The real way to remove front cap on pre '06 mirrors

[Scarsman]

Ok, my goal was to remove the chrome caps on the front of the mirrors so I could make them black. I searched on here and found info saying for the pre '06 mirrors you need to pry the mirror glass out and then remove screw holding the cap on. The info said that the mirror glass would pop out from the motor housing. After cracking one mirror getting it off I found that this is not accurate. So, here is the real way to remove the chrome cap without breaking anything. At least on a 2005.

If you look behind the mirror you can see some tabs from the cap that insert into the main housing. There are two on the top, two on the inboard side, two outboard, and one on the outboard side of the bottom. The only thing holding the cap on is these tabs and two wads of two sided foam tape on the inside of the cap.

1.
Start by prying out slightly on one corner of cap. With a screwdriver reach in and pry the tab towards the center of the mirror housing. If you have enough pressure on the cap you will feel/hear a small pop as the tab releases. Work your way around the cap in this manner until all the tabs are released.

2.
Very slowly increase pry pressure on the cap. You will feel the two sided tape peeling away. Just keep slow pressure on the cap and it will keep coming off. If you let any sides move back in the tabs may reengage and you may need to pop them loose again. Just be aware of this and you will be fine.

Once you get it pulled off of the tape it is removed! To replace just apply new tape to about the thickness of the OE tape and push it back on the mirror. The glass does not need to be removed at all.

I hope this helps someone else not break their mirror!