why are there no real replacement Towing mirror's 4th gen ?
- Thread starter 24MAX
- Start date
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Most people aren't towing that large with an Expedition. Towing capacity is 9300 with Tow Package. Ford never made a Tow Mirror for it.
Your Excursion was based on a 250/350, so the same mirrors bolted up. This is not the same vehicle.
Your Excursion was based on a 250/350, so the same mirrors bolted up. This is not the same vehicle.
I used to tow regularly with ours. About 6500 Max dual axle car trailer, with a racecar on it. Now my F150 does most of the heavy lifting.
We tow a 34’travel trailer with ours. It is well within the vehicles towing and GVWR ratings and it tows it fine. While I would love to have extendable mirrors I can understand them not seeing enough demand for them on an expedition.
GregTu
Well-Known Member
I tow a 22’ enclosed Toy hauler for our race car with a ‘24 Platinum. Roughly 7,500 lbs.
The stock mirrors are ok. Just aim them a little further out. The trailer is 8’ wide, so I only miss a little at the back corner of the trailer. I just wish the cameras would work with a wide view (“full” view). I have used 3rd party extended mirrors and I don’t miss them on the new Exp.
Despite other issues, this might be the best moderate sized tow vehicle we’ve owned. I’ve towed with a Tahoe ( scary until I got the Reece cam bars with anti sway) earlier Expedition, Navigator, and lastly an Armada. Unlike the others the 10 speed in tow mode seems to always be in the right gear and the extra torque really helps.
The stock mirrors are ok. Just aim them a little further out. The trailer is 8’ wide, so I only miss a little at the back corner of the trailer. I just wish the cameras would work with a wide view (“full” view). I have used 3rd party extended mirrors and I don’t miss them on the new Exp.
Despite other issues, this might be the best moderate sized tow vehicle we’ve owned. I’ve towed with a Tahoe ( scary until I got the Reece cam bars with anti sway) earlier Expedition, Navigator, and lastly an Armada. Unlike the others the 10 speed in tow mode seems to always be in the right gear and the extra torque really helps.
GregTu
Well-Known Member
A half ton of groceries would cost more than the Exp these days. ;-D
Left Coast Geek
Full Access Members
also after market mirrors with integrated cameras for the 360 view would be $$$$. I had Trail Ridge brand mirrors on my 2002 F250 that were styled after the 2008+ Super Duty mirrors, they worked /great/, but that truck just had power adjust, it was manual fold and extend.
tjj00025
New Member
I think the “no interest” answer is kind of bogus. People pay for all kinds of things they rarely use on new vehicles, and with mirrors being a big safety option for anyone remotely interested in towing, it seems fairly logical that people would pay for it. A simple search on this website would prove that. Alas, Daddy says no so the answer is no until someone R&Ds it aftermarket.
For what it’s worth, we use the RM10 stick on mirrors in the bottom outside corners. They work well and don’t take up a lot of real estate on the mirror. Definitely a upgrade with little to no downside over stock.
For what it’s worth, we use the RM10 stick on mirrors in the bottom outside corners. They work well and don’t take up a lot of real estate on the mirror. Definitely a upgrade with little to no downside over stock.
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Left Coast Geek
Full Access Members
This one works quite well, got me through 9900 miles of Mexico last winter...
Left Coast Geek
Full Access Members
there's a lot fewer G4 Expeditions on the road than there are most tow capable vehicles, so its inherently a smaller market. For every Expedition gen 4 there's likely 100 F150's
I purchased a trailer camera that is mounted on the back of the trailer. It was pre wired for one so just plug and play. Works great I can see everything behind the trailer and my stock mirrors can see down the side. I tow a 28’ travel trailer and love the camera.
I tow a 27 ft express cruiser boat, wide and tall. I use a set of strap on tow mirrors that extend out past the regular mirrors. Don’t have a pic but they are similar to ones pictured in responses. They work great, easy to install and remove.
I have a camera system on my Travel Trailer. It is small, is hard to see with sunglasses on and just in general it is far from ideal. Plus I have wires hanging down while in use.
Yes, I’m sure there are better units and ways to mount it. But the bottom line is that extendable mirrors like what is available on pickup trucks would be a very useful upgrade.
Fizzy
Full Access Members
I regularly tow our 33ft TT and have no problems with visibility. I installed a rear camera on the RV (prewired for it from factory) and have a large display screen in the dash cubby so I can see behind. It also means I can back into any spot first time, no adjustments, retries, or getting out of the truck repeatedly to check and gauge.
I'm with you. I've searched all over for bigger replacement mirrors for my 2021. There is a ton of options for the 3rd generation and I'm surprised those companies haven't made anything for this generation yet. Trail Ridge for one.
Calidad
Full Access Members
I have the same as Left Coast Geek. Ultimately I made the stock mirrors work but they weren’t ideal. I pull oversized permits due to width 9ft 9.
But mirror height width is around 8ft 11.
If your legal 8.5 I honestly don’t see much advantage to going farther out.
What am I dragging? 29ft L x 9.9w 13H boat. I’m right at 8700-9000lbs pending tankage. I only haul 2-3 times a yr and from 4000ft to 7300ft I have a buddy meet me with his 2500 diesel for the climb. From 6200ft to 7300ft and down to sea level I do the haul no big deal engine braking keeps it controlled and not doing anything over 50mph. Trailer is electric hydraulic 4 giant disc brakes between the trailer and the EX getting stopped isn’t a big deal just not one you want to do suddenly. Zero issues being smart and not heating up brakes. 740 miles from the PNW to CA was easy.
But mirror height width is around 8ft 11.
If your legal 8.5 I honestly don’t see much advantage to going farther out.
What am I dragging? 29ft L x 9.9w 13H boat. I’m right at 8700-9000lbs pending tankage. I only haul 2-3 times a yr and from 4000ft to 7300ft I have a buddy meet me with his 2500 diesel for the climb. From 6200ft to 7300ft and down to sea level I do the haul no big deal engine braking keeps it controlled and not doing anything over 50mph. Trailer is electric hydraulic 4 giant disc brakes between the trailer and the EX getting stopped isn’t a big deal just not one you want to do suddenly. Zero issues being smart and not heating up brakes. 740 miles from the PNW to CA was easy.
Calidad
Full Access Members
Same but found my self just using the stock mirrors 99.9% of the time. 9.9 wide at about 9ft off the pavement. Empty tanks right at 8800lbs with trailer weight included. Not a dry yard boat. She gets hauled between winter water playground and summer water playground. Power hasn’t been an issue nor brakes 4 huge disc brakes on the trailer.
The only thing to keep an eye on are trans temps, never got “hot” but when I see 225-230 at a spike I start the cool down efforts. Flat ground synthetic oil she runs at 208-218 trans with stop and go temps jumping to 220 trans temp but cools fast once moving. The long climb? Sub 80 degree temps and 6% grade 35mph not due to power but just keeping temps manageable 230-240 trans temp at the peak in 90-100 degree outside temps (worst case example dragging over a pass in 100 degree summer heat)
Big 6-7% 6+ mile down hill grade 3rd gear 40-45mph max with occasional brake stab to shed speed but avoid heating up brakes. I’m usually hanging with the heavy Semi’s driven by the old guys that drive the route daily lol. OEM brakes only on the EX. Rear pads I replaced at 50k probably could have done 70, but didn’t want to risk it. Fronts are looking like maybe 90-100k all are smooth like butter. The tow haul down shifts with that beast behind me are pretty funny coming off a highway I’ve rolled up to UPS guys that hear me coming that are soooo confused when they look over at the EX
