Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-12-2017, 06:35 PM   #1
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default F-150 Mirror Upgrade

There is a plethora of temporary tow mirror solutions out there. I have about decided that I don't like any of them. All have their shortcomings, vibration, potential theft, damage to finish of the vehicle, can't see what you're looking at, and so on.

The mirrors that come with the F-250 are way better.

So I got on E-bay and for $139 (free shipping) found a set of after-market copies of the F-250 mirrors. There are videos on YouTube about how to get the door panels off/on to install the mirrors. It took me 35 minutes, each side, start to finish.

Random thoughts.

1. Like a new pair of glasses, it takes a bit to get used to them, but you can see so much more. The convex part on each side adds so much even to just daily driving.
2. They come with "Puddle Lights" but unless you currently have puddle lights they're not going to work. At least not on my truck.
3. They don't have the auto extend/retract feature.
4. If you watch the YouTube videos you'll understand how to r/r the door panel. Every video out there has the socket sizes wrong. You'll need a nice SAE/metric 1/4" drive socket set and a couple of slotted screwdrivers and a pair of pliers. That's all. A helper is nice but I did mine by myself.
5. None of the videos will tell you to roll down the windows before you start. I will tell you. Roll down the windows before you start, as you will need to reach through the open window to hold the mirror while you bolt it in place.
6. They do not have the auto day/night feature the original F-150 mirrors had. I think I'm going to miss that.

Your "mileage may vary" - this is a 2007 truck, the mirrors you will need and door panel instructions depend on your truck.

For the cost, about twice that of good "add on" mirrors, you can have permanent, real mirrors that won't vibrate, fall of or get stolen. If it takes 10 minutes to install clip ons each trip, you'll have made your time up in 6 trips.

They take a day or two to get used to, but you can see so much more. Almost like information overload. Towing, and backing in, just got a lot easier.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg DSCF0262.jpg (52.4 KB, 3 views)
File Type: jpg DSCF0263.jpg (54.1 KB, 2 views)
File Type: jpg DSCF0264.jpg (85.5 KB, 2 views)
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2017, 07:58 PM   #2
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

Puddle Light Update...

Turns out the puddle lights DO work... and least the one on the drivers side. Looks like the passenger side is going to need a little trouble shooting.
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2017, 01:02 AM   #3
NN5I
Carl, nn5i
 
NN5I's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,441
Default

OK, I give up. What the Sam Hill is a puddle light?
__________________
-- Carl
NN5I is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2017, 08:34 AM   #4
kd2iat
Member
 
kd2iat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Northville, NY in the Adirondacks
Posts: 33
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NN5I View Post
OK, I give up. What the Sam Hill is a puddle light?
It's a little light fixture on the underside of the rear view mirror that gives a small "puddle" of light on the ground or the side of the vehicle. It comes on with the other lights when you lock or unlock the vehicle with your remote.

__________________
'12 Ford Super Duty & '11 Cougar MKS326

Motorola CDM1250 on 146.520
kd2iat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2017, 10:28 AM   #5
NN5I
Carl, nn5i
 
NN5I's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,441
Default

Oh. To keep you from stepping in unseen puddles?
__________________
-- Carl
NN5I is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2017, 11:31 AM   #6
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

I wish I had the turn signal on the front of the mirror. But that vintage isn't compatible with my truck. Oh well.
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2017, 08:51 AM   #7
NN5I
Carl, nn5i
 
NN5I's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,441
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio View Post
I wish I had the turn signal on the front of the mirror. Oh well.
I'm having difficulty imagining a reason to wish for that.
__________________
-- Carl
NN5I is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2017, 05:59 PM   #8
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

Well, I give up on making the puddle light work. I removed the lamp assembly from the mirror, verified the bulb was good, verified I had a circuit from the little plug to the bulb.

Also verified there is no 12 volts getting to the lamp assembly. Probably a defect in the mirror. Not willing to pull the door panel off again just to find out. I really didn't expect either one to work since the original mirror didn't have puddle lights.

Everything else works. I guess this sort of thing is to be expected when you pay $139 for something that should cost $450.
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2017, 03:26 PM   #9
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

Mirror update:

Had some periodontal surgery this week. Let Sweet Wife drive the truck to do errands as it said plainly on the side of the hydrocodone bottle DO NOT DRIVE in big letters.

We got hungry, decided Captain D's would be easy enough to chew. And now there is Captain D Yellow paint all over my new drivers side mirror. I just knew I should have driven, anyway.

I like my truck. I really, really like my truck. But I like her even more so I didn't say much about it.
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2017, 05:13 PM   #10
NN5I
Carl, nn5i
 
NN5I's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,441
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio View Post
And now there is Captain D Yellow paint all over my new drivers side mirror. I just knew I should have driven, anyway.
Yellow paint on the mirror is much better than blood on the pavement. When the bottle says "don't drive", don't drive.

If it's just a bit of house paint on the mirror, and you don't have any rubbing compound, try a damp rag and toothpaste. Any brand. Works well for polishing headlight lenses, too.
__________________
-- Carl
NN5I is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2017, 09:42 PM   #11
electricflyer
Senior Member
 
electricflyer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Douglasville, GA
Posts: 417
Default

If the pumice in toothpaste can take the enamel off of your teeth it can handle a little scuff mark of paint on your mirror.
__________________
Marv KT4W
DW-Carolyn, 2 fur kids BooBoo and Gracie (felines)
Camped 71 days in 2016, Camped 33 in 2017, 33 booked for 2018
2014 Palomino Puma 25RL - TV 2011 F-150 SuperCrew 5.0
electricflyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2017, 04:45 PM   #12
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

I had some buffing compound and I also had some extra-strength "Goo-Gone" so i went with that.

Which actually softened the plastic of the mirror body. Yeow!

But I did manage to get it looking reasonable. I guess now the mirror looks as old as the truck.
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2017, 07:55 AM   #13
NN5I
Carl, nn5i
 
NN5I's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,441
Default

Some folks just won't listen ...

Buffing compound, by the way, is not the same as rubbing compound, and Goo-Gone, as you discovered, has some fairly strange solvents.
__________________
-- Carl
NN5I is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 07:48 AM   #14
wa8yxm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
Send a message via AIM to wa8yxm Send a message via Yahoo to wa8yxm Send a message via Skype™ to wa8yxm
Default

One feature I miss here that I enjoy in some other places is an "Interest" button/drop down.. Or alternative Ignore.

As with any forum there are topics that frankly.. DO NOT interest me.. And likely never will.. Now in a forum like this they are not as common as say some of the old Compuserve forums that I belong to.. but still the ability to mark them "not interested" would be nide, on the occasions where it happens.
wa8yxm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2017, 12:54 PM   #15
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

BTW... I have for sale cheap (really, really cheap)

1. one pair, left and right, 2007 Ford F-150 OEM mirrors. Everything works, heat, motors, LED signals. Make offer.

2. Eagle Vision strap on towing mirrors. These are on eTrailer for $48 each. Again, make offer.

Both as pictured below. (bluebird not included)
Attached Images
File Type: jpg DSCF0020.jpg (56.7 KB, 0 views)
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:07 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×