Driving mirror position

Topic: Driving mirror position (Read 1272 times) previous topic - next topic

Driving mirror position

July 18, 2020, 01:28:00 pm

When I bought my coach for years ago I made a slight adjustment on the mirrors using the electric controls. The knobs quickly broke the first time I use them and it was over a year before I repaired the knobs with superglue.

Lately I've been wondering what the best position is for the main mirror arm, and the mirror housing. I'm parked next to an alpine coach where the mirror arms are angled out forward of the coach.

Could only get one photo to post, so this the Alpine.

What is the best angle for the main mirror arms? I've included a picture of my coach, and the Alpine coach. The main mirror arms on my coach are not equally distant from the coach side, something I never noticed before. I'm guessing it might vary according to the year the coach was manufactured, especially GV versus the UNI Coach vs later model Realm, IH45, etc.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #1 – July 18, 2020, 01:44:48 pm

The passenger side is always out front and the driver side is a matter of personal preference. I keep mine out front but many swing them back.
jor

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #2 – July 18, 2020, 01:55:29 pm

I like mine back, you will have to find what works best for you.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #3 – July 18, 2020, 04:45:31 pm

When mine is back I get a reflection off the side window which is deceiving.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #4 – July 18, 2020, 04:51:21 pm

Yup, no right/wrong position for the driver's side outside mirror. Much of it depends on where the driver sits (height) as well as preferred position.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #5 – July 18, 2020, 05:18:53 pm

One thing to be aware of is the A pillar as well. And swinging the mirror forward can get it to far inward of the outside edge of the coach and it makes it more difficult to tilt the mirror down for a better view along the coach when backing to keep the coach straight in the parking spot.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #6 – July 18, 2020, 06:14:59 pm

With a GV, the driver's mirror is easy to set but the passenger's side has a huge blind spot down below the passenger's seat. Just about impossible to set for the blind spot so you need an extra mirror or camera. I almost hit a car hiding there on every trip. Nice to have co-pilot for your in congested traffic.

Pierce

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #7 – July 18, 2020, 08:47:03 pm

Our passenger mirror is forward, driver mirror back.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #8 – July 18, 2020, 09:38:50 pm

Keep your mirrors forward of the windshield and as close to the coach as possible, you are already a wide vehicle, don't add excess mirror width.
Mirrors to the front give you a rear view while keeping your head and eyes focused ahead, no turning away from the road to see if a car is beside you.
Have you ever seen a semi with mirrors swung back? There is a reason! Some say the mirrors may vibrate, if they do it's just like your transmission, get it fixed.
Adjusting the mirrors is a tedious job, about a half hour on the passenger side and twice that on the drivers side to get them just right.
There is a lot to adjust,
the arms pivot from to side (at the same height)
The mirror head moves on a ball giving you unlimited positions, up/down and sideways
Then the mirrors move in/out and up/down using the inside controls.
The larger lens should be focused for distant viewing & and the small lens catching anything beside the coach from the front wheel and back with a view of the whole lane.
The positions are limitless !!
Your drivers seat needs to be where you want it before you start.
I found it useful to mark the arm with a magic marker before moving it to a "potentially better position", moving the arm the width of a fine point magic marker is a huge adjustment at the head.
This is one of the most annoying and frustrating things you will do, get it where you think you like it and work on it after a few trips Until you find the absolute perfect spot.
Good luck.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #9 – July 18, 2020, 09:47:08 pm

Our 1st coach had them out front when we bought it, didn't like that and tried the moved back by the side window position, like that much better.. Didn't have any trouble adjusting the mirrors to where I wanted to be to see.. our current coach came that way, just had to adjust the mirrors with the knob a bit to personalize it to me

Keith

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #10 – July 18, 2020, 10:08:14 pm

Craneman, I'm also struggling with reflection from side glass at times on driver side, can be very confusing.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #11 – July 18, 2020, 10:34:08 pm

Forward for me. I prefer just moving my eyes to check the mirror keeping head movement to a minimum....flew airplanes too long I reckon.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #12 – July 18, 2020, 10:47:36 pm

This is a quick simple Utube showing how the long arm front mounted mirrors should be set up
https://youtu.be/Gq-tvB9Zv5Y

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #13 – July 19, 2020, 02:42:12 am

Had both rear mounted drivers mirror and now a forward mount. 96's supposedly had rear mount. Front mount for 97.

Someone pointed this other factor and I used this many times this trip as we were going north and south and the ability to pull down the drivers window day/night was very helpful.

Rear mounted you cannot pull the shade down all the way legally as the mirror would have been blocked

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #14 – July 19, 2020, 07:40:26 am

"Best" position is the one YOU can see the best from,not the one I like.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #15 – July 19, 2020, 11:22:56 am

Quote from: Caflashbob – July 19, 2020, 02:42:12 am

Had both rear mounted drivers mirror and now a forward mount. 96's supposedly had rear mount. Front mount for 97.

Someone pointed this other factor and I used this many times this trip as we were going north and south and the ability to pull down the drivers window day/night was very helpful.

Rear mounted you cannot pull the shade down all the way legally as the mirror would have been blocked

I didn't mention the issue with the shade. Going north on 395 I always had to pull the shade to keep from getting cooked going through Mojave and the Owens Valley.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #16 – July 19, 2020, 01:59:33 pm

I have had the drivers side to the rear as that was the way it was when we bought the coach from Reg. But I have to travel 50 miles on Monday morning for some coach aqua-hot work and Subaru routine maint. So I'm going to give the forward position a try. Only took about 10 minutes or so to reposition it. So as they say. Nothing ventured, Nothing gained.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #17 – August 05, 2020, 03:33:35 pm

I readjusted my drivers mirror according to the video posted in this chain of posts. After driving 1500 miles I like it forward because it did get rid of the reflection issues from the side window. There were times that I literally could not tell whether I was looking behind me in the mirror or looking beside me in the reflection of the window. I found that dangerous, especially while backing out of my storage area. The reflection problem was impacted by time of day, what was next to me, and the orientation of the coach. Many times it was not a problem at all. I got used to the new scan for the left side mirror rather quickly, and did not find the physical adjustment of the mirror very difficult.

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #18 – August 06, 2020, 01:39:36 pm

Grand Villas like mine have a nose on them. I took a plumb bob and lined up the mirror swivel post with the edge of my front bumper on the very corner by swinging the mount arm. Position of the mirrors good for viewing and when maneuvering in tight spots I know if I can miss it with my mirrors I will miss it down below. This, of course, does not work on large low rocks in campgrounds. Have some experience on that subject.

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Driving mirror position

July 18, 2020, 01:28:00 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #1 – July 18, 2020, 01:44:48 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #2 – July 18, 2020, 01:55:29 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #3 – July 18, 2020, 04:45:31 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #4 – July 18, 2020, 04:51:21 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #5 – July 18, 2020, 05:18:53 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #6 – July 18, 2020, 06:14:59 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #7 – July 18, 2020, 08:47:03 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #8 – July 18, 2020, 09:38:50 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #9 – July 18, 2020, 09:47:08 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #10 – July 18, 2020, 10:08:14 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #11 – July 18, 2020, 10:34:08 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #12 – July 18, 2020, 10:47:36 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #13 – July 19, 2020, 02:42:12 am

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #14 – July 19, 2020, 07:40:26 am

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #15 – July 19, 2020, 11:22:56 am

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #16 – July 19, 2020, 01:59:33 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #17 – August 05, 2020, 03:33:35 pm

Re: Driving mirror position

Reply #18 – August 06, 2020, 01:39:36 pm

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