How to fix floppy wind screen?

[davester]

Whoever owned my car previously did a number on the windscreen (wind deflector). The detents that hold it in place up or down no longer work because the little plastic ends that hold the ball bearings inside the detent mechanism have snapped off. Wind pressure generally keeps it up, except that under sudden acceleration away from a stop, it slams down with a bang (and it is hard to reach back there to put it up again.

Rather than lay out $300+ for a replacement, I'm trying to figure out some easy and elegant fix/mod that will hold it up and that can easily be unhooked when I want it lowered. I was thinking of installing a small hook in the upper bar with a thin bungie that goes down and wraps around the lower bar. Has anybody else had this problem...or better yet, figured out a good elegant solution?

[Jimmie Jazz]

Mine is starting to do that too, but just from age, as I don't think anything is broken. I was thinking of taking it apart and putting a extra 'bump' of JB Weld on top of the original detent bump to tighten it.

[MParallel]

Wow, I read 3x and I have absolutely no clue what you are talking about! (my bad).

I'm curious though. Could you please try and explain a bit more detailed? Thanks!

[Jimmie Jazz]

I'm guessing that the 'JB Weld' product is not available in Holland. JB Weld is an Epoxy-based glue that has powdered steel mixed into it. Once cured, it can even be drilled and tapped with threads. I was thinking of using a dab of it on the mechanism of the windscreen to build up the portion of the mechanism that has worn down. Hope that helps..

Here's the link to JB Weld: http://jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php

[MParallel]

I'm guessing that the 'JB Weld' product is not available in Holland. JB Weld is an Epoxy-based glue that has powdered steel mixed into it. Once cured, it can even be drilled and tapped with threads. I was thinking of using a dab of it on the mechanism of the windscreen to build up the portion of the mechanism that has worn down. Hope that helps..

Here's the link to JB Weld: http://jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php

I meant what part on the car?

Windscreen = windshield or the winddeflector?

If it's the latter, I now understand

[Jimmie Jazz]

I meant what part on the car?

Windscreen = windshield or the winddeflector?

If it's the latter, I now understand

Oh! Yes, the wind deflector.

[laserdude]

When i bought my car the guy had drilled a small hoe throught the outer frame andinto the inner frame. He then used a small springpin through the holes. He also secured the springpin with a small cord so it wouldn't get lost. Works great.

[Jimmie Jazz]

When i bought my car the guy had drilled a small hoe throught the outer frame andinto the inner frame. He then used a small springpin through the holes. He also secured the springpin with a small cord so it wouldn't get lost. Works great.

Drilling hoes.. Hmmm

That's really a pretty good idea, since it is only you that raises/lowers it, and you are used to using the pin. That might be the answer- Got any pics?

[davester]

Yes, that's right, wind screen = wind deflector.

Hmmm. The "springpin" sounds like it might be what I'm looking for, but what the heck is that? Could you describe it in a little more detail (and a picture would be wonderful).

As to the explanation of what is wrong with mine...if you look at the outside parts of the wind deflector hinge, there is a small flat cap. You can slide the cap off to expose the detent mechanism that consists of a ball bearing and spring on each side that is mounted onto the movable part of the wind deflector. The ball bearing clicks into notches in the nonmovable part. Unfortunately, it looks to me as though someone must have roughly pushed the deflector down, thus stressing and breaking the part that the ball/spring assembly sits in. No amount of JB Weld is going to fix what's broken on mine.

[Jimmie Jazz]

Bummer. I'll look at mine and see if I can think of anything besides the pin method described above. I don't want to introduce a potential for more rattles or buzzes if I can help it.

[laserdude]

Drilling hoes.. Hmmm

That's really a pretty good idea, since it is only you that raises/lowers it, and you are used to using the pin. That might be the answer- Got any pics?

I'll try ro post a pic or two but my camera is acting up. I'll try

Yes, that's right, wind screen = wind deflector.

Hmmm. The "springpin" sounds like it might be what I'm looking for, but what the heck is that? Could you describe it in a little more detail (and a picture would be wonderful).


As to the explanation of what is wrong with mine...if you look at the outside parts of the wind deflector hinge, there is a small flat cap. You can slide the cap off to expose the detent mechanism that consists of a ball bearing and spring on each side that is mounted onto the movable part of the wind deflector. The ball bearing clicks into notches in the nonmovable part. Unfortunately, it looks to me as though someone must have roughly pushed the deflector down, thus stressing and breaking the part that the ball/spring assembly sits in. No amount of JB Weld is going to fix what's broken on mine.

A spring pin is a hollow pin that is split down one side. Generally it is a tad larger than the hole it goes into, thereby making for a tight fit.

Bummer. I'll look at mine and see if I can think of anything besides the pin method described above. I don't want to introduce a potential for more rattles or buzzes if I can help it.

Mine is really solid and tight - no rattles with the spring pin

[laserdude]

here is a picture of the setup on the windscreen. I thought it was a spring pin, but it actually is a cotter pin. Works great - no rattles -solid as a rock. The pin is not pushed all the way in in the picture. It actually goes through both parts of the hinge. Sorry for the delay on the picture, I had to get a new media card for the camera.

[fun2drive]

Perfect solution. If you keep the car long enough the wind deflector will do this no matter what (wear from opening and closing it).
My vert has a light bar which precludes me from using it but I think I might mod my wind deflector so that the next person that gets it will have a set up like the one above. I am planning to look for a locking pin. One that has a little ball bearing on the end like an extension on a socket wrench...

[davester]

Perfect! Thanks laserdude. That solution is far simpler than any I was thinking of.

[Camelius]

That "bang" on heavy accelerations pisses me off too...
Great solution! First thing to do on this weekend

[ozzy328fan]

Hey guys,

a small, fat metal disc popped out of the joint of my right side of the deflector. it looks like a small watch battery. it came out of the same joint as laserdudes pic and now the plastic cover pops out whenever i open the deflector. it wasnt on the car when i was doing this tho - on the floor of my house.
in LASERDUDES pic, he is missing the plastic cover i am talking about. really strange as I just bought the thing of a guy. he says it was only used a few times. and it looks like it too. no scratches whatsoever. its really strange - a new deflector and not its broken.
So - does anyone know how to pop those covers off without breaking them?? I want to try and get this metal disc thing back in there.
thanks if anyone replies.

[Hugo]

Drilling hoes.. Hmmm

[wsmc831]

Hey guys,

a small, fat metal disc popped out of the joint of my right side of the deflector. it looks like a small watch battery. it came out of the same joint as laserdudes pic and now the plastic cover pops out whenever i open the deflector. it wasnt on the car when i was doing this tho - on the floor of my house.
in LASERDUDES pic, he is missing the plastic cover i am talking about. really strange as I just bought the thing of a guy. he says it was only used a few times. and it looks like it too. no scratches whatsoever. its really strange - a new deflector and not its broken.
So - does anyone know how to pop those covers off without breaking them?? I want to try and get this metal disc thing back in there.
thanks if anyone replies.

carefully pry it off.

[goestoeleven]

Ozzy -

If you look on the other side of the pivot point of the hinge, you'll see a hole and a pointy bit poking through from the other side. This is the pivot point for the hinge - and the cover is molded to the pivot point. That pointy bit is the other end of the cover - and if you use a small flat head screwdriver, you can force the cover off from the back side of the pivot point. Since you'll be pushing on a fairly substantial piece of plastic, there's less chance of damaging the cover when you push it out.

The bad news for you is if the metal disc popped out, it's likely the plastic that keeps the disc in place is broken (at least on that side). If the other side fails, you'll find you have the same issue as the other guys in this post - your windscreen won't stay up.

How do I know? - well, I too suffered the same fate as you with the disc falling out of the screen. I took the cover off and found that the only thing holding it up was the spring grinding against the channel.

[JonnyDiamond23]

Where can i order a replacement? anyone have any links.... price doesnt matter.

[libravcs]

if price doesnt matter, why dont you just go to your closest BMW dealership and purchase one? If it's not in stock, usually takes no more than 48 hours for it to arrive.

[JonnyDiamond23]

if price doesnt matter, why dont you just go to your closest BMW dealership and purchase one? If it's not in stock, usually takes no more than 48 hours for it to arrive.

Thanks. looks like ill be heading down to BMW of Riverside as soon as i purchase the car (less than two weeks).

[robertalanbmw]

I pop riveted a hook onto the upper bar and hook it over the plastic pin that goes into the side panel, that holds the windscreen on the car. It works great.

[jsm3]

I pop riveted a hook onto the upper bar and hook it over the plastic pin that goes into the side panel, that holds the windscreen on the car. It works great.

picture please.
jsm3

[davester]

Hey folks, there's an even better repair method (by goestoeleven) in this thread:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=766070
I tried the pin method for a while, but the wife didn't realize she had to pull the pin and so bent the pin and fouled up the holes. So, I tried the goestoeleven method and it works great! Give it a try.