rear view

Will be picking up our 2000 2720 this weekend! Was wondering if anyone has any trouble seeing what is behind you as you are towing. Looks like our tow vehicle (2003 Honda Pilot) will be about 10 inches higher than our closed Trailmanor. Do we need special side mirrors? Any comments?

[Bill]

Yes, I highly recommend wide mirrors.

1. I'll be surprised if you can see over the TM. With my Explorer - a relatively tall vehicle - my inside rear view mirror gives me a nice view of the TM's front window cover. The outside mirrors, of course, are lower.

2. Even if you can see over the TM, you won't be able to see down behind it, where a certain percentage of drivers feel the need to hide. Most cars have less height than the TM.

3. The biggest problem, though, is not so much the height of the TM as its width. The Honda mirrors almost certainly don't extend out past the width of the TM. This means you have a terrible blind spot beside the TM and just aft of it - you can't tell when it is time to pull back into line because you can't see the car you just passed.

Wish I could draw a sketch, but you can do it for yourself. At the very least, your two lines of vision (one on each side of the vehicle) should go straight down the side of the TM. Even better, those two lines of vision should converge somewhere behind the TM. To get these converging lines of vision, you need mirrors that extend out beyond the TM's width.

I bought a pair of quick-install/quick-remove mirrors from my TM dealer. They are manufactured by Hensley (the super-hitch people) and distributed by McKesh Mirrors. See http://www.hensleymfg.com/mckeshmirrors.html. I love 'em. They go on in less than 10 seconds, and come off in less than 5. The width (to establish those lines of vision) is adjustable, and they are rugged and easy on the car's body.

Just as an aside, the web site shows an optional convex spotting mirror. I don't know why they show it mounted on the driver's side - I don't need it there, but I DO need it on the passenger's side. I recommend it.

Hope this helps.

Bill

I don't need special mirrors when towing with my full size pickup. Heck, I could even see over the top of the TM if it weren't for that AC unit.... Check the state laws if there are any concerning mirrors, but generally I think it's required that you should be able to see down the entire length of the vehicle and trailer with your side mirrors.

I second what Bill stated about your need for wide mirrors when towing your TrailManor!

You may feel that you can get by with your vehicle's regular side view mirrors, but, you're deceiving yourself. You may be setting yourself up for a sideswipe or rear end accident if you tow a considerable distance without towing mirrors. I have the McKesh mirrors but don't seem to be as swift as Bill - it takes me about 1 minute to install one on a side. Even with these McKesh towing mirrors that extend way out to the side, there are many times when I can only see the vehicle behind me with one of the mirrors. A car may be following so close behind my TM that I may see it only in my left mirror but not in the right one, or, vice versa depending on the curvature of the road. I could not see the vehicle at all with my truck's standard mirrors. As for seeing over the top of my TM, that's not possible in my case, and, probably not in yours. My TM's top-mounted air conditioner unit sits slightly higher than the top of my Ford pickup truck. My truck's side view mirrors, however, are approximately 2 feet lower than the top of the air conditioner. Therefore I can only see the sky directly behind the air conditioner in my mirrors.

If you're like most of us, there will be times when your attention to your driving and towing isn't at its best - such as in the afternoon right after lunch or when you're having a lively discussion with your mate. That's when you may need all the mechanical help that you can afford to keep you and your passengers from becoming a highway statistic. After all the money you've spent on your TM please don't skimp on your towing mirrors. The money you spend on them will be well spent and will help to keep you out of trouble.

Do Mckesh mirrors scratch or mar the finish of the tow vehicle. I previously used some bought at Walmart that scratched the finish of the tow vehicle.

TomEve,

No, the Mckesh mirrors do not harm the finish. They have soft rubber pads that rest against the tow vehicle. They work very well. Expect some light vibration and wind noise depending on your installation. I have a like new pair with the round convex mirror option that I need to sell as I started out with these then worked up to upgrading the permanent mirrors on my tow vehicle. I happen to be one who must respectfully disagree with those who say that stock mirrors on nearly any vehicle are sufficient when towing a TM. With the Mckesh you can see behind the TM which provides a significant view you simply cannot get with most stock mirrors. I would not tow my TM without bigger mirrors and the added seeing they provide.

Wade

I too have the Hensley McKesh mirrors, and they're great. At first, I thought I wouldn't need them, but now, I adjust the mirrors so the right one helps me see what is merging in from the right, and the left one helps me see farther back than my regular mirrors, on my Toyota Sequoia. In other words, I use all four mirrors, and I'm, so used to is, I don't even realize when I've switched from the regular mirror to the Hensley and back again.

Going without them, even with a large tow vehicle can be dangerous, and they're certainly worth the small cost. In fact, they were included with our TM purchase.

Thanks for all the valuable info on this board. We're total novices and have implemented most of the tips you've provided. Just wondering--on the McKesh towing mirrors--the driver side mirror causes a constant noise--VERY LOUD--sounds like a big bass drum or as if the car next to you has the big boom box speakers installed in the trunk!--is there any way to adjust the mirrors to reduce the noise?

Also, am I reading correctly here that you can adjust your mirrors to see BEHIND the TM? I extended mine as far as I could but it didn't seem to let me see any farther than the front section which is slightly wider than the back section. I can't see the back section at all when I'm driving down the road. I don't have the convex mirror, though. The mirrors do help, but I can't see as much as I thought I would be able to.

Thanks for all your help and patience. My husband is in poor health and it has been a dream of ours to have a travel trailer. We decided it was now or never. We just bought the 3124KB. Only had it out for one trip so far, but we love it. Parking it almost had me in tears, though, but I know I'll get better with practice!

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by katbird

Thanks for all the valuable info on this board. We're total novices and have implemented most of the tips you've provided. Just wondering--on the McKesh towing mirrors--the driver side mirror causes a constant noise--VERY LOUD--sounds like a big bass drum or as if the car next to you has the big boom box speakers installed in the trunk!--is there any way to adjust the mirrors to reduce the noise?

A booming vibration usually indicates that the straps aren't tight enough. First try tightening the straps a few clicks more...that may do it. If you don't have a lot of hand strength, first dampen some of the strap, then tighten it as much as you can. The straps are nylon...which stretches when wet...then contracts as it dries. If you can't tighten them enough when dry, by wetting them before you tighten them, they will become much tighter as they dry. Just don't get toooo carried away with this trick.

Also, am I reading correctly here that you can adjust your mirrors to see BEHIND the TM? I extended mine as far as I could but it didn't seem to let me see any farther than the front section which is slightly wider than the back section. I can't see the back section at all when I'm driving down the road. I don't have the convex mirror, though. The mirrors do help, but I can't see as much as I thought I would be able to.

It's not possible to truly see much behind the TM...but you should be able to at least see the rear corners. What make/model/year of vehicle are you using to tow your TM?

Thanks for all your help and patience. My husband is in poor health and it has been a dream of ours to have a travel trailer. We decided it was now or never. We just bought the 3124KB. Only had it out for one trip so far, but we love it. Parking it almost had me in tears, though, but I know I'll get better with practice!

Congrats. Backing is never easy for anyone...but it does indeed become much easier with practice. When backing, the best rule is to continuously remember to turn the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction you want the back of the trailer to go. And use your mirrors instead of trying to look over your shoulder.

[fcatwo]

Follow Ray's and the others advice above plus always ask for a level pull-through site in campgrounds. They like to save them for the giant rigs that come in about sun-down but most will give you one if you ask.