Forum Discussion

beachlovingmom's avatar
beachlovingmom
Explorer
Aug 01, 2013

Are there "good" clip on mirrors?

Still a newby, but LOVING the help I get from this forum. We have a 2010 GMC Sierra crew cab SLE with heated exterior mirrors with the red arrow in them. They our NOT far enough out to see end of our 26' TT. There are clip on mirrors available on line. Are these adequate? Any to gravitate towards or stay away from? Any other hints?

Thanks so much!
  • GilliedogKiwi's avatar
    GilliedogKiwi
    Explorer
    Aug 11, 2013
    We put a slip over type one on our Tahoe - it had a small knob on the back which secured it to the existing mirror back and it never wobbled and was very secure. They did not mark or damage the existing mirror in any way. We would still be using them but we have now purchased an F150 with the full towing package which has the pullout mirrors and so we don't need these anymore, if you are interested pleas contact us.

    Angela and Gary
  • gmw_photos's avatar
    gmw_photos
    Explorer
    Aug 10, 2013
    Arizona Kid wrote:
    crcr wrote:
    2012Coleman wrote:
    I have this one which works really well - TT total length is 28'.

    I have seen links to these mirrors on here as well.


    X2 on the Grand Aero towing mirrors. I have tried them all, and they are the best.


    X3 on the Grand Aero mirrors.


    The ones I have are the other version of that brand, pictured here, and of all that I have tried, I like these best. I had a set of the Cipa universal 11960 that had the ratchet straps before, and they made a whistling sound at highway speed.

    These are quiet and secure. As pictured here, I have cut some of the length off the rod rod, as I do not need them to extend out any further than this. I like the fact I can position them vertical like this, because this way, I can clearly see the trailer tires in the mirror.

  • legolas's avatar
    legolas
    Explorer
    Aug 10, 2013
    dmgear wrote:
    I have the CIPA towing mirrors for my 2007 tahoe (which appears to have the same size mirror as your truck). They just slide over your existing mirrors and then clamp on. I normally put a napkin or tissue over the top before sliding them on because some people have complained about them leaving scratches. I personally have never had that problem. When they are on I can see all the way down both sides of the trailer when driving straight. I feel they are more than adequate. They also don't interfere with the integrated blinker or heater.

    Here is a link to the ones I have:
    http://www.amazon.com/CIPA-10900-Chevrolet-Custom-Mirrors/dp/B001ABPKUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375385163&sr=8-1&keywords=cipa+towing+mirror+2010+silverado

    I have a 2008 Silverado and use these CIPA's and love them. The slide over the existing oem mirrors and have a thumb screw to tighten them snug against the oem's. I put mine on right after I bought my tt in April 2011 an they have not been off since. I recommend them.

    I also saw this version which gets similar great reviews on amazon and is a bit cheaper:

    http://www.amazon.com/Fit-System-80900-Chevrolet-Cadillac/dp/B004ME8MZ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375385163&sr=8-2&keywords=cipa+towing+mirror+2010+silverado
  • Arizona_Kid's avatar
    Arizona_Kid
    Explorer
    Aug 10, 2013
    crcr wrote:
    2012Coleman wrote:
    I have this one which works really well - TT total length is 28'.

    I have seen links to these mirrors on here as well.


    X2 on the Grand Aero towing mirrors. I have tried them all, and they are the best.


    X3 on the Grand Aero mirrors.

  • memilanuk's avatar
    memilanuk
    Explorer II
    Aug 09, 2013
    Very interesting thread!

    We have a 2005 Tundra, and have been struggling with the whole tow mirror thing for a while now. On my 96 F250 we had the CIPA (or a close clone) slip-ons, but I hadn't any luck trying to find them for an 05 Tundra. Tried the strap-on ones with single mirrors - vibrated badly, and couldn't see far enough to make it worth the effort. Now we have a set of the strap-on dual-head mirrors that seem to help some - they stick out far enough to be able to see a useful distance 'around' the trailer, but the larger/inner mirror (not the entire head) vibrates badly enough to about give me motion sickness just sitting at a light!

    Given the glowing reviews on the JR Grand Aero units... I have one question - do they fit on a 01-05 Tundra securely? Might be able to get them from Amazon in time before we leave on our big trip on Tuesday.

    Thanks,

    Monte
  • Nvr2loud's avatar
    Nvr2loud
    Explorer II
    Aug 07, 2013
    I have a 2011 Sierra with the same heated / power folding / turn signal mirrors you have. I tow a 30 foot trailer and can see around it just fine with the factory mirrors. The blind area behind the trailer is only about 100 feet long so I don't worry about it. Anyone closer then 100 feet is invisible to me, but years of driving work trucks with zero visibility behind the vehicle has conditioned me to 'not care' who is back there anyway.

    I have a ratchet style clip-on for my Acadia, since I can't see down the sides of the trailer at all with the factory mirrors, and vibration is tolerable.
  • ccarrington99's avatar
    ccarrington99
    Explorer
    Aug 07, 2013
    I just bought the CIPA slip on mirrors from seeing this thread and can tell you I am already impressed by them and looking forward to using them.

    No more rubber straps!

    Found them on Amazon for $45.
  • Mike_Up's avatar
    Mike_Up
    Explorer
    Aug 04, 2013
    I've had cipa mirrors, Tow-n-see, and Ford OEM F150 tow mirrors. I can tell you what's best and what's not.

    This cipa clip on mirror is absolute garbage. The straps break and the mirror shakes so violently, everything is a blur in it. Don't buy these.

    Camco's Tow-N-See mirrors are fairly good for short trailers. It's a suction cup mount. No vibration at all but mirror glass is to small. I went with the convex glass to see more but the objects in the mirror are to small to be seen easily. Good for a short trailer, but bad for a long trailer. The suction cup blocks the view of the original mirror so all you have is the Tow-n-see glass.

    The 2nd best was the Cipa Universal mirrors. The glass was small again but when combined with the original mirror and the longer extension of the universal mirror, it worked good. The downfall is that the mirror walks so periodic stops are needed to readjust the mirrors and tighten them. Plus the leg cushions adhesive is weak. You need to use gorilla glue to attach them on permanently.

    The best was the Cipa Custom Slip over mirror. They provide the best view with the longest extension, have no vibration at all, look OEM when installed, and provide the tow mirror glass to be used with the original mirror glass for best viewing. I actually like them better than the OEM FORD tow mirrors. I can see down my trailer better and see behind it better. The downfall compared to the OEM tow mirrors is that they are not powered and do leave scratches on the back of the original mirror. You need to add Mothers black on black if your mirrors are black plastic or wax if they are painted to lessen the scratches. I also used Mother's Black on Black on the inside of the Custom mirror itself. The biggest downfall is the scratching but if it damages the original mirrors to much, I'll just buy the FORD OEM tow mirrors.
  • The_Painting_Te's avatar
    The_Painting_Te
    Explorer
    Aug 03, 2013
    I have McKesh mirrors. A little pricey, but they are vibration free and will fit on any vehicle. Camp on!

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