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How to Remove a Sun Visor

Two Methods:Car or Truck Sun VisorMotorcycle Helmet Sun VisorCommunity Q&A

Sun visors play an important role in road safety, but if a visor becomes damaged or dirtied, you may need to temporarily remove it. Removing the interior sun visor in a car or truck is usually quite simple, and you should also be to remove the interior sun visor of a motorcycle helmet without much difficulty, as well.

Method 1
Car or Truck Sun Visor

Removing the Sun Visor

  1. 1
    Unhook the loose side. Flip the sun visor into its down position and unhook the detachable side from the ceiling hook.
    • Push the loosened sun visor forward, moving it as close to the windshield as possible without breaking anything.
  2. 2
    Pry off the plastic cover. Wedge the tip of a flat screwdriver beneath the plastic cover of the main assembly. Carefully use the screwdriver to pry the cover completely off.[1]
    • The main assembly is the area where the sun visor remains fastened to the ceiling, and it should lie opposite the hook side. The plastic cover you need to remove will hide the main assembly from sight initially.
    • Look closely at the plastic cover. There should be a slit running down a portion of the top surface. Insert the screwdriver into that slit from the side, easing the tip beneath the cover as you do. Gently wiggle the screwdriver around until the plastic cover pops off.
    • You do need to work carefully since forcing the cover off with too much pressure can cause it to crack or otherwise break.
    • After the cover pops off, pull as much down as possible. If the back gets stuck, move the sun visor around to free the stuck portion so that you can remove it cleanly.
  3. 3
    Remove the screws. Identify the mounting screws located in the main assembly. Use a flat screwdriver to remove all of these screws.
    • The number of screws will vary depending on the make and model of the car. In most cases, you'll need to remove two to four screws. Check all sides of the main assembly to locate all the screws.
    • Some of these screws will likely be torx screws, but you should be able to remove them with a flat screwdriver if you do not have a specialized one for this screw type.[2]
    • Work carefully. If your hand slips while you apply too much pressure, you could accidentally puncture the ceiling with the tip of the screwdriver.
  4. 4
    Slide off the visor. Once the screws are gone, the sun visor should be loose enough to pull out.
    • There might be a tab on the visor stem that hooks into the visor placement hole on your car. Carefully slide and twist the visor to clear that tab from the hole while pulling the visor down and out.

Re-Installing the Sun Visor

  1. 1
    Fit the visor into its designated position. Insert the visor stem into the visor placement hole in the car ceiling.[3]
    • Make sure that the blank side of the visor faces the windshield. The interior side (usually marked with mirrors, warning labels, or other features) should face you.
    • If the visor has a tab on the stem, hook that tab into the placement hole from the side. Once you hook the tab into place, the rest of the stem should slide in easily.
    • The main assembly surface should already be attached to the stem of the visor. Line up the screw holes in this surface with the screw holes located in the visor placement hole.
  2. 2
    Secure the visor with screws. Insert the same screws into the screw holes of the main assembly. Use a flat screwdriver to tighten them into place.
    • You may need to hold the visor with one hand while attaching the screws with the other. If this is too difficult, hook the detachable side of the sun visor into place to keep the visor steady while you work.
    • Ideally, you should save and use the original screws when re-attaching the sun visor. If you lost the screws or the screws are unusable, note that most vehicles use T20 or T30 screws for the sun visor. This can vary, though, so it's best to verify this information with another source, like the vehicle's user manual.
  3. 3
    Snap the plastic cover into place. Slide the opening of the plastic cover around the newly attached stem. Line up the perimeter of the cover with the perimeter of the main assembly, then push up on the cover to snap it back into place.
    • Replacing the plastic cover is usually easier than removing it, but you should still work carefully to avoid snapping or cracking the cover while bending and twisting it over the visor stem.
  4. 4
    Check the visor. Move the visor back and forth. Hook and unhook it. If the visor has its full range of motion and seems secure, then the process was successful.
    • If the visor seems loose, you may need to tighten the screws more.
    • Conversely, if the visor sticks, you may need to loosen the screws a quarter turn or check the placement of the main assembly to verify that nothing has jammed into the wrong position.

Method 2
Motorcycle Helmet Sun Visor

Removing the Sun Visor

  1. 1
    Lower the visor. Rotate the sun visor as needed to drop it into its down position. Lift open the face cover to provide full access to the visor.
    • In most cases, the sun visor is controlled by a slide button located on the side of the chin or the side of the temple. Push the slide back to lower the visor.[4]
      • Do not attempt to lower the visor manually if it is controlled by a slide button. You should only lower it manually if no such button exists.
    • Sit down and hold the helmet in your lap as you work on the visor. Alternatively, you can keep the helmet steady on a flat work surface while sitting or standing.
    • If the helmet has a separate chin section, you should open the chin and lock it into place before working on the visor.
  2. 2
    Release the connecting tab. Locate the connecting tab on one side of the sun visor. Lift or bend the tab to loosen the visor on that side.[5]
    • This tab fixes the sun visor to the mounting pin on that side of the helmet.
    • Continue bending the tab outward until it snaps completely open and frees that side of the sun visor.
  3. 3
    Repeat on the other side. Locate the matching connecting tab on the opposite side of the sun visor. As before, lift or bend the tab to free the visor.
    • Both sides of the sun visor should be very loose at this point.
  4. 4
    Pull the visor away. Lift both sides of the sun visor from their respective mounting pins. Pull the freed visor down and out to remove it from the helmet.
    • To prevent accidental scratches or fingerprints, you may wish to grab the visor with a soft, clean cloth instead of using your bare hands. A microfiber cloth is ideal.
    • Try to avoid scraping the visor against the inner shell as you remove it. If it strikes or slides across the shell, it may become scratched.

Re-Installing the Sun Visor

  1. 1
    Keep the visor lever down. The sun visor holders must be in the "down" position as you re-install the visor.
    • Check the controlling side button located at the side of the helmet. If necessary, push the slide back to lower the visor holders.
    • Keep the face cover and chin section open while inserting the visor, as well.
    • Hold the visor in your lap or on a flat work surface with the visor holders tilted up toward your face. This will usually be the easiest angle to work from.
  2. 2
    Slide the visor into both side tabs. Carefully insert the sun visor in between the connecting snap tabs on both sides of the helmet.
    • If you cannot slide the visor into both tabs simultaneously, you may snap it into place one side at a time.
    • Hold the visor with a soft, clean cloth to avoid scratching or smudging it while you work. Guide the visor carefully into position while avoiding the inner shell, too, since it could easily get scratched on the hard surface.
  3. 3
    Rotate the visor into the helmet. Once the sun visor locks into place, use the operating slide the rotate it back into the helmet.
    • Verify that the visor slides in between the inner and outer shells of the helmet. If necessary, use your fingers to guide it in between both shells for this first rotation.
    • This first rotation should help secure the visor into its proper position.
  4. 4
    Check the visor. Use the operating slide button to rotate the sun visor down and up several times. Check the visor each time to verify that it remains secure.
    • This step is crucial. If the visor isn't secure and you attempt to use it while riding, it may partially or completely fall off, blocking your vision in the process.
    • If the visor does seem loose, it's possible that you did not secure it back into both sockets correctly. Remove the visor and try re-attaching it again.

Community Q&A

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Things You'll Need

Car or Truck Sun Visor

  • Flat screwdriver

Motorcycle Helmet Sun Visor

  • Microfiber cloth

Article Info

Categories: Cars

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