The Triumph 2000/2500/2.5 Register Forum

I feel stupid asking this question but one of the wing mirrors has worked loose and I can,t for the life of me see how I can tighten it !

I'm trying to remember - door mirrors on your car?

If they are like mine here should be grub screw on the chrome bit which may be all it is, but I would take it off and check the plastic mount on the door. If the part the grub screw locates on is worn - and they do - then you may have to turn it round.

If they actually are wing mirrors, the large nut under the wing is likely to have worked loose. On a Mk2, depending on the actual positioning of them, you can access the nut through one of the triangular cut outs in front of the wheelarch bowl on the inner wing, but this is fiddly. The best way is to remove the dipped headlight sealed beam unit, or the indicator unit, and stick your arm through. The headlight unit is a circular access whereas the indicator access is an oval hole - the indicator should be directly onto it, but the headlight access is a bit of a dogleg. Alternatively you can remove the horn, but you would be working back on yourself, but have more room.
Don't forget that to ensure if you drop the socket or spanner, you will have to retrieve it!
I would suggest using a gearless ratchet as the workable space is limited, and they have less free movement before turning the nut.
The base of wing mirrors is easier to access on a Mk1 as the headlight unit is more in line with the underside of the wing, and there is more room to work.
If mirrors have been fitted previously, then you should be able to gain access to tighten them!
There should be a serrated lock washer between the nut and the underside of the wing.
Just check the mirror base is turning causing the problem, and that it isn't the spring loaded ''spring back' mechanism that has failed.

Sorry about the long delay gentlemen but I had forgotten I had posted the query and the mirror was not top of my list of problems.

Yes Phil, I have both door and wing mirrors because I found the wing mirrors pretty useless.

John, thank you again for a concise and detailed answer which will allow me to fix the problem.

I am pretty sure that the spring loaded part is at fault but I need to remove it to try and fix that anyway.

Since you have door mirrors, you could just remove the wing mirrors altogether and put grommets in the holes. Give the car back it't beautiful wing lines!

That is under consideration Charles. Meanwhile I am engrossed in yet another engine rebuild and change for a different car and, as I cannot drive the Triumph on lockdown, the mirrors remain low on the list.

Funny... Whilst having my car resprayed I got rid of door mirrors and have added wing mirrors: soooo much happier

Same here. Trapezium-shaped wing mirrors really suit a Mark 1 I think.

Wing mirrors are more period for Mk1's and prefacelift Mk2's - depending your preferences about originality!