anyone know an easier way to remove the rearview mirror other than the shop manual? the damage has already been done to my windshield. it has 3 cracks in it at the mount. i plan on trying a windshield shop tomorrow to see if they can get it off and the new one on for the time being and then i will replace the windshield as needed in the future. sucks i cracked it. cant see it from the drivers seat so i will let it ride as long as the mirror holds.

 

I don't know the answer to your question... but, why are you trying to remove it?

 

i installed the oem camera and need to install the new mirror that has the lcd screen in it...

 

I have done probably a couple hundred of them and it is really quite easy. To remove I simply use the mini screwdriver that I always carried in my shirt pocket an while griping the mirror with your left hand, insert the screwdriver (on the bottom) between the mirror bracket (on the windshield) and the the mirror bracket (on the mirror) and rotate upward. You unsnap it (with the pivot point being at the top of both brackets). Takes about 2 sec.. The trickier part is putting it back on. you have to slide it down from the top until it snaps over the little "ledge" on the back of the bracket. I use a little bit of white grease on the lips of the mirror bracket so that it slides freely. I have never broken a windshield but I did break 1 mirror before I learned to use the white grease. There is so much friction (resistance) without the grease. Sorry to hear you broke the windshield- Hope this helps.

 

I took mine to a windshield shop and asked the tech to remove it. He used something that looked like a bent ice pick and promptly broke my windshield. SO much for the pros . . .

After it was off, I could easily see how it was supposed to work, so I took a picture. Here is a picture of the bracket from the backside after the metal wedge was remove from the windshield. You can see two little dimples on the clip that lock the mirror onto the metal wedge. A small flat screw driver can be inserted between the dimples to compress the clip. It should release as described by others in this thread.

 

Actually the 2 dimples are at the top of the bracket when it is mounted on the windshield. In the picture it is upside down. If you look at the mirror mount it has a small opening at the top in the picture, (bottom when it is mounted). There is where you insert the small pocket screw driver. The screw driver goes between the windshield bracket and the mirror mount. You simply rotate up once the screw driver is inserted in that opening and the mirror pops right off. There is no pressure on the windshield because the screw driver is between the w/shield bracket and the bottom of the mirror mount. In a couple hundred of them I have never broken a windshield.

 

interesting

 

labman,
Where does the mirror harness plug in at? I am also adding the mirror and camera to my 08. Got any tips on the install? I'm going to try and use the Ford logo camera from a '09 F150. What trim level is your truck? Are the 2008's pre wired for the camera and mirror?

 

Simple , yet a big pain in the a$$