Installing the Chris Cam mirrors From PMD Cable .Com[Leroy]

[bk95td]

I got my new towing mirrors from Leroy today. I bought a set of the "Plain Jane" no option mirrors. No power or lights to deal with. These will be very easy to transfer to other trucks when need be.
I also installed them this afternoon on my 94 k3500 srw. This will be my main towing truck for the near future.
This is what the mirrors looked like in the packaging. They are packed very well.:thumbsup:

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After unwrapping them , I opened the hardware bag that have the nuts, long stud and brace piece. I put anti-sieze compound on the threads on the short end and screw it into the mirror mounting base. I tighten it with a vice grip on the smooth part of the stud.


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Next up was to remove the old mirrors. To do that the interior door panel has to be removed. Lower the window first. There is one phillips head screw in the recess of the armrest. The power window /lock panel must come off first. I use a wide thin pry bar made for removing wood trim to pop the lock/window panel off. For the inner door panel I use a Wonder Bar prybar to pop the plastic panel retainers off. Once the panel is loose it must be lifted straight up to release from the window slot. The lock/window switch panel must be slipped through the opening in the panel .






There is a piece of foam in the cavity where the mirror mounting bolts are. It must be pulled out. The front mounting nut will take a 10mm ratchet end flexable wrench or a open end wrench. The bottom rear nut can be taken off with a 10mm deep well socket as well as the top rear nut.



A telescoping magnet:thumbsup: is handy to get the dropped nuts:mad2: out of the bottom of the door:agreed:

I used a vice grip bar clamp to hold the new mirror while i get the bottom 2 nuts started. They have to be started before the brace and top nut are put on. I reused one of the old nuts on the top stud. The new ones are very difficult to get started on the stud.




The foam will need to be trimmed to fit back in because of the long stud and brace piece. I followed a contour on the back side to to trim.
The plastic fasteners that hold the door panel usually don't survive being removed. I bought all new at NAPA.It takes 10 per door. Another thing to look for before putting the door panel back on is the 2 steel clips that go on the top of the panel to attach it to the window slot. Both on one door and one on the other were stuck on the door not the panel where they should be.



The top of the door panel goes in the window slot after fishing the gray window/ lock panel through. Starting with the top fastener, line up with the holes in the door and hit with hand to drive the fastener in. Same thing for switch panel.
There you have it. Great rear view visibility.

 

[Koots]

Looks much better!

 

[Burning oil]

You got the sister truck to my Burb. I allways remove the switch panel before door panel. I will try it your way next time.

 

[bk95td]

No need to completely remove the switch panel. The connectors are a pia. The different style suburban window only switch panels may have to be removed.

 

[JiFaire]

Thanks, Barry... I love show and tell!

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Well I'll post up for those of us with 95+ trucks that install these.
Here's the mirrors after I removed them from the box.

Heres a stock one next to one of the new ones. It's deceiving, but they don't stick out that much furthur than stock ones do.

So on to the install.
Heres the tools that I used to do this job. Long needle nose pliers, small pick with a 45 degree bent tip, small screwdriver, magnetic pick-up tool, 10MM wrench, 13MM 6 point box end wrench, 1/4" drive ratchet, 6' extension, 10MM deep well socket, and my 2 foot claw pick-up tool.

#1: Roll down the windows. Don't wait till your trying to hold the new ones up and start the bolts to do this one.
#2 Slide the trim piece upwards that covers the mirror bolts, and remove the foam padding behind it.



#3 Unplug the mirror.
#4 Use the 10MM wrench and remove the lower 2 retaining nuts, then use the ratchet socket and extension and remove the top nut. You will need the magnet to cath the nuts.
#5 Remove the old mirror, you may need to use the small screwdriver to pry the old seal loose from the door.
#6 Install the stud to the new mirror. i used the 13MM box end wrench to tighten mine up as they had a hex base on them. The studs are a bit short though by about an 1/8".
#7 Install the new mirror to the door. I do hope you remembered to roll the window down before this point if you're doing this job by yourself. I re-used the old nuts as they have a MUCH bigger washer built onto the base of them VS the ones that come in the kit. I started the top nut then used the pick to slide the nuts down over the studs as the new mirrors don't have the recessed thread pilot area on them like the OEM mirrors do so starting the nuts is a PITA!
#8 Tighten them up and plug em in. The plug is identical to the stock 95 on my BURB, so no adapters needed if you order the mirrors equipped like your stockers.
#9 Slide the foam padding back in, it won't fit exact but will slide in there.
#10 Slide the trim cover back into place.
#11 Get a helper and adjust your mirrors(you'll need help getting the passenger side small one adjusted).

Before and after shots.
Old and new together.

 

[JiFaire]

Cool! Thanks, Ferm!

 

[bk95td]

Window down is a MUST:hihi: I learned that on the 1st set . The bar clamp I used helped greatly. I started the bottom 2 before putting the bracket on. Yes, the long stud could be at least a 1/8" longer:agreed:.

 

[Burning oil]

That does look good. I the last pic those thing are way out there. Should be able to see the back side of the trailer with them now.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

That does look good. I the last pic those thing are way out there. Should be able to see the back side of the trailer with them now.

I sure hope so. I had to haul an 8 1/2 foot wide trailer last week and that was the final nail in the coffin for me to order em. I had been putting it off for awhile as I was leary of the Ebay guys. Installation on the 95+ trucks can be done in well under an hour, took me about 30 minutes to do mine without the feeling in my fingers.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

After installing these I found some install tips for others that i didn't post initially. I had alot of problems with rattles in my doors and the mirror bases moving. I went back in and took the factory nuts off that I used and lubricated them so that the washer base would move freely from the nut as mine were froze up and weren't allowing me to get the mtightened up very well. Also I installed a large fender washer under the very front mounting stud to help distribute the load better as the door skins come together there and I was getting alot of noise fro mthe 2 skins moving against each other. Also I found that you have to have the 2 bottom nuts tightened up then put upward pressure on the extra re-inforcement bracket while tightening it and make certain to use some lubricant on the stud threads so that the nut and washer won't move teh bracket while tightening it. I did this before my recent road trip, and through over 2K miles of brutal roads they are still tight at teh base now and no more rattles from the mirror mounting points.