Towing mirrors may sometimes be overlooked by people in terms of their purpose. For purposes they are made for, they serve them well. Towing mirrors come in different shapes and sizes as well. Choosing and installing the right towing mirrors is both beneficial and provides ease. Let us discuss how.
1. Towing Mirror Size
The first thing you need to be sure of is the towing mirror size. You cannot simply install mirrors of standard sizes to your truck. In such cases, the mirror should neither be too big nor too small. Having a size bigger than the original one, will just cover up unnecessary space, whereas having a smaller one, will not reflect the entire picture.
Blind spots also come to mind when you talk about towing mirrors. While driving these spots can impose hazards, and magnifying them can be dangerous. In fact, such situations become the reason behind fatal casualties. Therefore, it is necessary that your visibility is clear and install towing mirrors to see any obstacles around you.
While towing mirrors keep you safe, it will also keep you in check with the law. The law states that, depending on the truck, the size of the mirrors should be enough to see the entire length of the trailer.
2. Keep Them Clean
Keeping the driver side mirror clean is also an important part. Anything that might obstruct your view is going to be dangerous. Make sure that you have proper arrangements for their daily maintenance. Winter and rainy seasons already make driving situations more complex. You need to make sure that they are visible all the time and that you can see through them to keep yourself aware of your surroundings.
3. Choosing Towing Mirrors
Choosing a certain type of towing mirror and driver side mirror is as necessary as anything else. If your trailer happens to be wider or taller than the mirror size, you might want to reconsider changing them. The size and height of your truck and trailer will determine the size of your mirror actually. You can also choose between permanent and temporary towing mirrors as well.
4. Types of Portable Towing Mirrors
- Hot Spot
These mirrors come with adhesive stickers that you can use to stick directly to your standard mirrors.
- Custom Slip-Ons
These type of mirrors are made custom for different car types. They simply attach by sliding in place of existing mirrors and locking themselves in place.
- Universal Fit
Universal fit mirrors as the term suggests can be installed on any vehicle type. They can be mounted on the fender and are also offered as clip-ons. However, it should be made sure that these mountings can cause wear and tear on your car, so should be installed carefully.
- Permanent Options
Permanent options include LED, heated and telescopic mirrors. Telescopic mirrors simply enlarge the view at the end, while LED mirrors have lights installed to light up on different occasions. Heated mirrors on the other hand are designed to melt frost and ice.
At the end of the day, it all depends on your truck and trailer when it comes to choosing towing mirrors and driver side mirror. You need to make sure that not only does it provide perfect visibility, but also is in line with the law.