Seeing where you've been - tow vehicle mirrors!

[David B.]

Originally Posted by larryf

I gave up on attachable mirrors and put in a backup camera and wired it to be on full time when my headlights are on, works reasonable.

[pedalmike]

+1 on the Milenco mirrors. They make two different sizes. I have the smaller of the two. No rubber straps, Housing clamps work great, easy on/off.

[Steve Holderfield]

Originally Posted by Capn.Curt.Wiebe

Couldn't find any posts on this so thought it was time to ask all of you for your input!

We tow a 1978 Trillium 4500 (TRill' Of A Lifetime - TROAL) behind our 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. Over the 8 years or so that we have been towing this trailer, we have gone through 2 sets of strap-on rear view mirror extensions. One set failed when the rubber straps cracked and broke, the second went last summer when one of the strap sections just fell off and got lost. I'm a bit pissed that I have the main parts of the mirror still, but can't use them because of cheap rubber components.

Our previous trailer was a 1964 soft top Hinsberger tent trailer - so small that you almost couldn't see it behind our tow vehicles, so we never used anything but the standard tow vehicle mirrors with that. Interior rear view mirror looked out and over the top of the trailer beautifully. If a biker was riding a foot behind us, dead center behind the trailer, we would have been able to see everything from the handlebars up.

Now I don't know what to do. I would like to get new mirrors, but all I seem to be able to find is the "universal" strap-on kind, and I don't want to go trough ANOTHER set of those in the next 3 or 4 years, maybe less. I can't find anything that is specifically designed to fit our Pathfinder.

I'm tempted to go without rear view mirror extensions, but I realize that they are an important safety item. Are there laws stating that they are REQUIRED anywhere? Also, my wife says that we HAVE TO have them and use them.

What do you use, and where did you get them? It may be that we just have fewer options up here in Canada?

I'm fairly new to towing my new Escape 19 which is only about 14" wider than my tow vehicle. I bought and used the strap on mirrors for awhile, but because I have a rear view camera, my stock side mirrors in conjunction with the camera works fine. I can see everything just fine. Most states in America have a law that says you have to be able to see some distance behind your trailer. With my rear view camera I can see all the way from the bumper on my trailer to as far back as needed. Anybody want to buy a pair of hardly used strap ons that work great?

[Glenn Baglo]

What the law actually reads ( almost everywhere ) is that you need to be able to see from 31' behind the driver to 200' in the adjacent lanes. ( doesn't say behind the trailer ).

[Steve Holderfield]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

What the law actually reads ( almost everywhere ) is that you need to be able to see from 31' behind the driver to 200' in the adjacent lanes. ( doesn't say behind the trailer ).

All that is covered with my rear view camera and my side mirrors. I actually think all that is covered just by my side mirrors. I think I can see from about 20' behind me with the mirrors.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

What the law actually reads ( almost everywhere ) is that you need to be able to see from 31' behind the driver to 200' in the adjacent lanes. ( doesn't say behind the trailer ).

Where do you get the "31' behind the driver" from?

On the AAA Digest of Motor Laws website there is no mention of 31 feet behind the driver in any state in the USA, P.R., nor in Canada.

I realize that AAA is not the final legal authority but if it is true almost every where you would think they would mention it at least once in 64 summaries.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Where do you get the "31' behind the driver" from?

I erred. It's actually 36 feet behind the driver.

From BC Motor Vehicle Act:
(4) Where a trailer or semitrailer in a combination of vehicles diminishes the driver's reflected rear view through the rear view mirrors required by subsections (1) to (3), the towing vehicle in the combination of vehicles shall be equipped with 2 mirrors, one affixed to each side of the motor vehicle, and each to provide the driver with an undistorted reflected view of the adjacent lane of the highway from a point on the road surface 11 m behind the driver to a point on the road surface 61 m from the rear of the combination of vehicles.



11 metres is 36.08923884 feet. 61 metres is 200.1312336 feet.
There are a lot of web sites, including the like of AAA that attempt to simplify regulations and end up with incorrect information. Suggest you try a search of your state's motor vehicle act for actual regs.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

11 metres is 11 meters.

61 metres is 61 meters.

Just a little quick translation for your readers in the states here!

[JPM]

https://www.curtmfg.com/part/20002

When I inherited my dads 1972 Boler 1300 a few years ago, I bought a set of the mirrors above (maybe canadian tire or princess auto??). I have yet to use them. I find I can see well enough with the mirrors on my 08 Saturn Outlook. And I just open up the front and rear curtains in the trailer and can see right through giving an even better view. The mirrors above look like they are made quite well and they were not that expensive - but I have no real world experience with them at all (yet).
Cheers
Jim

[rgrugg]

I don't use towing mirrors. My Escape 19 is narrow enough and my Ram wide enough that I can see back just fine. I suppose if I got ticketed for no towing mirrors I'd probably get some.

[ZachO]

I could probably use a backup camera. Bigfoot trailers are so wide, and my truck is so narrow...Tow mirrors make it safe, and probably legal, but I'd like a lot better view.

[Marv Watson]

We have replaced strap-on mirrors with these: Dometic DM-1899 Milenco Aero3 Clamp-On Towing Mirror. Pricey, but they really work! Just have to be careful not to leave them on when away from vehicle for an extended period of time. Shop around the various dealers for best price.

[Joe MacDonald]

+1 for the Milenco mirrors, they work great, I also had good success with Cipa strap on mirrors when I had my Minivan, but they didn't fit my mirror profile well on the Envoy, the Milenco fit great and are really solid.
Joe