Sun Visor Fix

[eric.frederich]

How is this not a recall already? Isn't it a safety concern to have your sun visor fall down on you while you're driving? If not completely fall down at least obstruct your view of the road, right?
I ask because I'm outside of warranty and feel it should still covered.

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[Bullwinkle]

I used this interior panel tool for helping to press the push on retainer.

P.S. thinking about it, a 9/16 deep socket would work well to press the retainer on the shank too.

Thanks for taking the time to lay this out.

 

[roaniecowpony]

How is this not a recall already? Isn't it a safety concern to have your sun visor fall down on you while you're driving? If not completely fall down at least obstruct your view of the road, right?
I ask because I'm outside of warranty and feel it should still covered.

I think some people reported this issue thru the NHTSA web reporting page. I know there have been many posts with your same concern. I don't know what standards NHTSA uses to screen for what is a safety issue or not. In the airplane safety world where I worked, we used mathematical models as much as possible, but for this issue, there's an initial question of whether it will eventually result in an event with loss of control. So, some safety engineer would have to assign a probability value to how many events of the visor breaking and falling in front of the driver would it take for one loss of control event. That's the "squishy" part of this kind of evaluation, if a loss of control event has not yet occurred. If such a loss of control event has indeed occurred, they would then have some more definitive data to work from. Then they would see if that fell into the unsafe or safe probability of occurrence criteria they have established.

Safety isn't an absolute, but rather a managed risk process. Otherwise, everyone would be chasing every little problem that maybe could, sorta, or combined with 2 or 5 other things could possibly cause an unsafe event. The bad thing about chasing everything is that there are only so many resources at manufacturers and federal agencies to chase safety issues. When you chase everything, you invariably get behind on addressing all these issues. I've seen engineering airplane system safety evolve over time and it's the best it has ever been. And those that say they should just throw more resources at these issues, need to consider that these companies exist as 'for profit' businesses. They have limitations on budgets, even large corporations, believe it or not. Same with government agencies. So, they have to be efficient and prioritize to address those issues that have the most safety value.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Well.... I just came across this offering, today on eBAY.... Has anyone purchased/installed this offering?

Anyway..... I ordered a set and will have in a few days... I will post here what I think of this offering..

For sure an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so to speak.... and this is something that most anyone can install.....

eBay reviews are good.... apparently this offering has been out awhile and 450+ sold...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284518876593

Per the Seller:

"Has your sun visor fallen down out the ceiling on your Jeep? Can't use it anymore? Not willing to spend hundred of dollars to fix it at your dealer.....only to have it break again down the road?

Or...Want a product that will prevent your visor from ever falling down when you are out driving around....or trail riding?

We've come up with a VERY easy and inexpensive fix for this factory defect!!! We design a 'clip' that replaces one of the factory screws, and captures the band on the post of the sun visor and permanently fixes your problem.

This clip is an easy install....you just flip your sun visor forward, remove the factory 'outboard' screw next to the visor post, install this clip, rotate it in to capture the band on the visor post and tighten. You will now have the full motion of your sun visor again!!! This clip is pretty much hidden by the visor in the stored position and is not unsightly either.....actually looks sort of like what the factory should have done in the first place!!

You get both clips for both visors and two black screws for this install. Total time for install should take less than 10 minutes......the only tools you need is a T20 torx bit (factory screw removal) and a #2 Phillips head screw driver (clip installation).

Our sun visor clip is made out of black delrin which is much stronger than your normal garden variety plastics."

 

[four low]

I think some people reported this issue thru the NHTSA web reporting page. I know there have been many posts with your same concern. I don't know what standards NHTSA uses to screen for what is a safety issue or not. In the airplane safety world where I worked, we used mathematical models as much as possible, but for this issue, there's an initial question of whether it will eventually result in an event with loss of control. So, some safety engineer would have to assign a probability value to how many events of the visor breaking and falling in front of the driver would it take for one loss of control event. That's the "squishy" part of this kind of evaluation, if a loss of control event has not yet occurred. If such a loss of control event has indeed occurred, they would then have some more definitive data to work from. Then they would see if that fell into the unsafe or safe probability of occurrence criteria they have established.

Safety isn't an absolute, but rather a managed risk process. Otherwise, everyone would be chasing every little problem that maybe could, sorta, or combined with 2 or 5 other things could possibly cause an unsafe event. The bad thing about chasing everything is that there are only so many resources at manufacturers and federal agencies to chase safety issues. When you chase everything, you invariably get behind on addressing all these issues. I've seen engineering airplane system safety evolve over time and it's the best it has ever been. And those that say they should just throw more resources at these issues, need to consider that these companies exist as 'for profit' businesses. They have limitations on budgets, even large corporations, believe it or not. Same with government agencies. So, they have to be efficient and prioritize to address those issues that have the most safety value.

Substitute " monetary " for " Safety", and you have it.
Failures that result in loss of life, injuries, property damage ,are what investigators look at. "Potential" doesn't count; Falling Visors will remain in limbo, until an accident can be attributed to them , by a survivor.

 

[RubiSc0tt]

Well.... I just came across this offering, today on Amazon and on eBAY.... Has anyone purchased/installed this offering?

Anyway..... I ordered a set and will have in a few days... I will post here what I think of this offering..

For sure an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so to speak.... and this is something that most anyone can install.....

eBay reviews are good.... apparently this offering has been out awhile and 450+ sold...

https://www.amazon.com/TACCOM-Visor-Compatible-Gladiator-Wrangler/dp/B09LDF4DT9/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=jeep clips taccom&qid=1638654004&sr=8-1&fbclid=IwAR0aThXIu9w0kHmkWTFCpi1m5IoaSNHEj39mj7jFslJXlyefuavutcMOR7U

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284518876593

Definitely will be looking forward to it. My driver side is fixed under warranty, but now my passenger side is broken. I'll order and install if it works.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

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Definitely will be looking forward to it. My driver side is fixed under warranty, but now my passenger side is broken. I'll order and install if it works.

@RubiSc0tt

I have to install and evaluate...... too look over closely.

I'm not sure if the offering really will do what it claims to do.. especially in regard to a broken visor.

Yes, probably for beefing things up so to speak so a snap/break there does not occur..

@roaniecowpony .... Looking at the pic of this offering.... what do you think.. d0you think it will do the both fix and in preventing snaps..

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[RubiSc0tt]

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I have to install and evaluate...... too look overly closely.

I'm not sure if the offering really will do what it claims to do.. especially in regard to beefing things up so to speak so a snap/break there does not occur..

@roaniecowpony .... Looking at the pic of this offering.... what do you think.. dp you think it will do the both fix and in preventing snaps..

.

If nothing else, it has me thinking about a home brew solution that eliminates the stress point and allows the visors to function properly.

 

[roaniecowpony]

If nothing else, it has me thinking about a home brew solution that eliminates the stress point and allows the visors to function properly.

I think the primary load on the visor "tapered bearing" is bending. But since it's tapered, it's always got an axial load trying to pull it out. If you fit the axial retainer where the taper is tight, any bending load on the visor when disconnected from the inboard catch/support, will be almost all taken up by the bending load on the taper and a small axial load pulling the shank out of the base.

 

[blnewt]

It looks like that new mounting support would work well if the visor isn't broken, wouldn't fix a broken mounting point though as far as I can tell. So as a preemptive strike it seems like a good plan.

FWIW my "fix" is still working great, so glad @roaniecowpony did what Jeep couldn't

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@blnewt
@roaniecowpony
@all that are wondering...

I messaged the eBAY seller in regard to some questions I had in regard to his product offering..

I asked him....... if indeed this offering would fix a broken visor bracket is such a way that you would not know it had been broken..... and that after the offering was installed on a broken JL/JT visor was there say any free play of the visor, etc.... and did it feel different then before the stock bracket was broken...

In his reply, he did mention he fixed his own broken visor with his offering and he also said this:
’"I've used this plastic for the shotgun shell holders we make…..the polymer used is not your garden variety plastic…..I doubt they will ever break. You’ll see when you install it. It will work like it’s never been broke. The bonus is that when the visor is in the stored position…..you really can’t even see the clip. "

And he said this:

"There is actually a flange that the clip captures…..take a close look at the visor sitting up in there. There is really no play at all when the clip is installed, it moves as freely as it always does…..the flange on the visor post is contained by the clip, it can’t come down. "

Anyway, the offering sounds promising.....

Would be a terrific, inexpensive fix.... A fix that a guy or gal that was not lets say.... Mr. or Ms. Fixit, to easily take care of their broken JL/JT visor..

I'm looking forward to seeing / installing this offering... Hoe it pans out so to speak...

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[roaniecowpony]

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@RubiSc0tt

I have to install and evaluate...... too look over closely.

I'm not sure if the offering really will do what it claims to do.. especially in regard to a broken visor.

Yes, probably for beefing things up so to speak so a snap/break there does not occur..

@roaniecowpony .... Looking at the pic of this offering.... what do you think.. d0you think it will do the both fix and in preventing snaps..

.

Looks like the tab will hold the shank up in the taper (see the shoulder on the shank), which should keep it in place. Whether or not it stays tight enough in the taper to have friction, I can't tell. But it's a great solution for a quick fix.

 

[RubiSc0tt]

Looks like the tab will hold the shank up in the taper (see the shoulder on the shank), which should keep it in place. Whether or not it stays tight enough in the taper to have friction, I can't tell. But it's a great solution for a quick fix.

That was exactly my thinking, based on my experience taking the driver side mount apart. This is actually a huge improvement if it works as advertised (in theory). I may jump on these.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

That was exactly my thinking, based on my experience taking the driver side mount apart. This is actually a huge improvement if it works as advertised (in theory). I may jump on these.

@RubiSc0tt

Last night, 3 Chinese knockoffs of these "visor clips" popped up on eBAY.

Prices for these knockoffs are lower ....... the friggin, Chinese sellers actually copied word for word the item description.... and not only that, they used the USA seller's product name and a picture he had used in his ad...

The Chinese offerings are thinner molded plastic and appear to be thinner in size and a tad different.

I reached out to the First to Market, visor clips, guy.... who is a JT owner and from the USA.... and he was really pissed (I don't blame him) that they used him name, etc.. He knew knockoffs would be coming in a few months but never so soon and again they stole/used his name, etc... He has filed a complaint with eBAY.

Anyway, there are chintzy, Chinese knockoffs available of this product and the pricing on them is less.. Ship time from China after ordering is a month per their ad.

For me, I'll stick with Manufactured in the USA, Lazer cut, delrin plastic.. much higher quality visor clips and I will not go with the cheapo, knockoffs....

Buy the quality, USA one's here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284518876593

or here on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/TACCOM-Visor...rds=visor+clips,+jl,+jk&qid=1638799272&sr=8-1

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[RubiSc0tt]

@RubiSc0tt
For me, I'll stick with Manufactured in the USA, Lazer cut, delrin plastic.. much higher quality visor clips and I will not go with the cheapo, knockoffs....
.

Agreed, same. I try to support US based companies and anyone who is one of our own (JEep owners, off roaders, etc) whenever I can. Thanks for the heads up. I'll be going with the OG when I order.

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