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After much procrastinating of whether or not to spend the money I was finally backed into the corner about my towing mirrors on my truck. My OEM mirrors are motorized for ease of adjustment but both motors while still functioning electrically the gears for up/down in/out movement were in the ratcheting mode now. The passenger door mirror housing was also cracked. I upgraded to a more popular mirror that is seen on the newer trucks. My truck is a 2000 F250 with the smaller paddle style. The upgrade I went with allows to me to extend the mirror out manually, the upper mirror gives a larger viewing while lower mirror is a convex. Added features that came with mirrors is heat, turn signal, and side marker. While newer vehicles have these features I had to start adding wire, searching for the right source on the truck electrical system. All my connections were made on driver side at fusebox area. Also had to add a rocker switch that would illuminate in on position for heat which I located at mirror control. I made sure power was controlled to key off position at fusebox.
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Great project! Safety enhancements are always a good choice. That's what motivated me to get my present vehicle which has much greater safety in every category than my previous vehicle.
I once stopped at crowded parking lot to pick up my new eyeglasses where there just happened to be a hotrod show of automobile enthusiasts who greatly modify their vehicles. I wasn't part of that group -- just parked there, but the crowd that formed wasn't convinced. One asked what modifications have I done to it. I just laughed and said the manufacturer didn't leave anything more that can be done better.
… that is all except:
It has heated and electrically adjustable mirrors which are nice particularly for winter driving to ice fishing destinations, but there is no practical way to extend them out. I suppose, if I ever tow a large boat that makes extended mirrors necessary, I might lash a board across the roof rack with mirrors attached far enough out to see alongside the boat.
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[quote RonPaulFan]It has heated and electrically adjustable mirrors which are nice particularly for winter driving to ice fishing destinations, but there is no practical way to extend them out. I suppose, if I ever tow a large boat that makes extended mirrors necessary, I might lash a board across the roof rack with mirrors attached far enough out to see alongside the boat.[/quote]
Your so right, with the originals I didn't have a problem towing a boat but my travel trailer is a different story. I could have bought the motorized extension style but felt I didn't need them. These will extend out about 3.5" more and there is less of the option of a motorized extender with more wiring with another switch to use. There were times going to the winter fishing hole at Bear L towing my boat they would frost over. Other times going to the summer fishing hole at Strawberry they would fog over. Not any more providing the elements don't burn out of coarse. My decision is to keep this truck running as long as I can hoping for another 10yrs use and now in my 17yr having it. If I'm not churning with small upgrade ideas for it, I'm putting the thought process into the boat.
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very nice Rog. quite the project.
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