Tow mirror question
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Tow mirror question
I picked up a OEM power driver side tow mirror for my F250 with the heat/lights.
Looking for the passenger side now. Had a question. The drivers side folds boths ways. Do the OEM power passenger side ones fold both ways as well? I was reading that someone got one that didn't. If there are 2 types out there I would like to get one that folds both ways.
Craig
Looking for the passenger side now. Had a question. The drivers side folds boths ways. Do the OEM power passenger side ones fold both ways as well? I was reading that someone got one that didn't. If there are 2 types out there I would like to get one that folds both ways.
Craig
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Joined: Mar 2004
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There are a few different kinds of trailer-tow mirrors.
Pre-03, or maybe 04, they had no heat nor lights, and folded only to the rear. I also think the big mirror part was taller, and perhaps wider as well - bigger overall.
Newer years have the heat and lights, and fold both forwards and rearwards. The mirror housing backside is smooth overall now, rather than the olders which had a sort of more curved surface on part of them... hard to describe, but it's just an appearance difference, nothing to do with functionality. Some newer mirrors that fold both ways and have the different sized glass, etc., do not have lights nor heat. I'm not sure what package this is (perhaps only XLs), but I've seen them.
Oh, one more thing - the earlier 99s had the lower convex glass that was fixed: you could not aim it at all (without a mod involving taking the mirror assembly apart), and they did not allow you to extend the mirrors in and out. I think it was mid or late 99 that they changed to what they were for the next few years.
On my truck, I've got 2000 MY mirrors (adjustable lower parts, extendable, fold toward the rear, etc) - but it wasn't worth it for me to pay $300 or so for two new mirrors just for lights/heat, when mine were in perfect condition. Soo... I bought these Pilot stick-on flexible LED lights that are about five inches tall. I mounted them in about the same position as where the lighted mirrors have their lights. I like them because they're visible from directly in front of or in the rear of the truck, as well as anywhere to the side (on the lit mirrors, you can only see them from the side or front), the lit area is 2-3 times the size of the little lights on the newer mirrors, and I've wired them to blink with my blinkers, as well as be on whenever my parking lights are on. Kind of makes them stand out from the pack a bit, and not bad for $35.
Pre-03, or maybe 04, they had no heat nor lights, and folded only to the rear. I also think the big mirror part was taller, and perhaps wider as well - bigger overall.
Newer years have the heat and lights, and fold both forwards and rearwards. The mirror housing backside is smooth overall now, rather than the olders which had a sort of more curved surface on part of them... hard to describe, but it's just an appearance difference, nothing to do with functionality. Some newer mirrors that fold both ways and have the different sized glass, etc., do not have lights nor heat. I'm not sure what package this is (perhaps only XLs), but I've seen them.
Oh, one more thing - the earlier 99s had the lower convex glass that was fixed: you could not aim it at all (without a mod involving taking the mirror assembly apart), and they did not allow you to extend the mirrors in and out. I think it was mid or late 99 that they changed to what they were for the next few years.
On my truck, I've got 2000 MY mirrors (adjustable lower parts, extendable, fold toward the rear, etc) - but it wasn't worth it for me to pay $300 or so for two new mirrors just for lights/heat, when mine were in perfect condition. Soo... I bought these Pilot stick-on flexible LED lights that are about five inches tall. I mounted them in about the same position as where the lighted mirrors have their lights. I like them because they're visible from directly in front of or in the rear of the truck, as well as anywhere to the side (on the lit mirrors, you can only see them from the side or front), the lit area is 2-3 times the size of the little lights on the newer mirrors, and I've wired them to blink with my blinkers, as well as be on whenever my parking lights are on. Kind of makes them stand out from the pack a bit, and not bad for $35.
