camper mirror nuts

[dads longhorn]

Ive noticed that some pictures on here of camper mirrors (the big rectangle ones) show nuts that are bullet shaped. and when i got a set from someone on here months ago, they came with bullet head nuts. I like them, much cooler than regular hexagonal nuts. I think the only place on the mirror they are used is to hold the mirror to the support. does anyone know if the bullet heads are the originals? are they only used in that one place on the mirrors? also, since the bulletheads are dead end nuts, i may have to use washers to take up slack when tightening??? Thank you in advance.

[leddzepp]

yes, and yes.

[dads longhorn]

ha ha, thanks!! one more original part to put on, guess i'm a bit obsessed about that. I'll go clean up the bullet heads then, maybe put them on tomorrow.

[slikside]

Speaking of bullet heads, I was looking for some polished stainless ones, but could not locate any that fit. I did find some "high crown" nuts (that;s what 'Totally Stainless' called them.....but the thread count was off, and would not thread onto my support arms.

I did locate some stainless "acorn nuts"....that fit, but not high crowns/ bullets...guess what? The thread count that fits my original/dealer option below eyeline mirrors are METRIC...size 10 to be exact. That took me by surprise.

Soooo........has anyone ever located some polished stainless high crown/bullet that will thread onto the support posts???

Sorry, don't mean to hi jack.

Also, you might want to consider using some nylon washers sandwiched b/t any metal supports and metal washers. Thats how my originals came, and I plan on duplicating that approach. I think it makes adjusting the mirrors easier.

[dads longhorn]

Ok, one thing leads to another... Now I'm thinking what washers go where and what size to use. Does anyone have pics of the original camper mirror set up. I'd like to see washers, nuts etc.? Thank you!

Metric??!! Who would of thought, strange!
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[cdowns]

if you have a large motorcycle shop nearby they have alot of custom nuts in all shapes and sizes from wild to mild yep even realistic bullet nuts

[slikside]

Originally Posted by dads longhorn

Ok, one thing leads to another... Now I'm thinking what washers go where and what size to use. Does anyone have pics of the original camper mirror set up. I'd like to see washers, nuts etc.? Thank you!

Metric??!! Who would of thought, strange!
[size=1]Posted via Mobile Device[/size

FWIW, I found my nylon washers at Lowes. They had EXACTLY what came off of mine. I think I ordered the stainless ones from TOTALLY STAINLESS, because I couldn't find the right size at several hardware stores. Ditto for the the hex head mounting screws. Sorry, no pics now. And just to clarify, my mirrors are below eyeline type, not campers. But where to find hardware discussion still valid IMO.

Originally Posted by cdowns

if you have a large motorcycle shop nearby they have alot of custom nuts in all shapes and sizes from wild to mild yep even realistic bullet nuts

That is a great idea....and one I haven't checked out. Thank you.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by dads longhorn

Ok, one thing leads to another... Now I'm thinking what washers go where and what size to use. Does anyone have pics of the original camper mirror set up. I'd like to see washers, nuts etc.? Thank you!

Metric??!! Who would of thought, strange!
[size=1]Posted via Mobile Device[/size

A bit late, but here are some pictures that may answer your questions. These are the 1972 short leg below eye line mirrors, but they should mount to the brackets the same as the camper mirrors and use the same mirror heads and elbows. I have never seen any original mirrors that had metric nuts, I believe they are 3/8" coarse thread.

[dads longhorn]

Thanks for the pics. it helps alot to see what washers and diameter they are. I didn't know the bullet head nuts were also on the "elbow to brace" connection. I thought they were use on the elbow to mirror connection. and now i know where to get the washers. thank you all for the info and great pics

[slikside]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

A bit late, but here are some pictures that may answer your questions. These are the 1972 short leg below eye line mirrors, but they should mount to the brackets the same as the camper mirrors and use the same mirror heads and elbows. I have never seen any original mirrors that had metric nuts, I believe they are 3/8" coarse thread.

FirstOwner,

I have the same mirrors/nuts as yours there, only mine are painted.

But I can assure you that the standard 3/8" coarse thread, "high crown acorn" nuts that I ordered from Totally Stainless would in NO WAY thread onto my support arms. Yes, it blew me away too. I had to spend money to ship them back because I had absolutely no use for them if they wouldn't fit.

So I went to a local nut/bolt supplier that I hadn't known about before this.
The nut that did thread onto my support arms was definitely metric (#10 coarse IIRC). I did not buy them then because it was a regular acorn vs. High acorn, although it was stainless. Plus, they're a wholesaler, and if I wanted one or four, I would have to buy 25 of them!!

I still have my original acorns, but I really want to upgrade all the h/w on my mirrors to stainless.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by slikside

FirstOwner,

I have the same mirrors/nuts as yours there, only mine are painted.

But I can assure you that the standard 3/8" coarse thread, "high crown acorn" nuts that I ordered from Totally Stainless would in NO WAY thread onto my support arms. Yes, it blew me away too. I had to spend money to ship them back because I had absolutely no use for them if they wouldn't fit.

So I went to a local nut/bolt supplier that I hadn't known about before this.
The nut that did thread onto my support arms was definitely metric (#10 coarse IIRC). I did not buy them then because it was a regular acorn vs. High acorn, although it was stainless. Plus, they're a wholesaler, and if I wanted one or four, I would have to buy 25 of them!!

I still have my original acorns, but I really want to upgrade all the h/w on my mirrors to stainless.

That's very unusual. I've disassembled and reassembled a bunch of these. All had the same size studs on the elbows and took a 9/16" wrench for removal and 3/8" nuts. Did your elbows have studs or could someone have snapped the original studs off (common) and drilled and tapped them for metric threaded rod inserts?

If you are going stainless, you may want to consider some elbows from later 70s vans or trucks since the original elbows are chrome plated and most are rusty. The later trucks and vans as well as some from Dodge and Ford used stainless elbows. Some of those also have one leg of the elbow shorter than the originals which would effectively tuck the mirror head in closer to the door. However, the later elbows are drilled and tapped so you'd have to make inserts out of stainless bolts to use acorn/bullet nuts.

[DeadheadNM]

subscribed...

[special-K]

I'm subscribed,too. I'm a camper mirror nut. We should start a club!
Oh,wait,I just read this over and I see the topic is the acorn nuts. I never noticed them to be metric. I'm 99.9% sure they aren't. There just was no metric used on American stuff back then. Manufacturers would use unique thread pitches,but I doubt on mirrors

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by special-K

I'm subscribed,too. I'm a camper mirror nut. We should start a club!
Oh,wait,I just read this over and I see the topic is the acorn nuts. I never noticed them to be metric. I'm 99.9% sure they aren't. There just was no metric used on American stuff back then. Manufacturers would use unique thread pitches,but I doubt on mirrors

Dare we say, "real trucks have real mirrors"?

[slikside]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

That's very unusual. I've disassembled and reassembled a bunch of these. All had the same size studs on the elbows and took a 9/16" wrench for removal and 3/8" nuts. Did your elbows have studs or could someone have snapped the original studs off (common) and drilled and tapped them for metric threaded rod inserts?



If you are going stainless, you may want to consider some elbows from later 70s vans or trucks since the original elbows are chrome plated and most are rusty. The later trucks and vans as well as some from Dodge and Ford used stainless elbows. Some of those also have one leg of the elbow shorter than the originals which would effectively tuck the mirror head in closer to the door. However, the later elbows are drilled and tapped so you'd have to make inserts out of stainless bolts to use acorn/bullet nuts.

The nuts I sent back were also 9/16" wrench, and 3/8" ID, it's just that the thread count was off. They were standard "American" course thread...and they would not thread. I don't believe any of the studs had ever broken and were replaced. One of the arms I have is original to me, the other two are not, but those nuts would not thread onto either of them.

Now, I say the ones that worked were metric because the nut/bolt wholesaler told me they were. Was he wrong? IDK, all I know is his nuts fit, and the "American" standard nuts from Totally Stainless did not (just to be clear, we are still talking hardware here!).

I just have 1 question for you. In all your dis/reassembly of these, have you ever gotten any new acorn nuts, or have you been reusing all the original ones? This is my first go-round with trying to find NEW hardware for these things. My guess is all the original hardware works together, but for some reason, I've been stumped so far with NEW hardware.....shouldn't be this complicated.

I only want to go stainless on the nuts/washers/hardware. Actually going to powdercoat the mirror head, elbows and brackets...then have new glass installed.

Originally Posted by special-K

I'm subscribed,too. I'm a camper mirror nut. We should start a club!
Oh,wait,I just read this over and I see the topic is the acorn nuts. I never noticed them to be metric. I'm 99.9% sure they aren't. There just was no metric used on American stuff back then. Manufacturers would use unique thread pitches,but I doubt on mirrors

SK,

Maybe you have hit on it there with the "unique thread pitches". In fact, in trying to resolve this issue, I think I tried to thread my original acorn nuts onto a standard 3/8" course thread bolt from my spare hardware stash, and it did NOT work. So my guess is, if you took just a regular standard 3/8" nut, it would NOT thread onto the support elbow. Yep, went out to my garage and just tried this....it it didn't work.

My conclusion: The thread pitch for these nut/thread combinations are somewhat unique, as you have suggested. We have 3/8" threaded studs on the elbows, and a 9/16" wrench size acorn nut that threads onto them....but not onto ANY 3/8" thread/bolt combination. If you stick with the original hardware all around, I think you can interchange at will. It's the introduction of NEW h/w that is causing problems.

As I said, shouldn't be this complicated, yet, here I am!

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by slikside

I just have 1 question for you. In all your dis/reassembly of these, have you ever gotten any new acorn nuts, or have you been reusing all the original ones? This is my first go-round with trying to find NEW hardware for these things. My guess is all the original hardware works together, but for some reason, I've been stumped so far with NEW hardware.....shouldn't be this complicated.

I only want to go stainless on the nuts/washers/hardware. Actually going to powdercoat the mirror head, elbows and brackets...then have new glass installed.:

I've only reassembled them using the tapped stainless elbows I mentioned above since all but one of the originals were rusted so badly I snapped the studs off and I didn't want more rust. I used regular stainless bolts on them, but could not find thick stainless washers so I used zinc plate...as did the factory. The factory also used zinc plated acorn/bullet nuts. I just bought the mirrors in the pictures I posted here in Arizona for a fellow forum member. They are the first I've seen since my 69 was new that didn't have totally rusted nuts and washers. When I complete my restoration, I plan to use the stainless elbows with studs made from stainless bolts. I will look harder for thick stainless washers and will probably use chrome plated nuts since the stainless acorn nuts I've found are far less pointed than the originals. The chrome nuts I've seen aren't quite right either, but they are closer.

The elbows, nuts and washers on my original mirrors were all rusted and the truck spent it's first 3 years in southern California before we moved to Wisconsin in the fall of 1971. It was stored inside our garage in Wisconsin for at least 25 years (that's almost zero miles in 25 years) before I tore into it 2 years ago. I don't want any rust in the future.

[slikside]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

I've only reassembled them using the tapped stainless elbows I mentioned above since all but one of the originals were rusted so badly I snapped the studs off and I didn't want more rust. I used regular stainless bolts on them, but could not find thick stainless washers so I used zinc plate...as did the factory. The factory also used zinc plated acorn/bullet nuts. I just bought the mirrors in the pictures I posted here in Arizona for a fellow forum member. They are the first I've seen since my 69 was new that didn't have totally rusted nuts and washers. When I complete my restoration, I plan to use the stainless elbows with studs made from stainless bolts. I will look harder for thick stainless washers and will probably use chrome plated nuts since the stainless acorn nuts I've found are far less pointed than the originals. The chrome nuts I've seen aren't quite right either, but they are closer.

The elbows, nuts and washers on my original mirrors were all rusted and the truck spent it's first 3 years in southern California before we moved to Wisconsin in the fall of 1971. It was stored inside our garage in Wisconsin for at least 25 years (that's almost zero miles in 25 years) before I tore into it 2 years ago. I don't want any rust in the future.

I got my current set from a member here as well. A deer took out the passenger side mirror about 30 years ago, and a sideswiper took out the driver side about 25 yrs. ago. Just getting around to replacing them now!

If you can't find the washers, take a look at www.totallystainless.com. I was able to find some through them that fit. And as I said earlier in the thread, Lowes had the identical nylon washers in stock.

And that was another thing about the nut I found at the wholesaler that fit; it wasn't a high crown or bullet type of acorn, but just a traditional rounded head acorn. Think I'll be going to a motorcycle shop next as CDowns suggested......they might even have stainless washers as well. You might try that too.

That sounds like a "fresh" truck you've got there, driven for a few years, and then parked. A great project I'm sure....best of luck with it.

[SS Tim]

Did some flipping through my catalogs and a lot more through the GM parts Wiki.
The original nut was P/N 331545
It was superseded by P/N 14016610 (3/8-20 LOW CROWN)
Unfortunately it is listed as discontinued.
But the thread is listed as 3/8-20 not the more typical 3/8-16 UNC or 3/8-24 UNF threads.
Hope this helps.

[special-K]

Ok,that solves it. I'm done reading this thread. It's driving me nuts!

[slikside]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Did some flipping through my catalogs and a lot more through the GM parts Wiki.
The original nut was P/N 331545
It was superseded by P/N 14016610 (3/8-20 LOW CROWN)
Unfortunately it is listed as discontinued.
But the thread is listed as 3/8-20 not the more typical 3/8-16 UNC or 3/8-24 UNF threads.
Hope this helps.

Eureka!! It certainly does clarify things.

Thanks for providing it Tim.

OK, so, I stand corrected on the metric claim.

[special-K]

Ok,they are closer to metric than the available SAE. How's that?

[MusicMan70]

special-K Re: camper mirror nuts

Ok,that solves it. I'm done reading this thread. It's driving me nuts!

Love it, Nicely done.

[slikside]

Originally Posted by special-K

Ok,they are closer to metric than the available SAE. How's that?

Works for me! Thanks for bailing me out!
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[dads longhorn]

Oh man, You guys are awesome! now i'm in it deep! All I wanted was a simple answer to a stupid question about a nut! Ohhheee vayyyy!!! Such wonderful info. I haven't revisited the issue in a while but i will keep this thread so I will know what to do when I get there. The weather hasn't copperated much and I haven't been working on the truck much lately. I'm looking forward to spring. Thank you so much for the great info everyone!!!!! I really do appreciate it. The mirrors will look cool with the acorn nuts on there!

[dads longhorn]

i went to the salvage yard and picked nuts from camper mirrors. I didn't keep track of the year of the trucks, sorry, but came home with 3 different sizes of acorn nuts all off camper mirrors (special K...you're an acorn nut!). the picture is attached, the one on the left worked. I also got the plastic and metal washers. I should be set. I'll post a pic of the finished product