little. New mirror has less range, but the range is well within the usable aspect. Older mirror simply was over-engineered to accommodate a wider range.

The older mirror provides a field of view wider than the new mirror, but this wider field of view includes portions of the W123 that are not needed (base of C-pillar is what's covered). In the new mirror, the field of view is still similar.

Those of you who have a newer car with autodimming function will appreciate the new mirror. Those of you who don't have it will take a while to get accustomed to it. Before we had the Subaru Forester (2011), I was so used to the stock W123 mirror with wide-angle Broadway clip-on mirror for better field of view. But I realize now that this is not necessary.

These are just notes from initial observation. I'll document the installation process when I get to it. In the mean time I've got a handful of other small little projects to take care of

 

[MBeige]

Notes before we begin:

If you have a W123 with loose mirror mount (stalk to vehicle link), then chances are one or more of the 3 screws holding the base is loose.

There is a way to reinstall the mirror pretty easily, and removing it is as simple as yanking it sideways.

If the mount is loose, it will give you difficulty in removing, because the base is yielding to your pull, preventing the stalk to separate from the base.

Couple of notes from the installation:

The installation went smoothly. Instead of removing the A pillar, I just slipped the extension wires through the sun visor mount holes.

1. Download the auto dimming installation guide from Rik Johnson's site, to get an idea on how to proceed.

2. Remove the mirror by yanking it sideways. GRAB THE STALK, not the mirror.

3. Remove the dome light and electric connections.

4. Remove the sun visor and clip on side you want to run the wires through.

5. Pull out the weatherstrip material that surrounds the door opening. This material is the type that starts from the top of the B pillar, forward to the A pillar, and down to the front portion of the door sill. No need to remove it completely, just out of the way where the dashboard, A pillar and weather strip material meet.

6. Slip a 20 or 22 gauge wire into the sun visor mount opening (not the clip opening) until you reach it from the dome light opening.

7. Slip the other end of the wire into the sun visor mount opening, until you can pull down on the header material and slip the wire out. Run the wire on the rear edge of the A pillar trim, and using a flat blade screwdriver, CAREFULLY push the wires into the space between the A pillar frame and A pillar cover.

8. Slip the end of the wire into the dashboard. This is to be accessed via the glove box opening.

9. Tap any SWITCHED 12V source you wish. In my case I used the glove box door, but note that if you use the glove box power leads, make sure you access the leads closer to the insulation material. This will assure that you will tap the ground wire that is NOT deactivated by the glove box door. Otherwise, the mirror will run only when the glove box is open (and vehicle is running).

10. Mount the mirror and test. If it tests good, then you can reinstall everything back. If not, determine source of problem and troubleshoot.

 

[MBeige]

Photos as promised:

Original and modified

In detail

As seen from within the car

It blends in fairly well

As seen from the front

 

[JoshW123]

Pat...gotta hand it to ya man. That looks pretty fly.

 

[PlaneCrazy]

How nice to see the moderators not too high-and-mighty to get their hands dirty

 

[MBeige]

How nice to see the moderators not too high-and-mighty to get their hands dirty

Pfft. Installing the mirror wasn't really getting hands dirty.

On the other hand, with the help of DeliveryValve, I undertook this challenge while back..

 

[DeliveryValve]

How nice to see the moderators not too high-and-mighty to get their hands dirty

I laugh at this. Pat would rather get dirt on his hands than his car! Seen it in person how he was under his car using elbow grease cleaning up everything and willing to turn a wrench.

...
On the other hand, with the help of DeliveryValve, I undertook this challenge while back..

You did all the work. I just sat back and watched!

Nice job on the mirror install. Another source of power is the fuse block from under the dash. Little tight to get in there, but I like it so you don't have to splice any wires. I like to tap into the sun roof power lead since it's not in use all the time.

This thread reminds me we still have to hook up your outside temp setup.


.

 

[MBeige]

I laugh at this. Pat would rather get dirt on his hands than his car! Seen it in person how he was under his car using elbow grease cleaning up everything and willing to turn a wrench.

I remember that very well!

You did all the work. I just sat back and watched!

Nice job on the mirror install. Another source of power is the fuse block from under the dash. Little tight to get in there, but I like it so you don't have to splice any wires. I like to tap into the sun roof power lead since it's not in use all the time.

This thread reminds me we still have to hook up your outside temp setup.


.

Yes I still have the parts you gave me for the outside temp gauge. When I plan to do, is install it along with fixing the broken clock (shame on me), and repainting the gauge needles. This way it'll all be in one shot.

While I'm at it I might as well recalibrate the speedo using your backyard method. But that might prove too much for me if I don't know what I'm doing.