Bad day to be self employed

[Damien]

Iv been tinting windows for about 7 months now. Iv worked on over 40 different vehicles with no accidents. I was tinting a 2015 Ford F350 super duty Black ops edition. Went to remove the rear view mirror and a huge chunk of the windshield came with it. Now I’m having to pay to get the windshield replaced. I’ll only be out about 400$. It’s not much but it definitely hurt my profits.  
 

I was just wondering if anybody else has had this happen before? The whole metal bracket came off the windshield. Iv never seen or heard of this happening before? Here’s a picture of it 

[TintDude]

Over the years there have been similar posts and they have all been Fords. I had one in a mustang come off in my hand just adjusting it.

[DynamicATL]

As soon as I read Ford F350, I knew it was the rear view mirror. We broke one a few years ago. Even with the removal tool, it is a PITA. Now we do not remove any Ford rear view mirrors. Just slit the film to go around the base and seem them together on top.

[alberts316]

The only glass I have ever broke has been ford windshields and its been a handful.  The tools work 95% of the time, its the other 5% when you want to just kick the mirror through the windshield.

Edited October 8, 2023 by alberts316

[Dano]

Ford and just about anything euro, I'm probably not effing with the mirror mount.

[Bham]

Those Ford mounts with the spring retention clip are the worst. One time on and not supposed to come back off.  The tool they make for removal is sketchy at best. I spent a very long time, trying many different methods learning how to take those off properly.  If you don't know for sure how to remove these, then skip it and cut around it.  I am glad to see they have gotten away from this style of mount now. 

[TintDude]

2 hours ago, Bham said:

One time on and not supposed to come back off.

 

They seem to be engineered for quick assembly at the cost of being serviceable. Plus the whole planned obsolescence thing.

[Damien]

On 10/7/2023 at 8:41 PM, DynamicATL said:

As soon as I read Ford F350, I knew it was the rear view mirror. We broke one a few years ago. Even with the removal tool, it is a PITA. Now we do not remove any Ford rear view mirrors. Just slit the film to go around the base and seem them together on top.

Thank you all, this has made me feel a little better knowing it wasn’t totally my fault lol I will not be removing any more Ford rear view mirrors. Not worth the risk 

[Darkimag22]

Add me to the list.  Brand new F150 and did the exact same thing.  Never, ever attempted to do it again lol.

[Dano]

I refused to pull one and had my customer (wholesale flipper) say "I'll get it"....and broke it. Comes back with a new windshield and did it again a few days later...

 

I sent another to the ford dealer, after refusing for their customer, and watched their tech with the "proper tool" snap it right away. Since they had to replace it at their expense, word went out that day to not do another one.

 

Those mounts were never a good idea.