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Just recently I hit a crow that flew up right in front of me. Luckily all it did is bust off the side view mirror. I was looking into replacing both mirrors with something a little better and was wondering what options I had. I would like to see some pictures of what people are running and possibly where they got them from. I was looking at some of the west coast style and like some of them. Thanks for the help
How big do you want to go? I had the "nemo" mirrors on my old truck and have the full on huge towing mirrors on this one and I like them both for different reasons. One thing about the big ones I have now is that I was able to add some pretty good sized convex mirrors to them and I can see EVERYTHING now, lol.
Here are some pictures:
Old truck:
New Truck:
And the view:
Other options are to do a "west coast style" mirror like you're talking about that would go from top to bottom of the window opening or a set of dodge mirrors that some seem to like on these trucks. I'm not a huge fan of the dodge tow mirrors on these trucks, but it's something different...
Dodge mirrors:
Interior view is kinda so-so on these unless they're flipped up vertically:
West coast mirrors:
It's just a personal preference thing to me, but I like the classic look of the west coast mirrors with these trucks. The two just seem to go well together.
I've dealt with Ryder online before for mirrors and they're ok, but just ok. I would much rather deal with my local NAPA store, and they have a pretty decent selection online. Here is a LINK
Unless you have a dually, the West Coast mirrors are WAY big and will look out of place.
If you have the Nemo mirrors,you can pretty easily swap to the gooseneck mirrors. The mirror heads can be folded in for daily driving and flipped out for towing. The 2 top bolts share the same pattern as the nemos. You would need to drill the 2 lower mounting holes.
Nemos
Gooseneck flipped out
Another good mirror it the Swing-a-Way. Not small like the Nemos but not big like the gooseneck. The only problem is they have their own specific bolt pattern
I am running them on my CCSB since I converted it back to single wheel
Swing a way(I now have 5" Spot mirrors mounted with the head mounting bolt)
^^^^^ Advantage to the swing-aways is that the whole thing can be folded pretty-much flush with the door, and they're likely to fold/swing in on an, er, unexpected contact. Any "tangle" with the base of the gooseneck mirror, and you're likely looking at repairs on the door and/or base.
I've also seen people put gooseneck heads on the swing-away ("7" shape) base.
I like your convex mirrors Nate! Did you get them at NAPA? I have the same mirrors as your truck but sometimes I think I got alone better with the mule's nemo's. Backing the 5er sometimes all I can see is white. My smaller convex mirrors things are to small.
If you have the Nemo mirrors,you can pretty easily swap to the gooseneck mirrors. The mirror heads can be folded in for daily driving and flipped out for towing. The 2 top bolts share the same pattern as the nemos. You would need to drill the 2 lower mounting holes.
Learn somethin new every day!! I could have sworn that I was told that no mounting holes for the mirrors I have would work we the nemos... Cool....
^^^^ If you're talking about the truck in your photos and your profile, unfortunately you were told correctly. You have swing-away mirrors. The top door edge holes are the same for the four-post gooseneck and the nemos. They are NOT the same as the holes for the swing-away.
^^^^ If you're talking about the truck in your photos and your profile, unfortunately you were told correctly. You have swing-away mirrors. The top door edge holes are the same for the four-post gooseneck and the nemos. They are NOT the same as the holes for the swing-away.
Awwwwww NUTS!!!! Which ones are the swing aways? Dagumit!
EDIT: ooohhhh the ones that mount above the window and below...
No, swing-aways are what you have. Here's a run-down:
* "Nemos" - passenger-car-style, folding, two holes widely spaced just below the window, and an outrigger arm that fastens to the inside skin of the door. Passenger side is convex. Power option was available
* Swing-away - two holes narrowly spaced just below the window, two more about the same spacing partway down the door just below the character line. Single-arm bracket, shaped like the number 7, and can swing/fold in flush with the door. Passenger side is convex (early '80s trucks, passenger side was flat.)
* Gooseneck, aka four-post - holes below the window are the same spacing as the nemos, then two arms going down about halfway down the door. Since it's four rigid mounting points, the bracket/mount can't fold or swing; it always sticks out. Gooseneck head can be oriented either inboard or outboard of the bracket; usually oriented outboard for towing, inboard for in-town. Passenger side is flat.
* West coast - mounted below and above the window. Not offered as an option on the OBS pickups. Might have been an option on the bigger C&C trucks. Probably an option on the earlier generations ('80-'91) that use similar doors. Not sure about the hole spacing.
Other options:
* Gooseneck head on the swing-away bracket. Bigger head than the stock swing-away head, and the L shape of the gooseneck sets it outboard a little further.
* Swing-away head on swing-away bracket, but with a sliding bar that allows you to slide it further outward away from the cab, usu. used for for towing
* SD / Modern Chevy / Dodge flip-out mirrors - requires plate fabrication and welding. See pics 4 and 5 in post 2.
* Modern flip-out mirrors like above, but mounted on a fill panel that replaces the wing window. God-awful ugly, creates a massive blind spot, and destroys one of the things that make an OBS an OBS - the wing window.
I like your convex mirrors Nate! Did you get them at NAPA? I have the same mirrors as your truck but sometimes I think I got alone better with the mule's nemo's. Backing the 5er sometimes all I can see is white. My smaller convex mirrors things are to small.
Those mirrors are just some Grote parts that I bought online when I got my replacement mirror heads. I don't like the heads as much as the Ford parts, but the OEM parts were too rich for my blood and next to impossible to find used in good shape. I do really like the convex mirrors though. I got used to them on the SD van I used to drive for work and really missed being able to see everything. Here's the P/N in case you want to get some. They can be bough online for a couple bucks a piece. Do yourself a favor though and ditch the cheap double sided tape that comes on them and use some 3M emblem adhesive tape to attach them.
You can also go with a 5" spot mirror with "L" bracket. That way you get the full use out of the original glass.
Also DIYMechanics heads and necks are not original Ford for these years(the necks are taller and the heads Bolt to the necks. Unlike stock which have shorter necks and the neck gets clamped Inside the head)
