To ensure safety on the road, one important factor that needs to be considered is your capability to see what’s going on around you and your vehicle. While the mirrors that come with vehicles are made to offer drivers a decent view around their vehicles’ length, usually they can’t give you the vision needed while towing larger objects. This is where the towing mirrors come into play.
If you’re not familiar with these mirrors or you want to know more, then read on. Here, we’ll show you what you need to know about such mirrors and how to pick the best one.
What Are Towing Mirrors?
Towing mirrors are additional back view mirrors that have adjustable extensions that provide you with a view of what is behind your vehicle or trailer. However, their significance can’t be overstated.
Your safety while you’re driving depends on how you perceive behind and around you. What’s more, having another vehicle or a trailer taking up the view from the back will make a big and risky blind spot that usual rear-view mirrors can’t cope with.
The majority of towing mirrors can be adjusted. With that said, you’ll have a clearer view of the trailer connected to your vehicle, even though you’re pulling a load that is wider than your vehicle’s width.
With a quality set of towing mirrors, you can see the sides of the trailer and what’s coming behind it. This, in turn, will offer you more information than depending on the moderated view that factory side mirrors can offer in such situations.
On the other hand, depending on the place you’re driving in, these mirrors can save you from being pulled over as well. Some areas restrict drivers from towing trailers without enough rear-view mirrors mounted on their vehicles. So, for instance, if you have a four-wheel drive, consider investing in towing mirrors for 4WD.
Nevertheless, the wider the trailer is, the larger or longer the towing mirrors you need so that the blind spot will be covered.
How to Pick Towing Mirrors: 3 Things to Consider
There’s a wide variety of towing mirrors on the market today. But not all of them are made equal. To make sure that you’re getting the best value for your money, here are the things you need to consider when choosing.
1. Trailer’s Size
One factor you need to take into account when picking your towing mirrors is the size of the trailer. What you’re planning to hold up as well as how big it is will help you identify the right one.
2. How Often You’ll Use It
Besides the size, determining how often you’ll be pulling a trailer and similar accessories with your vehicle will help you pick the right mirror. If you plan to tow periodically, you might not want to change the whole mirror assembly. Rather, choose a temporary solution such as universal clip-on towing mirrors.
3. Type
When it comes to towing mirrors there are different types where you can choose from manual, universal clip-on, power, and telescopic mirrors.
Manual options don’t give any form of power adjustment. They’re also OE replacements. For this option, you’ll need to unbolt factory side mirrors and mount the towing mirrors in their place. Such mirrors need manual adjustment and usually more affordable compared to other types of towing mirrors.
Power towing mirrors, on the other hand, add the capability to utilize your mirror switch to adjust mirrors. However, this type is more expensive compared to manual options. Also, they are more difficult to mount since you’ll need to route some wires and plug them back to the factory switch.
If you want towing mirrors that can be adjusted when needed, you can opt for extendable or telescopic ones. This option can be extended to provide a better view when you’re towing and going back to your standard position when you have nothing to pull.
But if you’re only towing every now and then, universal clip-on towing mirrors are for you. These mirrors are quite cheap and you can add them to the factory side mirrors of your vehicle. Nevertheless, it’s worth mentioning that these mirrors don’t look great in terms of blending in with your vehicle’s style.
You can also check online some forums to see what others say about towing mirrors so you can decide what’s good for you.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, towing mirrors are extremely beneficial and can be a great investment. If you’ve decided to get one, make sure to use the guidelines above so that you’ll end up with quality durable towing mirrors.
