Norotso

+1

smokeywren

Replace the stock small mirrors with the OEM tow mirrors. You can buy the OEM power tow mirrors from the F-150 accessories catalog for about $400 (MSRP $440) for the pair if you don't insist on memory, power fold or power telescope. They are heated glass with puddle lights and turn signals. It's a 15-minute job to replace the stock mirrors with the OEM tow mirrors. The OEM tow mirrors are plug&play, but only the features your stock truck has will work. For example, my 2012 Lariat had memory and automatic dimming, but the tow mirrors I bought don't have those features, so they don't work on my tow mirrors.
Link: http://accessories.ford.com/kit-rear...ror-10319.html

The description states "dealer installation only", but that's nonsense. If you can change your oil, you can R&R the outside mirrors.

Since it requires only a few minutes to R&R the mirrors, I kept my stock mirrors in the barn, expecting to put them back on when there was no towing in view for the near future. But it's been two years now, and the fancy Lariat Plus mirrors with memory with automatic dimming have never been reinstalled.

If you don't even require power glass, the pure manual tow mirrors with manual glass are available with an MSRP of $400.
Link: http://accessories.ford.com/kit-rear...er-mirror.html

And they also have the tow mirrors available with memory that I could have bought, but they have MSRP of $650 and I didn't think memory was that important.
http://accessories.ford.com/kit-rear...ror-10320.html

OEM tow mirrors with power fold are now available from Ford parts department, but not from the accessories catalog. They'll cost you an arm, a leg, and your firstborn son, but some folks will pay that to get the power fold.

Advantages of tow mirrors? I can see. So I'm a lot safer when towing anything taller and wider than my tailgate. Both my cargo trailer and my TT are much taller and wider than my tailgate, so I insist on having the tow mirrors when towing those trailers.

I've used all sorts of aftermarket mirror extensions, but none were satisfactory. They vibrated or moved around or simply didn't give me as much view behind me as the OEM tow mirrors.

Diasdvantages? Mine are manual telescope, so when I hook up the trailer I extend the mirrors, and when I unhook the trailer I collapse the mirrors. I don't see much need for power telescope.

They are a lot wider than the stock itty bitty mirrors, even when telescoped in. My garage was built in 1995 on purpose with a 10' wide garage door to accommodate a pickup with towing mirrors. With trim, the opening is a bit over 9.5" wide. So I have to carefully go in and out of the garage so I won't bang the mirrors. It will barely go in with the mirrors extended, but even collapsed I have to pay attention. With the standard 8' wide single garage door, I'd have to manually fold the mirrors in to go in and out of the garage. Even with a 9' wide single garage door, I'd probably have to fold the mirrors in to go in and out of the garage. My garage has a 16' door as well as a 10' wide door. If it had a 16' and an 8' like most 3-car garages, then Darling Wife would have to park her Venza in the narrow side and I'd use the 16' door for my towing machine.

A7B2FX4

Factory dumbo's are Ok but could be better. One the wide angle mirrors aren't heated. Second the pass side upper mirror which used to be straight glass is now convex for unknown reason. Some say the govt dictated the change on light duty trucks. Just took delivery of a new F350 and it still has the straight glass.

Mike Up

Wow, can you post a pic of the passenger mirror with convex glass. That's a shame, why bother with the lower convex mirror then?

A7B2FX4

I really dislike the upper mirror for towing ! I wonder if it's just a US thing or do the Canadian models also get the distorted upper glass?

Mike Up

Thanks for the fast response! Sorry you had to go out in the rain. It's raining here also.

Here's your pic next to mine to see if any difference.



I guess I don't a lot of difference. They both look flat but sometimes you can't see differences all the time in a photo.

Thanks!

ecobeest

I'll NEVER buy a truck that I intend on towing without tow mirrors again. I had the OEM slip ons for my 08 and they were OK, just OK. The OEM elephant ears on my 2012 are just FANTASTIC. I wish they were auto fold/telescopic, but meh not a huge deal.

uzikaduzi

i just bought after market ones from 1aauto @ 220 for both for my 06 that appear to look identical to the factory ones... they went on really easy and are completely plug and play... I know if you buy the factory ones you have to change the ground pin location for anything 06 and older. I love them but they are huge. I was concerned about the shaking thing, since i've seen that comment before but i have zero of that... actually with the small factory ones, when the radio was loud they would shake but these don't... now i've had them for less than a week so maybe that will change

ecobeast365

Hey Team Canada the mirrors that you bought from etrailers.com. Did you order them from the states or is there a store here in Canada. I am in ON. Am looking to get a set was wondering how much you paid for duty, shipping and all that good stuff.

Steve Osborne

have you checked kijiji...theres a few sets on there.
http://www.kijiji.ca/b-auto-parts-ti...ors/k0c31l9004