Towing mirrors

[TFlewitt]

We're starting to get equipped for towing a 5th wheel trailer soon. Someone is selling some slip-on Dodge towing mirrors that slip over the stock mirrors. Any experience with these? What would you seasoned haulers recommend? Thanks!

 

[PWitteveen]

I had some I bought from Camping World. The only problem I had was they shake a lot when going over bumps. Otherwise, they worked fine. See them here:

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?deptID=&subOf=43,338&skunum=7753d

 

[Slow Six]

I have used them in the past. They work but I found them to be a PITA. I changed to an after market trailer mirror which worked a lot better. These cost more but if you are planning to keep the truck and do a lot of towing they are well worth the investment.

 

[mgonske]

I used them on my '98. The problem is that the mirror is so small that you can't see behind you and also monitor the trailer tires (the glass needs to be fairly tall for this). I'm much happier with the factory towing mirrors on my '03.

 

[DieselRam30]

I had slip-ons for a little while, but switched over to aftermarket towing mirrors. Big improvement in my opinion. More expensive for sure, but worth it.

 

[surfbeetle]

they are horrible. You finally get the mirror adjusted to see throught that tiny mirror and then someone opens/closes the passenger door and they are all out of whack. Don't waste your time. I did the dodge factory tow mirror converison and its the best addition to my truck for towing.

 

[R-N-R]

I used McKesh Mirrors for a couple of years as was very happy with them.

 

[Neibe]

Yes I'll second the Dodge factory towing mirrors they are awesome and it was an easy install.

 

[Dieselnerd]

On my last truck I tried almost every kind of add on/slip on available. All were second rate. I finally put on CIPA mirrors from Geno's Garage and they worked perfectly. On my new truck I ordered the factory towing mirrors when I ordered the truck and they work great too. Don't mess around with the jury rig mirrors unless you rarely tow. It's hard enough to see behind your rig without having to rely on small, hard to adjust, add on mirrors.

 

[Bob4x4]

I work in Orange county PM me if you need any local advice or help



Bob

 

[cwsoules]

I tried slip on mirrors but could not adjust the right side mirrors so i could see the side of the trailer and it's tires as well as behind the trailer. I have used McKesh mirrors for the past 5 years and love them.

 

[TFlewitt]

Dodge factory tow mirrors

I looked at some factory tow mirrors for 98-02 and they said that only manual mirrors are available for these years - that the power and defrost functions are deactivated. Is this correct? Are there any power mirrors made for these years? Thanks.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

Yes you could go with the CIPA's that Dieselnerd mentioned or you can make a set of power heated mirrors by combining a set of the 03-05 mirrors and the 98-01 mirrors, but since you don't already have the tow mirrors that gets kind of expensive, but if it interests you there are plenty of threads on here about how to do it.

 

[jtsandbird]

i would defiantly go with the Dodge only product. i had a 2001 and used slip ons and three sets of the CIPA's . The slipons sucked and the Cipa's we're not much better. the first two i had wiggled so much you couldn't see anything, and yes they were installed correctly. on the third set we were on our first day of a month long trip and we were an hour from home and the mirror on the drivers side went flying off as we were going through victorville. i turned around and taped it together until we reached carson city dodge dealer where we purchased a stock set of towing mirrors. i had them for three years until i sold the truck. they worked great. the only problem was that they weren't electric,but they more than made up for it in usage. So it you want to be happy get the real thing.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Interesting comment on the CIPA's wiggle, mine were rock solid and I thought I could see as well or better behind me than I can now with the Dodge towing mirrors.

 

[PC12Driver]

My CIPAs are still solid after a couple of years' worth of use. The set I installed on my Dad's truck will wiggle a bit if the wind is right, but I think he's getting a bit of turbulence off of his bug deflector.



I posted a pic of my mirrors in use a while back in this thread.

 

[jtsandbird]

all i know is that inside of one year i had 3 sets of Cipa mirrors and all of them wiggled to some extent. i even tried putting foam between the mirror and the outside plastic. that worked for awhile until they came out. i was much happier with the stock dodge towing mirrors. maybe i just got a bad batch of mirrors... THREE Times!!!

 

[surfbeetle]

I looked at some factory tow mirrors for 98-02 and they said that only manual mirrors are available for these years - that the power and defrost functions are deactivated. Is this correct? Are there any power mirrors made for these years? Thanks.

Technically this is true, FROM DODGE, there is no power tow mirror available. However, as covered many times on the TDR, there is a conversion option available. You can take the bases from the 98-02 manual tow mirrors and the power mirrors from a 03-05 and put them together, basically you are buying two sets of mirrors. I found a couple of broken mirrors on Ebay that had usable parts that I wanted and then bought new mirrors from an online dodge dealer in Texas so I could have all of the mounting parts. Then you will have a power tow mirrors with defrost. I have a 95 with them, they are the best.



TDR member Klenger used to have the instructions posted on his page, the link was broke when I just checked. I suggest you do a search for tow mirrors, there's alot of reading.

 

[AMelvin]

Those slip on towing mirrors suck. I'll give you mine when I get regular towing mirrors installed