[elCheapoDeluxe]

I could use some help learning what is supposed to be inside the visor providing friction to keep the visor up. The arm stays where I want after taking off the rearview mirror and trim and adjusting the screws around the ball - that part is fine. The visor itself, though, seems like someone tried to improvise ways to keep it up and failed. They have some heat shrink tubing around the arm, and I'm not sure if this little metal piece that is sticking out is original or added. Whatever it was and whatever it is, it doesn't work. I am hesitant to take apart my drivers side visor as it is staying up and I don't yet know what I'm doing! What is inside the visor that this screw clamps down on and how does it provide friction to keep the visor up? I'd like to move off the bungee-cord inspired solution soon! Thanks all.

 

[roncallo]

Looks like someone tried to stuff a shim in it to tighten it up. You can try replacing the screw with a new one, but you may find you need to go to the next bigger size.

 

[elCheapoDeluxe]

The screw looks good (not stripped at all) but the hole it goes into looks kinda chewed up. I'll give it a go with the next bigger size. Thanks.

 

[rowdie]

Couple of observations. That is not the original screw. It looks bigger than OE.

OE

The pad/grommet is 90% missing where the top post enters the header.

 

[elCheapoDeluxe]

I didn't even realize there is supposed to be a grommet there. It has deteriorated so much that I thought it was actually solidified lubricant crud of some kind.

 

[Dirtjb18]

@elCheapoDeluxe i am currently dealing with the exact same issue, minus the shim insert. Does anyone know what the screw is suppose to look like and/or what the thread pattern and size is?

Here is a picture of what I pulled out of the visor while attempting to replace the clip, which I can’t get to tightly thread back in nor get the visor to stay up.

 

[rowdie]

I didn't even realize there is supposed to be a grommet there. It has deteriorated so much that I thought it was actually solidified lubricant crud of some kind.

Part number is 107 688 00 97

 

[rowdie]

@elCheapoDeluxe i am currently dealing with the exact same issue, minus the shim insert. Does anyone know what the screw is suppose to look like and/or what the thread pattern and size is?

Here is a picture of what I pulled out of the visor while attempting to replace the clip, which I can’t get to tightly thread back in nor get the visor to stay up. View attachment 2651636

Looks like OE to me. PO probably stripped the frame inside.

Here an '86-'89

 

[roncallo]

Couple of observations. That is not the original screw. It looks bigger than OE.

OE
View attachment 2651542

Good eyes

The pad/grommet is 90% missing where the top post enters the header.

 

[elCheapoDeluxe]

Part number is 107 688 00 97

Thank you!

 

[roncallo]

Thank you!

McMaster has a pretty good selection of metric sheet metal screws. If you measure them up you can match them pretty good and maybe get the next size bigger. Of course you will probably have to get a bag of 50 or 100. But it should still be about $10.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[elCheapoDeluxe]

I was able to get a couple of different screws to try. The current one seems to be a #10 x 1/2 inch. If I use a #10 x 5/8 inch, it is tight until it hits a hard stop. It doesn't budge - so the threads in the visor are holding but there is just no more to go in. This is a pointed sheet metal screw, though. I'm guessing the original was more of a flat edge machine screw - so I may try that next. It seems, though, that the problem is not the screw itself but whatever clamp inside the visor tightens around the visor arm.

 

[Dirtjb18]

@elCheapoDeluxe any luck finding a solution?

 

[Checksplay]

From a recent conversation with the folks at World Upholstery and Trim who make replacement visors. I used a #8 phillips sheet metal screw x 5/8 with a #6 flat washer. I have no idea what a #6 head on a #8 screw means. It worked for me. I had to angle the screw quite a bit and hunt around, but I got there.

It's a phillips oval head tapping screw (#8 x 5/8 inch with #6 head).

Not many people know this but it's a bad idea to completely remove the
screw on those R107 sunvisors. When they designed it, it was with the
idea that there's no reason for you to completely remove the screw.
You can tighten or loosen it but you should never completely remove
it. The problem happens when you try to put the screw back in. What
holds the sunvisor in place is a small clip that tightens up when you
turn the screw. Sometimes when you completely remove the screw the
clip gets loose (because all tension is gone) and its very easy for it
to slide out of position.

The clip is small and the screw has to catch the clip right in its
hole. The distance between the side of the hole and the side of the
clip is very small and when you try to put the screw back in and clip
is out of position even by just a little bit, the tip of the screw can
catch the side of the clip instead of the hole, the screw itself will
push the clip to the side (completely putting it out of position) as
you're turning it and all the screw does is go into the main frame of
the sunvisor (which has a similar hole) with no clip to tighten.
Without the clip, the sunvisor will not hold up no matter how much you
tighten the screw. The only way you can fix the sunvisor at that point
is to put the clip back in place. It's a little hard to feel it
because there's foam on top of the entire mechanism so it's a bit of a
pain to fix it.

 

[elCheapoDeluxe]

That is some very helpful information you quoted Checksplay. Of course, buying a 32 year old car I have no idea what anyone in the past may have done. It does seem that the screw has some function tightening or loosening but I would absolutely not rule the clip being out of position on the inside. I may have to take it off again and look. Also helpful to know that it IS supposed to be the tapping screw - I won't mess around looking for flat edged screws then.

 

[Dirtjb18]

From a recent conversation with the folks at World Upholstery and Trim who make replacement visors. I used a #8 phillips sheet metal screw x 5/8 with a #6 flat washer. I have no idea what a #6 head on a #8 screw means. It worked for me. I had to angle the screw quite a bit and hunt around, but I got there.

You are a godsend... I was finally able to get the visor firmly back on the rod by way of this insight. I had all but given up after taking the visor and rod to an upholstery shop only be told I was SOL and would need to replace the whole thing. Needless to say... Thank you!

 

[Checksplay]

Glad it worked out for you Dirtjb18. I think I know the joy you felt when it finally worked. It was the best feeling I'd had in weeks. So nice when things go the way they should.

 

[elCheapoDeluxe]

I'm at wits end. Still cannot get this visor to stay up. The only way to get to the innards of the visor would be to slice it open with a razor blade, I think. Right now it is being held up with a coathanger fitting into the socket above the windshield so I can see traffic to my right without reaching over and holding the visor up. I am getting very skilled at taking off the rearview window and the surrounding trim I've attempted a fix so many times!

The tantalizing part is that the visor stays up when I have the rod fully inserted into the visor. However, to make the clip fit in I need to have it not QUITE fully inserted - and as soon as I back it out those few mm the thing goes limp. There's the story of my life!