How to install 98-01 Dodge towing mirrors on a GMT400

[great white]

For those of you that are contemplating this mirror setup, go to a Dodge truck with these mirrors. I did and could see that these stick out pretty far;

Or you could just scroll up a couple posts and see the pictures I took of one stock and one Dodge mirror.

Of course they "stick out", they're towing mirrors! That's what we're going for here...:rolleyes5:

even so, they are more than manageable. I've had no problems with knocking cyclists over or squeezing into any of the usual parking spots.

flipping the mirror head just places it vertical, but not out any further. They will be awsome for towing though.

Not quite correct. You gain approx 4-5 inches when flipped out.

While this is not a lot, it is more.

There is also added benefit of being able to see the top and bottom of your trailer when in the "towing" position.

 

[Badaxe]

Not quite correct. You gain approx 4-5 inches when flipped out.

While this is not a lot, it is more.

There is also added benefit of being able to see the top and bottom of your trailer when in the "towing" position.

Ditto on that. The functionality is awesome(sold my '04 Cummins last winter and drug around a 30 footer w/tripple slides). They fold out, not just up. So much more useful than a skinny mirror that just slides out. It does drive me nuts to see the goofballs driving around with the mirrors up when you know they havent drug anything around in ages.

 

[chessie 6.5]

The comments are for ones contemplating their use. Seeing them in person gives a much better idea of their size. Just go to a mall parking lot and search one out. Also consider a rear view camera on the trailer/camper. They are reasonable now, have models with night vision also. Have one on rear of motorhome and you can see what is behind even in the dark.

 

[great white]

The comments are for ones contemplating their use. Seeing them in person gives a much better idea of their size. Just go to a mall parking lot and search one out. Also consider a rear view camera on the trailer/camper. They are reasonable now, have models with night vision also. Have one on rear of motorhome and you can see what is behind even in the dark.

OK. You've made your point. This is a thread about how to do it, not why.

Cheers

 

[great white]

Hah!

Betcha thought this thread was finished eh?

Nope.

Next installment is hooking up the mirror heat and remapping the printed circuit board for the power mirror switch.

We'll make this post about hooking up the mirror heat.

There are some specific things you'll need to hook up "heat". You could do just a switch or a switch and relay, but that's not the "elegant" way to do it.

I prefer my vehicles to look clean and properly integrated so....

After a bit of a search, I finally turned up one of these in a local yard:

Managed to snag it for 75 bucks. That hurt a bit, but finding one around here is difficult.....if you can find it at all.

I felt a little better about paying that much when the guy threw in some bits I'd been looking for at no extra cost:

My switches have the little symbols worn off. These still look pretty good, and there's enough that both my doors can get fresh set rocker switch covers.

The big "knob" is the headlight switch. This one actually is new looking instead of the "fondled by 4000 heavy smokers" look that most of them have.

There's also a remote mirror switch that I can hack up to remap the switch pads on the circuit board. This will give me the proper up and down functioning instead of the backwards operation the stock GM wiring forced me to accept.

But getting back to heat, you might ask why you even need another heater control?

Well, you need it for this:

Inside, behind that little button, is a timer. It powers the mirror heat (and rear defroster) and then shuts them down after a specified period of time.

It came with Suburbans, Tahoes and Blazers. By the time these hit the yards here, they're mostly stripped clean of these suckers. A very VERY few pickups had them, but that's even harder to come by....

But it's not rated to handle the current all by itself. If you try to run the mirrors (and rear heat) directly off the control, you'll probably burn it out tout de suite!

GM includes a relay in their circuit for this very purpose:

I pulled out my old heater controls, and discovered The General had helped me out a bit.

There was a wiring connector snapped onto the old unit right where the defroster controls should be. No switch, no control or contacts, but it was there.

Thinking my luck couldn't be this good, I plugged in the new controller connectors.

No surprise that the heat and AC worked, but so did the rear defrost button! Thise wires weren't just for show, they're powered and ready to go!

I'll just have to trace down the wire bundle to the breakout and carry on out to the heated mirrors.

I'll have to pick up a few 2 wire weather pac connectors for the mirrors and then just a little bit of wiring work to go....

 

[88gmctruck]

I was wondering if you were going to be using the correct HVAC control. Bravo. I wouldn't do anything less myself.

 

[OregonHorseTug]

Do the Dodge mirrors fold flat against the doors? My Cibas only fold back about half way and it's about useless. They will fold all the way forward though :WTF:
Okay, I'm almost sold since I don't like my Ciba mirrors and I can hook up the heat now. :thumbsup:
Mike

 

[great white]

Do the Dodge mirrors fold flat against the doors?

Pretty much:

 

[ak diesel driver]

Do the Dodge mirrors fold flat against the doors? My Cibas only fold back about half way and it's about useless. They will fold all the way forward though :WTF:
Okay, I'm almost sold since I don't like my Ciba mirrors and I can hook up the heat now. :thumbsup:
Mike

I might be interested in your old ones if the price is right.

 

[joekater]

I just got in a set of Dodge tow mirrors today. Got them off Ebay for $179. I'm exited to have found this thread. Excellent post! It'll help me do the swap on my 99 GMC Suburban K2500 this weekend. I also have a 2007 Dodge 2500 and the tow mirrors are awesome. Can't wait to roll down the road with them on the suburban. Thanks for the write up, Great White! Only thing that would make it better is you making a trip down to Central Arkansas.

 

[kimagine]

Thanks Much BJ!!!!! I Like That!!!!! Now I'm going to have to start squirrelling away my nickles and dimes. I don't have power mirrors, but I want power, so I'll have to check into wiring for them. Not sure if the 94's ever had power. Doesn't seem like it should be difficult, except for getting the wiring across under the dash to the other door. I've been gone for over two weeks, but that kept me from sitting on pins and needles waiting for the next installment of the thread.

By the way, with that much rain you must be in the great Pacific Northwet. (yup, left out the S on purpose)

Don

Looking at the date of your post, you may have already researched this but, yes the 94's did have power mirrors. I now know this due to the new to me 94 cc/dually has the buttons on the drivers door panel. Unfortunately for now, I have the big goofy metal fliparound mirrors, which is why I'm researching this info...

 

[handcannon]

Looking at the date of your post, you may have already researched this but, yes the 94's did have power mirrors. I now know this due to the new to me 94 cc/dually has the buttons on the drivers door panel. Unfortunately for now, I have the big goofy metal fliparound mirrors, which is why I'm researching this info...

Mark---could you post some pics of your mirror switches? I'm curious how they are configured and where they are located.

Thanks.

Don

 

[kimagine]

Mark---could you post some pics of your mirror switches? I'm curious how they are configured and where they are located.

Thanks.

Don

I will do it tomorrow as I have to do some work on both, more parts are selling from the old one. I need to get some other pics for others that requested it so my camera will be busy tomorrow.
The one mirror switch is on the drivers door with the 4 way square(up, down, right & left) and the L/R flip in the middle. It is located right in front of the 4 window controls. I'll set my camera bag with my drill for the work tomorrow.

Mark

 

[joekater]

Well.....got'em installed, but managed to fry the switch. The mirror side of the plug didn't match the wire diagram. Figured that out too late. Down...I mean Up works real good. New switch going in tomorrow.

 

[kimagine]

Well.....got'em installed, but managed to fry the switch. The mirror side of the plug didn't match the wire diagram. Figured that out too late. Down...I mean Up works real good. New switch going in tomorrow.

Sorry I have not gotten the pic yet. To be honest, I completely forgot. I will try to get it done tomorrow. I want mirrors like those and would love to have them wired up. I'm not sure if my truck has the wires in the door or not, I do know the switch is there. I would assume they are and the big elephant ear mirrors may have been an option.

 

[Hoyt572]

awsome post, i've been kickin this around for my dually for a while now, but its gonna happen, just can't decide if i really want to fork out the extra cash and time to get the power, dually has power mirrors, call me lazy lol......

 

[kimagine]

awsome post, i've been kickin this around for my dually for a while now, but its gonna happen, just can't decide if i really want to fork out the extra cash and time to get the power, dually has power mirrors, call me lazy lol......

What are those mirrors you have on there now? Look maybe like the CIPA's. Did you have to do anything besides the spacers to get the 265's to fit"? I may want to keep my tires from my 93 now.
Thanks,
Mark

 

[Hoyt572]

What are those mirrors you have on there now? Look maybe like the CIPA's. Did you have to do anything besides the spacers to get the 265's to fit"? I may want to keep my tires from my 93 now.
Thanks,
Mark

Yes i belive they are the cipa's, not sure they were on it when i bought it, not only do they not move with the switch anymore, but i think they are ugly as sin...., far as the tires go, just has the torsion bars turned up, think i could have fit 285's personaly....

 

[ak diesel driver]

If the price is right I would be interested in the Cipias when you upgrade

 

[kimagine]

Yes i belive they are the cipa's, not sure they were on it when i bought it, not only do they not move with the switch anymore, but i think they are ugly as sin...., far as the tires go, just has the torsion bars turned up, think i could have fit 285's personaly....

I've been wanting the CIPA's for some time until I saw this and another post about the conversion. I have been used to the manual movement so it would not bother me if the power did not work.

If the price is right I would be interested in the Cipias when you upgrade

You beat me to the question. :mad2:
Now I need to find a set of wide mirrors as when I went out to take the pic tonight, I was adjusting the mirrors to face back out, my drivers side broke off in my hand!:nonod: Stupid rusty freakin bolt. Now until I find something, I will have to hold the drivers side mirror out the window to back up.:skep: At least it's not the passanger side as I would need some long arms....:rolleyes5:

Finally, here is the pick of where my power mirror control sits on the door panel. Sorry for the delay.