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Tow mirror delete and replace

Krogers4871
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Krogers4871 New Member

Krogers4871

Posted
Posted

Hey guys

 

im new to the site. I am looking at buying a new truck but can’t get over how dumb the new tow mirrors are and everything I have read is that they are bad for looks and blind spots. (Yes it would have to have tow mirrors looking at a dually and it would pull a lot of trailers) I have been looking to see if anyone has had success in swapping to 2018 style tow mirrors. I understand they are mounted in a different location but I’m sure someone has at least attempted to go back to the better style mirror. Thanks in advance

bruceb58 Enthusiast

bruceb58

Posted
Posted

They are functional. If you tow, they are awesome.

  • Like 1
rjgvt Enthusiast

rjgvt

Posted
Posted

I like the tow mirrors on my 25 AT4HD. It took me a bit to get them set up, especially the bottom part. When I had 1/2 ton trucks, I always put a convex mirror in the top outside part of the mirror so I could see cars driving next to the rear corner or next to me up to the door handles. With the current mirrors, I set the convex bottom part the same way. As far as blind spots, I just take my time before turning right on red, etc. I drive strictly by the mirrors before changing lanes, etc.

 

  • 2 weeks later...
Another JR Senior Enthusiast

Another JR

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have the tow mirrors, which were standard equipment on a 2021 3500 HD. If you are not actually towing a wide trailer, my opinion is that you give up way more in direct sight visibility than you benefit from rear visibility while using the mirrors. They seriously block the ability to see pedestrians to the right when turning right at an intersection. They also regularly scare the hell out of me when i am turning right and cars going behind me look like they are cars quickly approaching from the right side. I have slammed on the brakes several times thinking I’m about to be hit from the right.  
 

If I drive the truck regularly I get more used to it, but because it is an RV for us and our driving is somewhat intermittent, it is a chronic problem. My wife, who ls 5’3”,  refuses to drive the truck because the visibility is so bad for a shorter person. She is someone who grew up pulling horse trailers for years so it’s not just a fear of driving a large vehicle. 
 

We just have a bed-length truck camper and occasionally tow a boat, so I have thought about trying to swap in the base 2500 HD mirrors, but I haven’t gotten serious about it yet. The tow mirrors are the one thing I seriously hate about my truck. I am thrilled with it otherwise. The bottom convex mirrors are great - I just hate the blockage of sightlines from the giant antler mirrors. 

Edited by Another JR
newdude Senior Enthusiast

newdude

Posted
Posted
On 3/18/2026 at 3:33 PM, Krogers4871 said:

Hey guys

 

im new to the site. I am looking at buying a new truck but can’t get over how dumb the new tow mirrors are and everything I have read is that they are bad for looks and blind spots. (Yes it would have to have tow mirrors looking at a dually and it would pull a lot of trailers) I have been looking to see if anyone has had success in swapping to 2018 style tow mirrors. I understand they are mounted in a different location but I’m sure someone has at least attempted to go back to the better style mirror. Thanks in advance

 

 

You can't swap old mirrors.  Won't work.

 

GM has a small mirror for HD trucks however it is VERY limited as to what it can be installed on.  If you have blind spot monitoring or 360 camera package, you can NOT install the small mirror.

 

I've driven a bunch of these new HD trucks.  I got used to the mirrors very quick and I don't mind them one bit.  They are better than the 11-19 style they used to use.  

  • Like 2
Another JR Senior Enthusiast

Another JR

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, newdude said:

 

 

You can't swap old mirrors.  Won't work.

 

GM has a small mirror for HD trucks however it is VERY limited as to what it can be installed on.  If you have blind spot monitoring or 360 camera package, you can NOT install the small mirror.

 

I've driven a bunch of these new HD trucks.  I got used to the mirrors very quick and I don't mind them one bit.  They are better than the 11-19 style they used to use.  

Yeah that’s what I recall from my early research - you can’t get there from here. I keep trying to talk my wife into spending the time driving the truck with the camper off to get used to it, but she is convinced she will eventually kill a pedestrian or hit something if she drives it. 

jake111 Enthusiast

jake111

Posted
Posted

I added a camera to the back of my slide-in camper.  It helps fill in the blind spots and to see other vehicles coming up from behind.

Another JR Senior Enthusiast

Another JR

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yes I did the same. The rear view is identical to the view when the tailgate is on. My concern is with the view to the right when negotiating intersections, especially when turning right, and the issue of the mirror being so big that, as you turn right, a car going straight behind you suddenly looks like it’s about to T-bone you. It’s not a problem when I drive the truck daily like on a long trip, but driving it occasionally near home and switching with other cars, I don’t like it. The smaller base mirrors on the 2500 would have been better for my needs. As Newdude said it’s not possible to switch without messing up other features, so I will live with it. It is nice when backing. 

Edited by Another JR

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