Towing mirrors

[TFlewitt]

Didn't get a lot of opinions the last time so I'll try again. I'm looking at either the Cipa or factory Dodge towing mirrors. Looking for experienced comments about vibration on either of these.



I see that the Dodge isn't as wide as the Cipa - Dodgemeasured from the window to the outside of the mirror) 15" up, 19" down or extended; and the Cipa: 20" in, and 24. 25" extended. Are you able to see to the back of a 37' 5th wheel with the Dodge mirrors? The Cipa also has a larger mirror surface - 10"X10". Anyone have comments that have looked at both?



Lastly, I see that Dodge/Mopar has now offered the Cipa mirrors as a dealer accessory for the '02-'06 trucks. These factory accessory mirrors have built-in LED turn signal lights which can only purchased this way from Mopar - Cipa doesn't sell them this way through their dealers. How 'bout it - any comments?

 

[Matt42]

I have Cipa mirrors on my 1996. I really like them. The 2004 at my office came with manual mirrors. It was supposed to have power towing mirrors, but somebody decided to save a few bucks regardless of how much more it cost to do so. I'm in the process of installing power Cipa mirrors on it, and a similarly-ordered 2006. I'm making up wiring harneses using the mirror switch from a 1996 and mirrors that fit the third-gen. It's not as complicated as it sounds.

 

[CumminsPower98]

My CIPA/Bestop mirrors have been working great for me. I can see around the biggest trailers (RV transporting) pretty good.

 

[RMachida]

I have the Cipa mirrors on our Suburban and the only annoying thing is they vibrate especially when compared to the factory tow mirrors on the CTD. Visibility is great with either.

 

[TFlewitt]

I have the Cipa mirrors on our Suburban and the only annoying thing is they vibrate especially when compared to the factory tow mirrors on the CTD. Visibility is great with either.

Now that is interesting. Why do a few Cipa mirror users complain about vibration, and many others do not? Especially interesting is that you've used both and say the factory tow mirrors don't vibrate, but the Cipas do. Do the Cipas mount as solidly on your Suburban, as they do on the CTD? I would have thought that with 2 arms holding the mirror, it would vibrate less than with 1 long arm like the factory tow mirrors. How long have your had the Cipas and have they worn where they push in and out? If they wear here, is this what allows the vibration?

 

[yogibear]

I have the Cipa mirrors from my DC dealer, and like them better than the OEM tow mirrors, I like the size and they only stick out 1" farther than the stock ones, and believe it or not, they are more solid, no vibration at all. The only thing I don't like about them is that they look too much like a furd mirror. My dlr. told me to take them and try them, if I didn't like them to return them, didn't bill me for them till I told him I would keep them. Have used them for over 25K mi. , and everything is fine. I really like the turn signal lights, sometimes in heavy traffic if someone is beside you, or just behind your front door, they can't see your sig. lights and don't know that you need to change lanes, they really help.

255,000mi. April 4, 06



Larry

 

[Prairie Dog]

I bought the factory mirrors on line for $300 mostly because I didnt want to worry about vibration and I wanted to keep the heat and power options.

They've worked out great.



Scotty

 

[CumminsPower98]

I bought the factory mirrors on line for $300 mostly because I didnt want to worry about vibration and I wanted to keep the heat and power options.

They've worked out great.



Scotty

CIPA/Bestop are heated and powered and only the early ones had vibration problems.

 

[E2360]

I have used both mirrors, while the cipa have a slightly larger mirror area, I like the dodge mirrors better by far for towing. When not extended, the cipa are overkill. One man's opinoin.



Both are loads better than the slip over mirrors I had on My GMC. Have used both regular and towing DC mirrors. I find the towing mirrors to be the best of all the different set ups I have used. I tow a 5th wheel and the length wise mirror that you get when you flip up the DC tow mirrors work well even for backing

 

[Matt42]

Now that is interesting. Why do a few Cipa mirror users complain about vibration, and many others do not? Especially interesting is that you've used both and say the factory tow mirrors don't vibrate, but the Cipas do. Do the Cipas mount as solidly on your Suburban, as they do on the CTD? I would have thought that with 2 arms holding the mirror, it would vibrate less than with 1 long arm like the factory tow mirrors. How long have your had the Cipas and have they worn where they push in and out? If they wear here, is this what allows the vibration?

As stated by others, only the early Cipas had vibration problems. Follow the installation instructions. If the instructions call for a specific torque, they mean it. Also, the first nut will have to be retorqued after the last one is done. This may have to be repeated until all nuts are equally tight. Do that and no worries.



The large size of the Cipa mirror area may be daunting to some. In the heavy, nasty traffic I drive in, the extra viewing area is excellent.

 

[RMachida]

Now that is interesting. Why do a few Cipa mirror users complain about vibration, and many others do not? Especially interesting is that you've used both and say the factory tow mirrors don't vibrate, but the Cipas do. Do the Cipas mount as solidly on your Suburban, as they do on the CTD? I would have thought that with 2 arms holding the mirror, it would vibrate less than with 1 long arm like the factory tow mirrors. How long have your had the Cipas and have they worn where they push in and out? If they wear here, is this what allows the vibration?

They use the stock mounting (3 bolts to the door frame) with closed cell foam between the mirror mount and the door. I installed the Cipas only a couple of months ago. Overall, I'm satisfied with the Cipas as they are much larger than the stock mirrors and most importantly, they fold forward as well as backwards. I believe the vibration, in this case, may be due to the thick foam gasket. I still prefer the design of the Dodge mirrors as there is absolutly no vibration at all.

 

[Road9]

Didn't get a lot of opinions the last time so I'll try again. I'm looking at either the Cipa or factory Dodge towing mirrors. Looking for experienced comments about vibration on either of these.



I see that the Dodge isn't as wide as the Cipa - Dodgemeasured from the window to the outside of the mirror) 15" up, 19" down or extended; and the Cipa: 20" in, and 24. 25" extended. Are you able to see to the back of a 37' 5th wheel with the Dodge mirrors? The Cipa also has a larger mirror surface - 10"X10". Anyone have comments that have looked at both?



Lastly, I see that Dodge/Mopar has now offered the Cipa mirrors as a dealer accessory for the '02-'06 trucks. These factory accessory mirrors have built-in LED turn signal lights which can only purchased this way from Mopar - Cipa doesn't sell them this way through their dealers. How 'bout it - any comments?

I have used both like Cipa much better towing 5th. I an getting Mopar / Cipa on 06 3500 that will be ordered soon.

 

[MartyK]

I tried a couple different style slip-on mirrors on my '96. I think all slip-on mirrors are junk. I then put the Cipa mirrors on, great improvement, no vibration at all. I have the trailer tow mirrors on my '05 and like them. If Dodge didn't improve their mirrors I would have put the Cipa's on the '05. I tow a 28' fiver and have no problems seeing around it.

 

[RColston]

I have had powervision mirrors on both of my trucks. They bounce very little when fully extended and the power extension is very nice. All of the towing mirrors may bounce or vibrate under certain circumstances. CIPA mirrors just looked too big for my liking.



Rick

 

[Jrork]

I'll go Cipa Power/heated as soon as I can swing it. The slip on's got me by shortterm but that's about all I can say good about them. Otherwise, they're not worth it (to me).

 

[Jrork]

For those of us wanting some CIPA's, maybe a group purchase?????

 

[tony_h]

If a group purchase is a possibility, I would consider it. I like the looks of the OEM trailer mirrors but I don't want to pay all of that $$ (A 2nd/3rd gen hybrid - 2 sets of mirrors) to make them work with the 2nd gen with power and heat.

 

[Jrork]

If a group purchase is a possibility, I would consider it. I like the looks of the OEM trailer mirrors but I don't want to pay all of that $$ (A 2nd/3rd gen hybrid - 2 sets of mirrors) to make them work with the 2nd gen with power and heat.

Zactly my thoughts too. Way too much $$ and effort to get the 2nd/3nd gen hybrid.

Anybody else?

 

[TRCM]

all that money ??





I paid 475 for both sets of mirrors brand new from dodge.



sold the manual 3rd gen ones for 175, so I have 300 into it, and still have a power set of 2nd gens I can sell to further reduce my costs

 

[TFlewitt]

Cipa/Bestop tow mirrors

I finally decided to go with the Cipa/Bestop mirrors over the Mopar flip ups. The tow mirrors are manufactured by Magna Donnelly (who is the largest maker of oem/aftermarket mirrors - they also make the flip up tow mirrors for Mopar) marketed by a number of different resellers. The Cipa and Bestop mirrors are identical. I purchased the Bestop mirrors-power and heated- from SuperTruckPerformance.com (used to be Acme Truck parts) for $299 plus $25 shipping. They ship with 3" round convex mirrors. Yes they are larger and extend further than the flip mirrors - but isn't that what is needed in a tow mirror, to get a good look at what is behind your trailer? I'm not concerned with looks, my truck is for pulling a trailer.



The flip mirrors measure 15"in/19"out from the glass, Cipas are 20"in/24. 25"out. This gives the flip mirrors an overall width of 100"in/108"out, and the Cipa 110"in/118. 5"out. If you're trying to see around a 100-102" trailer, I figure the larger Cipa mirror surface and the width are going to let you see more.



Magna Donnelly is making the turn signal and mirror glass (with the integrated convex mirror) available separately through Dodge. They supply a turn signal/running light harness with the Mopar/Cipa mirrors. It has to be run from either mirror back to the fuse box where it plugs in for the signals and running lights. The turn signals just pop into an existing space in the mirror head that has a little cover on it.



Hope this helps!