MOPAR Tow Mirror Conversion

[PKleine]

I am just about finished with the tow mirror conversion. My truck had the electric/heated mirrors so all the wiring was there. All I did was install the 3rd gen electric/heated tow mirror to the 2nd gen tow mirror base and mount them on the truck. Way cool. They fit right on... almost. I'll explain but first some details of the installation.



After separating the first mirror from its base by removing the spider like retaining washer and having my finger wacked, I learned the following:

a. After loosening the second leg of the spider retaining washer put a towel or heavy cloth over the opening.​

b. When the third leg of the spider retaining washer is loosened the washer will produce a satisfying thud as it is restrained by the towel.​

c. To ease reassembly I used a coupling and a arbor press to press the spider retaining washer back into position. Very simple and safe.​

I managed to drop two of the nuts holding the old mirror into the passenger door. I hope they don't rattle.



I spliced about a foot of wire to the end of the wires on the new mirrors and reused the original 2nd gen plugs.



Everything works except the end of he mirror control switch hits the top nut & stud of the drivers door mirror. This prevents the door panel from setting flat in its original position. Any one have a work around for this?



Thanks in advance.



PK

 

[klenger]

This might have helped: http://www.klenger.net/dodge/2nd-gen-reference/heated-towing-mirrors.html

 

[PKleine]

This might have helped: http://www.klenger.net/dodge/2nd-gen-reference/heated-towing-mirrors.html

I read those instructions before making the decision to do this conversion. They are good instructions! The mirror assemblies for both the 2nd & 3rd gen are the same where they mount to the bases. That is, the 1. 5" L X 1/8" thick tit on the 3rd gen was not present on my mirrors. Perhaps they made a design change as both sets of mirrors were produced in March 2005 according to the stickers in each base.



The interference I'm having is with the top stud & nut hitting the back of the power mirror switch. Also, with the reinforcement plates installed is anyone still using that thick piece of foam?



PK

 

[pwerwagn]

Im fixin to do this conversion this weekend. I'll let you know if I have the same troubles.

Oh yeah, the towel method works good as to not get a spring in the eye. I took the 3rd gen mirrors apart already. I almost lost one spring!!!

--Jeff

 

[surfbeetle]

Will the mirrors fit on a 95? On all of the mirrors on ebay that I see, they state that it will fit a 98 to 01. I hope that all of the 2nd gens are the same.

 

[PKleine]

I've been driving around with my 24ft car hauler in tow and those mirrors are truly money well spent. Great visibility and no vibration. Now if I could only get the mirror control switch to clear the top stud & nut...



PK

 

[Turboman]

I am working on this conv and I have a bit of trouble. I did the drivers side first, got the wires all together right( I think) it works right anyway. Then I hooked up the right one with the wires the same, but when the right one is plugged in it messes up both. The right will go up and left only, and when I move the left one it moves the right also, but only up and left. When I go down or right it doesn't move and the dome light dims. You unplug the right and left works ok. Does anyone know the proper wireing method colors to colors??

 

[surfbeetle]

I am currently aquiring mirrors for this conversion. So have yet to do it yet, but what I can say is Turboman, it seems that if your dome light is dimming at the point that you are using the mirror, you may have crossed a positive to negative. Unfortunately, from what I have read, there doesn't seem to be a standard wire conversion schematic as dodge wasn't consistent with the colors from year to year. You will have to use a test lamp to determine what each wire does on the truck then use a fused 12v power supply to determine what each wire does on the mirror itself.

 

[Turboman]

Try looking at bodyshops for mirrors with busted glass. If it was an insurance job, they usually just replace the whole thing. I found one for a 3rd gen with a cracked glass at the first bodyshop I went to for $20. As for the wiring problem, I have a thread over on Prod/acc column going, hopefully we'll find the solution soon. Thks

 

[Turboman]

I forgot to mention a solution for the top nut hitting the switch, Remove the stud and get a bolt of the same thread and length, won't stick out as far.