daydreamer36535

Has anyone installed oem tow mirrors ?...how bad was the install and did you need support brackets ? is removing and replacing the inner door panel difficult to do ?
thanks

Farmboy_92

I installed the tow mirrors on my 98.5. Its not that hard to do. You do need the brackets. The new mirrors are heavier and have longer studs to stabilize them.

The door panels not hard to remove. Just take the two screws out of the handle in the door, then remove the one near the mirror. Then you just start going around the edges of the the door with your hands pulling out and popping the tabs out. Once all the tabs are out you'll have to bring the back up and over the lock and unplug the plugs for the power locks, windows, and mirrors(if equipped). Getting the door handle through can be a little difficult, but just keep moving the handle and panel till its through.

Now there will be three nuts inside a hole to remove the mirrors. Once removed you will put the electrical connector of the new mirror(if equipped) through the hole and then put the studs through. put the connector through the Support bracket and then put it in position with the studs through it. Put the nuts on and tighten them.

Before putting the panel back on you'll need to either pull the tabs out of the door with needle nose or buy new ones. the heads of the tabs just slide into little slots around the perimeter of the panel. You'll reconnect Electrical connections, put the handle and door lock back through. then you'll line the tabs up with the holes in the door and then hit the panel with you're hand pushing the tabs in.

If you have power and heated mirrors you will need to be very careful when routing the wires through the hole in the door. If they aren't done right they can become pinched and quit working.

I also had to screw the studs on the new mirrors out just a little so i could get the nuts on.

I would suggest getting new tabs for the door but you should be fine reusing them. I had my panel off three or four times before i ever replaced any. I got them at a local Orielly's. I don't now if they can figure out which ones to get you or not. When i went one of the workers had a gas truck with the same body style and just replaced his, so he new the part and ordered them.

I got my mirrors(Power/Heated) off ebay for somewhere around $200-250 (I think). Then around $36 for both brackets. Dealership wanted almost 200 a piece for non-power. If you need i may be able to find out where i got them from and give you the place.

I would get you some pictures but after the she fought the tree in November it was off to the junkyard.

Hope this helps. Sorry its so long. just let me know if you need anything else.

firestorm

When I did the mirrors on my '01, I got the extendable ones from Geno's, and didn't need any extra brackets. As mentioned, it is easy to do.

SIXSLUG

They are easy to do, just be careful pulling the door panel off, you can mung up the slots the christmas tree clips goo in pretty easily on a truck that old. The door panels aren't cheap, the clips are, get the tool for them.

Other than that its pretty simple, you may have to pare some of the plastic off the back of the control switch, the lower left bolt usually hits it...