Towing mirrors

chas4551
chas4551 Forum Participant Posts: 10
edited February 2019 in Parts & Accessories #1

Does anyone know of any towing mirrors that actually work?

Ive tried various with my latest being:

Maypole with elastic straps, ok but can only see the centre portion of the van, with no idea where the wheel is or if the marker light might clip a high sided vehicle etc. 

Milenco aero but the clamps wont hold due to the angle of the edge on my Insignia mirrors.

Leisurewize rock steady, same problem as Milenco clamps.

Towsure couldnt see a thing

and a few that vibrated more than a pile driver!

I think perhaps the Maypole but convex so I can see more?

Any ideas appreciated especially from Insignia owners who have a fix for the likes of Milenco.

Thanks.

Comments

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2019 #2

    Having fixed the mirror to yours car's mirror shell can you not adjust the vertical and horizontal view for each of the makes you name?

    I have Milenco ones  which, fortunately for me, do clamp on and I am then able to adjust to meet my needs.

    I also had no such problems with strap on ones a few years back, the mirror swivelled on the centre screw of the bracket up,down and sideways.

    Don't give up

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited February 2019 #3

    Do VXL sell a towing mirror in their accessory range? Tried clamping the Milenco on the lower edge of the mirrors? Tried asking on an Insignia forum? 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2019 #4

    We use milenco mirrors are you saying that the brackets will not fit on either top or the bottom of the mirror housing? we had a problem at first trying to get them to hold on our Sportage mirrors but one i had worked it out,i now leave the brackets in place,and just remove the mirrors and arms only.i nave a mark on the arms so that they fit in the same place each time

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited February 2019 #5

    milenco are very good.They have different clamps for some vehicles (eg kia sorento).check if they list specials for your car or if the std.clamps are suitable!

  • chas4551
    chas4551 Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited February 2019 #6

    Yes the mirrors adjust asthey all do but the view is too restricted, hence my query would convex give a better view.

  • chas4551
    chas4551 Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited February 2019 #7

    Vauxhall did sell a specific towing mirror but not longer do so. Comes as nonsurprise when they wanted over £200 each! cry

  • chas4551
    chas4551 Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited February 2019 #8

    Fitted to top or bottom of mirror the clamps slide off due to the angle of the edge of the mirror. Had blindspots, aeros, different clamps, nothing works and heard the same complaint from VW owners.

  • chas4551
    chas4551 Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited February 2019 #9

    I can only find one type of clamp for my mirrors. I think they design clamps for the mirror, not for specific cars so unless clamps from different mirrors fit, i dont know. I think Id have to try every type in the range to find out.

    I do know that aero and blind spot mirrors use the same clamps, which wont clamp!

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2019 #10

    To what vehicle are you trying to fit a mirror?

    I have a set of german mirrors (well, Aldi) that fit with two rubber straps each. I used them with my Discovery 3 but the straps are not long enough for the mirrors on my Discovery 4 so I use Millenco now. The view from both types is good. It is important that the additional mirror will detatch should it be struck as, expensive though they are, they are about 1/15th the cost of replacing the vehicle original mirror should it be wrenched off.

    What do you think you should be seeing in the mirror? The idea is to give you a view of what is behind your trailer, not of the side of the trailer itself. Normally going straight ahead I would see the trailer just at the edge of the mirror glass with the rest of the view filled with the scene behind.

    Plain glass gives an even view, curved glass gives a distorted view, and things can be a lot nearer than they appear. I have driven trucks that are fitted with both at the same time and I would not feel safe with only the distorted view to rely on.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited February 2019 #11

    he did say it was an Insignia.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2019 #12

    Thanks.  Is that a model name or a make of vehicle?

  • OrionCalls
    OrionCalls Forum Participant Posts: 116
    edited February 2019 #13

    I had the problem of my Milenco clamps not holding on and slipping because of the angle on the cars mirror housing.

    Solved by putting an old bit of bicycle inner tube over the Milenco clamp, give that a go.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited February 2019 #14

    Vauxhall insignia. undecided

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2019 #15

    Thanks.  Not unusual then, I guess.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited February 2019 #16

    Vauxhall's equivalent to the Ford Mondeo.

  • TomL
    TomL Forum Participant Posts: 763
    edited February 2019 #17

    I tow with a 2014 VW Golf SV and had difficulty trying to get mirrors to fit. I have Milenco Aero mirrors and replaced the original pads with Milenco "V" pads - no problems at all now!

    See the Milenco website > Mirrors > Mirror Spares > Pads > V pads and look at photo gallery to see how they fit on the edge of your car mirror mouldings.

    Your local caravan dealer might have some but I ordered mine direct from Milenco who were very helpful.

  • Rufs
    Rufs Club Member Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2019 #18

    never bought towing mirrors in my life, dealer threw in a pair as part of the deal when i bought my 1st caravan in 1998, still using them, 2 adjustable straps, and a mirror glass you can tilt up and down and sideways  used them on 4 different vehicles, no idea of make but believe they are illegal now as they dont have some fancy kite mark on them. All I have done to them is put a mark O/S & N/S so that i dont get confused undecided. Have driven coaches with so many mirrors you dont know where to look next, but still take a look over my shoulder when overtaking. 

  • GVD
    GVD Forum Participant Posts: 175
    edited February 2019 #19

    Have you tried adjusting from horizontal to vertical position? 

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments Photogenic
    edited February 2019 #20

    We had the problem with the Milenco mirrors not fitting securely when we changed the car. We only found out we had a problem when we hitched up the first time. On the first site we visited we had to go to the nearest dealer and get some new ones, cannot remember what they are but the have both straps ans clamps and work very well and are secure.

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited February 2019 #21

    We use the Milenco mirrors and did so with an Insignia and as mentioned previously searching the Milenco web site I bought 2 new pads with an angled portion which fitted the stepped edge of the door mirror housing.

    https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjBx6-B8tHgAhVNt-0KHTkgB-4YABAMGgJkZw&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESEeD2SvjnuJHMdYTcwK9Mk8EG&sig=AOD64_0pC12k80BbYUD4yTFwj_TXUntgmQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwiko6qB8tHgAhV0t3EKHY5UBswQ9aACCE4&adurl=

    This link shows the type I mean if that helps.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2019 #22

    This link shows the type I mean if that helps. ??
      

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited February 2019 #23

    I had an Insignia and used the Milenco Aero having bought a replacement pair of pads whicjh had an angled leading edge to accomodate the front edge of the door mirrors.

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Milenco-Aero-Mirror-Pads-packed-in-2s-1953/14017021239?iid=153124926440&chn=ps

    This pic shows the pads I mean.

    They worked very well and gave a secure fitting.

     

     

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