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Topic: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors (Read 1564 times) previous topic - next topic

Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

On the passenger side the chrome on the base and the arm that holds mirror is corroded and doesn't look very good .  Can you  re-chrome or can you replace just the bad parts?  Thanks      Art.
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
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Re: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

Reply #1 –
Quote from: prevostart –
On the passenger side the chrome on the base and the arm that holds mirror is corroded and doesn't look very good .  Can you  re-chrome or can you replace just the bad parts?  Thanks      Art.

You can definitely re-chrome.  You can also call Remco and ask them about buying new arms.  Make sure they are compatible.  They should be able to tell you that.  If you buy new, get the three-tier mirrors.  They are a big jump in safety.

http://www.ramco-eng.com/
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

Reply #2 –
Quote from: prevostart –
On the passenger side the chrome on the base and the arm that holds mirror is corroded and doesn't look very good .  Can you  re-chrome or can you replace just the bad parts?  Thanks      Art.

When you call Remco, ask them about re-chroming. Seems I remember tat they offer this service. Please let me know, I have the same problem!
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

Reply #3 –
Quote
On the passenger side the chrome on the base and the arm that holds mirror is corroded and doesn't look very good .  Can you  re-chrome or can you replace just the bad parts?

My mirror mounting bases need rechroming. The arms and housings are fine. Anyone have experience  removing the mirrors? Do the base plates inside the coach stay in place once the screws are removed? Where are the wire connection points? Under the dash?

Re: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Bob McGee –
.................................................. Anyone have experience  removing the mirrors? Do the base plates inside the coach stay in place once the screws are removed? Where are the wire connection points? Under the dash?
Yes Bob,
I've had my RAMCO mirrors off and then back on.
My '98 U270 came standard with aluminum RAMCOs.  All RAMCOs start life that way. I didn't like the natural patina appearance and I got tired of keeping them polished and bright.  So, I traded them with RAMCO at an FMCA Convention.  In 2000, it was $1050 to swap the pair, including a modification to my specification. 
I had driven a number of Prevost conversions and a Newell over considerable distances and they all used a single, large flat plane mirror in the main RAMCO housing body and then a smaller, wide angle "Top Hat".  I liked the fact that one can see a very large, undistorted reflection, all the way from mid coach (at the start of the large bay door on a U270) to the horizon, in a single glance.  Thus I ordered that design.  Unlike George, and undoubtedly others, I find the three fields of information confining (for the flat plane), as well as complicated and visually distracting when the flat plane is sandwiched between wide angle views.

RAMCO sent my new mirrors with 14" to 18" pigtails, so clearly I had to splice the wires or try to disassemble and completely rewire everything.  RAMCO said the standard recommendation was to butt splice them in.  That isn't exactly "Nuclear Grade", but I have a good crimper, so I followed their advice.  The steps were as follows:
 
    • Verify color coding of wires.  I used a DC clamp-on ammeter to double check that all of my new RAMCO information matched my existing wiring.  Some of the wires did not match 1 for 1, but it was easy to build a table of information to work with.
       
    • Remove old mirrors (You need to rig up something to securely hold the unmounted old and then the unmounted new mirrors.  I used my roll around step ladder ).
       
    • The backing plates stayed in place when I removed the old mirrors (not sure why, but I just didn't disturb them.  They may have some adhesive or they may have just bonded a bit to the fiberglass).
       
    • Pull existing wiring out of the coach front cap as far as possible.
       
    • Cut installed wiring as long as possible (close to the old mirror base)
       
    • Clean up mounting surface.
       
    • Butt splice the new to the installed wires (I used a professional crimper that makes a high quality, trouble free, barrel splice).
       
    • Verify that all functions of the new mirror work correctly before proceeding.
       
    • Push the splices and excess wire, one by one, through the (relatively small) front cap relief hole
       
    • Butter sealing compound to the new base (I used 50 year, exterior, white, silicone base) and hand tighten the new base into place (you have to have a helper inside, wriggled under the dash, to install the nuts inside the front cap
       
    • Torque up and finalize the sealing compound.
After years of use, I'm even more sold on this full flat plane mirror design with the wide angle Top Hats.  For me, it is less visually complicated and much easier to read the large field of information at a glance.  RAMCO could have done a better job with the mirror suspensions on mine, but I understand that the newer RAMCOs have corrected the slight tremble (blurring) that mine experience under poor road surface conditions (pot holes and expansion joints).   
My year 2000 RAMCOs have the same chrome delamination issue that Art, Horace and Bob have described here.  I have three or four 50 cent sized "bubbled areas" showing up on the main mirror bodies and mounting bases where the chrome is clearly starting to separate from the aluminum.  I'll eventually have to rechrome or replace, so I'm following  this thread carefully.
Hope this is of help to you,
Neal
 
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Neal (& Brenda) Pillsbury
'02 U320 SPEC, 4200, DGFE, Build #5984
'04 Gold Wing
'07 Featherlite 24'
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
MC #14494
Exeter, NH & LaBelle FL
Quality makes the Heart Soar long after Price is Forgotten

Re: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

Reply #5 –
Quote
I've had my REMCO mirrors off and then back on.
........... 
Quote
I'll eventually have to rechrome or replace, so I'm following  this thread carefully.


Neil,  thanks for the details on your mirror removal and replacement. I think I would like the single large mirror with the convex top hat arrangement too. I may talk to Ramco about modifying mine. First I need to replace the convex mirror motor on the drivers side as mine has frozen. I need some warmer temperatures before I tackle that though.

I haven't found any chrome plating shops nearby but I am still looking as the chrome on my Hadley air horns is peeling also.
 

Re: Power Chrome Ramco Mirrors

Reply #6 –
Hi guys,

Try this company:
CustomChrome Plating
963 Mechanic Street
Grafton, OH 44044

Phone: 440-926-3116
Fax: 440-026-2551

http://www.customchromeplating.com 

I talked to Scott last year. The typical cost for re-chroming a mirror base plate was quoted to be about $80 - $100. It sounds like they do it right...muratic acid bath, strike coat, plating with copper and then with chrome.

Jim
2002 U320 
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'