Mirror Riser broke windshield

Hi all!

I purchased the mirror riser from Bird Dawg industries in December and installed it without any issues following their instructions.

I have had my truck out in the street for about a week (I was traveling) and when I got back the mirror assembly was on the passenger seat, along with a chunk of my windshield.

Has this happened to anyone else or I'm just super lucky?

Thank you in advance!

 

I've had a mirror riser installed in my truck for a decade now with no issues. Mine was made by another member on here, not Bird Dawg so it doesn't have the ram mount on it.

By any chance did you have anything large/heavy mounted to the ram mount? It looks like the mirror was ripped off so extra weight is one thing that jumps out at me as a potential cause.

 

Thanks for your answer!
I didn't have anything on the RAM mount, no. No extra weight!

 

Did you have a ram ball installed? Looking at the install instructions on their website it looks like too long of screws mounting a ram ball could also cause issues.

 

I had the RAM mount installed, but I used the screws they provided

 

Identical thing happened to me a couple years ago. I ended up using JB weld on the broken glass piece and put it back on then that failed a year later and actually caused a crack to go all the way down my windshield. My guess was the set screw was a torqued a little too tight. On a 110 degree day it rained and I believe due to the temperature fluctuation at such a rapid pace the glass broke at it’s weakest point.

I got a windshield replacement and put the same bracket on and just barely snugged up the set screw and it has been fine for the past 6 months I’ve had it (knock on wood).

 

I recall seeing a thread a few years ago about this same thing happening.

-edit-

Just did a quick Google search. There have been numerous threads about this exact issue and cause. Sorry man.

 

I honestly got the screw not very tight because I was worried about it causing stress to the mounting point... I guess I will have to get the entire windshield replaced tho...

 

Been running mine for two years With some mild off road driving . So far has been no issues at all. If I have to move the mirror I use two hands. One to support the riser and one to move the mirror. Figure it cant hurt.

If you move the mirror alot perhaps you created a small micro crack and over time heat and cooling cycles caused it to break off

 

There is too much load at the oem mounting location. I applied a strip of 3M tape at the top of the Birddawg bracket to help distribute the weight. Been fine for the past 3+ years.

 

I guess I will have to do that once I replace the windshield!

 

Has anyone heard of any solutions or explanations from Bird Dawg? I emailed them this morning, but maybe someone else has had to deal with this and has more info

 

I read the whole thread on that product and a lot of people were having that issue.

 

Damn.. do you have the link by chance??

 

It’s been a min since I read up on it. I was looking up how people were mounting their phones n I can across it.

 

Using one of those resulted in a cracked windshield for me as well.

Never had a Ram ball on it or anything mounted. Didn’t jump the truck or adjust the mirror much, I am the only driver of my truck. I was on my X-Runner, not my 4x4.

Had to replace the windshield. Lesson learned, riser is now in a parts box somewhere around here.

 

Yeah, I'm not too keen on using it anymore. I hope he accepts returns.

 

The reason because there is a fair amount of weight via leverage onto the oem mounting spot. Add some adhesive ie 3M mounting tape to the upper part of the riser where it contacts the glass and you'll be fine. Yes, these have been documented before with cracked windshields and then there are many who ran these successfully for years, myself included.

 

It's a little bit late for that now. I don't think I want to put the riser on a brand new windshield after spending 300$ on it.

 

Interesting to note the effect of literally in your face over stressing to the stock windshield by adding a riser. Makes me wonder about the not so readily apparent effect of the after-market lifting done around this place.