Convex Main Mirror Upgrade?

[dieselscout80]

For towing something longer I kinda miss the flat glass when in moose mode, but since I'm mostly empty it's an ok trade off. Going down the road the visibility is great, but I'd say the biggest annoyance is lining things up when backing into a tight spot. You eventually figure it out getting used to the convex glass though. Since everything is smaller due to the convex glass it can also be a lot of squinting to see hand gestures or you just resort to yelling out the window lol. All in all the mirrors are still worth it for the cost.

That said if I didn't have the bells and whistles on this truck I'd have already gotten a set of boost auto parts GM style mirrors like I had on the 4th gen. I still miss them compared to the moose antlers and no matter how many Ram's I drive/have driven with them I'll always prefer Ford/GM mirrors.

I’d be interested in the GM mirrors, but mine are power folding and that’s like +$1300.00.

 

[Daverous]

Anyone actually get some with blind spot yet?

Every time I inquire I get "still testing". That's a long test run...

 

[snayte]

Anyone actually get some with blind spot yet?

Every time I inquire I get "still testing". That's a long test run...

I have not. I ordered on 8/26 last year.

 

[Daverous]

Yeah, running up on a year here too. I'll end up selling the truck before they come in at this rate.

 

[mike12193]

I emailed on 8/1 and got this response:

Hi Michael,

The BSM test is still not ready yet. Sorry for the delay.

Gina

 

[_Steve]

Just received the convex mirror glass from Suma ( heated, no BSM). Looks like it should be easy to install. Should just snap into place. However, I cannot see how to remove the OEM glass without breaking it. One might ask; "why do you care if you break it?" ... well, just in case the replacement doesn't fit just right.
Anybody removed the OEM glass yet? How'd you do it?

Edit: Ok it literally is simple:
1) Tip both the spot and main mirror full in towards the truck.
2) Get your fingers into the gap created and as close to the center of the mirror as you can.
3) Give the main mirror a sharp pull. Seems like it will break but it will not.
4) Two pieces will separate from the truck. a) the mirror, b) the adapter ring. The adapter ring will be attached to the mirror.
5) With a flat screw driver gently pry the adapter ring off of the mirror. Pay close attention to the orientation (eg. which way is up).
6) Re-attache the adapter ring to the mirror drive motor base. The adapter is held in place by the center post. a) line up the four positioning posts and the center post. b) press the adapter onto the center post by pressing firmly at the center. It will snap into place.
7) Line up the mirror over the adapter and press it on. Press from the middle of the mirror. You will hear it snap into place. Press all around the center at about the radius of the adapter to insure that all the clips have snapped.

NOTE: Wear gloves or you are likely to leave finger prints all over the glass.

NOTE: The Suma mirrors did not come with slots for the stabilizer clips. I'm not sure if that is a problem or not. I guess I'm going to find out.

Edit: Initial observation is that the stabilizer clips do not seem to be necessary.

Cheers
Steve

 

[snayte]

Just received the convex mirror glass from Suma ( heated, no BSM). Looks like it should be easy to install. Should just snap into place. However, I cannot see how to remove the OEM glass without breaking it. One might ask; "why do you care if you break it?" ... well, just in case the replacement doesn't fit just right.
Anybody removed the OEM glass yet? How'd you do it?

Edit: Ok it literally is simple:
1) Tip both the spot and main mirror full in towards the truck.
2) Get your fingers into the gap created and as close to the center of the mirror as you can.
3) Give the main mirror a sharp pull. Seems like it will break but it will not.
4) Two pieces will separate from the truck. a) the mirror, b) the adapter ring. The adapter ring will be attached to the mirror.
5) With a flat screw driver gently pry the adapter ring off of the mirror. Pay close attention to the orientation (eg. which way is up).
6) Re-attache the adapter ring to the mirror drive motor base. The adapter is held in place by the center post. a) line up the four positioning posts and the center post. b) press the adapter onto the center post by pressing firmly at the center. It will snap into place.
7) Line up the mirror over the adapter and press it on. Press from the middle of the mirror. You will hear it snap into place. Press all around the center at about the radius of the adapter to insure that all the clips have snapped.

NOTE: The Suma mirrors did not come with slots for the stabilizer clips. I'm not sure if that is a problem or not. I guess I'm going to find out.

Edit: Initial observation is that the stabilizer clips do not seem to be necessary.

Cheers
Steve

Thanks for posting these instructions. I hope I will get to use them some day.

 

[Daverous]

Reached out to Suma again. They mentioned they hadn't heard back from their tester regarding BSM at the time. Not sure if they have yet or not.
I volunteered to test and offer feedback. A couple days later I heard back that they were sending a unit from Taiwan directly to my door. Got them today, installed them with the boost heated small mirrors I'd ordered last year for this project.
I'm attaching a few photos for everyone. When I have a moment at a real keyboard I'll include more detail, along with thoughts as I test them out. Right now zero miles in. It's a downpour out there and I have dinner to eat.

You can see a before and after on the passenger side at my eye level. It's a huge view difference. I'll need to play with them for a bit to find my sweet spot. A couple photos will have more relevance with my elaborated post at a later time

 

[snayte]

Geez if they were just waiting for a tester there are plenty of us here that would have stepped up. It has been over a year since I ordered.
Is it going to be another few months before they produce anything now? I guess there is always next camping season.

 

[superjoe83]

Reached out to Suma again. They mentioned they hadn't heard back from their tester regarding BSM at the time. Not sure if they have yet or not.
I volunteered to test and offer feedback. A couple days later I heard back that they were sending a unit from Taiwan directly to my door. Got them today, installed them with the boost heated small mirrors I'd ordered last year for this project.
I'm attaching a few photos for everyone. When I have a moment at a real keyboard I'll include more detail, along with thoughts as I test them out. Right now zero miles in. It's a downpour out there and I have dinner to eat.

You can see a before and after on the passenger side at my eye level. It's a huge view difference. I'll need to play with them for a bit to find my sweet spot. A couple photos will have more relevance with my elaborated post at a later time

How much did it change the depth perception? I will be towing a 45' toy hauler and I'm concerned that I won't be able to gauge where the rear of the trailer is as easily? What is your opinion on viewing objects at a distance?

 

[Poolmonkey]

Reached out to Suma again. They mentioned they hadn't heard back from their tester regarding BSM at the time. Not sure if they have yet or not.
I volunteered to test and offer feedback. A couple days later I heard back that they were sending a unit from Taiwan directly to my door. Got them today, installed them with the boost heated small mirrors I'd ordered last year for this project.
I'm attaching a few photos for everyone. When I have a moment at a real keyboard I'll include more detail, along with thoughts as I test them out. Right now zero miles in. It's a downpour out there and I have dinner to eat.

You can see a before and after on the passenger side at my eye level. It's a huge view difference. I'll need to play with them for a bit to find my sweet spot. A couple photos will have more relevance with my elaborated post at a later time

That looks so much better that it’s crazy..they had better hurry up though, love / hate with this truck and hate is coming on strong.

 

[joshuaeb09]

How much did it change the depth perception? I will be towing a 45' toy hauler and I'm concerned that I won't be able to gauge where the rear of the trailer is as easily? What is your opinion on viewing objects at a distance?

Distance is not where they shine and I can see the benefit to flat glass. Towing ~35 ft I get a little frustrated with them but I’ve adapted having all the cameras on my truck.

For now the suma glass is a compromise between good mirrors and moose mode. If my truck didn’t have the cameras and what not it would already have boost GM mirrors on it like the 4th gen. I’ve always loved rams, but always hated the tow mirrors.

 

[AH64ID]

Distance is not where they shine and I can see the benefit to flat glass. Towing ~35 ft I get a little frustrated with them but I’ve adapted having all the cameras on my truck.

For now the suma glass is a compromise between good mirrors and moose mode. If my truck didn’t have the cameras and what not it would already have boost GM mirrors on it like the 4th gen. I’ve always loved rams, but always hated the tow mirrors.

That sucks to hear. I was going to cancel my order based on multiple comments in this thread and the morning I decided to cancel it is the morning I got shipment notification.

I have to say the quality of the mirror is lackluster and I’m torn between installing them and retuning them. Your review isn’t helping, especially since I’ve gotten used to the mirrors on this truck.

 

[joshuaeb09]

That sucks to hear. I was going to cancel my order based on multiple comments in this thread and the morning I decided to cancel it is the morning I got shipment notification.

I have to say the quality of the mirror is lackluster and I’m torn between installing them and retuning them. Your review isn’t helping, especially since I’ve gotten used to the mirrors on this truck.

Yea I felt the same about the mounting as well. It’s kind of rock vs hardplace vs hoping for a decent retrofit/aftermarket 23+ mirror setup that retains features already on the truck.

I don’t tow longer trailers often enough to be too bothered by them, but I can clearly see their shortcomings. If I was towing longer trailers more often I wouldn’t have them on the truck. The only way I can think to describe them is they’re excellent half ton + mirrors. A guy that seldomly goes beyond the limits of most half tons and would've never had tow mirrors in the first place.

*edit*
To clarify I’m mostly that half ton plus guy. My truck is a highway cruiser that tows when I need it or can get away for a trip. It is the backup, having some property, should the other truck more setup to work go down and I need to move something, but that’s not its primary purpose. That said I’ve held onto my flat glass. We have been looking at longer bumper pull campers and should I be able to get away more often I’ll likely put it back in.

 

[Daverous]

^ That kinda says it.
Depth perception is a little distorted now, but Ive also only had them on a day. I'm sure I'll adjust a bit just like the old tow mirrors. It's not so bad as to have me second guessing a merge.

I'm in a half ton with these and rarely tow long with this truck. That being said, I had to have the tow mirrors due to the 360 camera positioning on them. I constantly need to fold the mirrors and wanted my cameras to continue to function. Rock and a hard place. I actually like the look of the standard sport mirrors way more for a 1500. Still not sold on the 23s, but I guess you can never have it all?

I also wish they'd have gone just a step up on the quality for the price. Not even having a BSM wire retaining hook is pretty lack luster.

Going to make a trailer run today with a few hours of road time. I'll fire off a critique email to them Monday after I get back.

They're not all bad! I need to make that clear. They are much better for standard commuting with the mirrors down. I have ZERO blind spots at this point after some fiddling yesterday. hell, using the small mirrors I can almost see BEHIND the truck

 

[Andersen24]

Well I finally got my shipping notification yesterday with an arrival date of Tuesday……looking forward to mounting these (heated and BSM) and seeing the difference!

 

[Poolmonkey]

Well I finally got my shipping notification yesterday with an arrival date of Tuesday……looking forward to mounting these (heated and BSM) and seeing the difference!

Got the email, too

 

[Poolmonkey]

Anybody know what will happen if I don’t connect the wires to the glass, will it make some codes about defrost or the blind spot junk?..would prefer to not see that yellow thing glowing while using the mirror.

 

[joshuaeb09]

Anybody know what will happen if I don’t connect the wires to the glass, will it make some codes about defrost or the blind spot junk?..would prefer to not see that yellow thing glowing while using the mirror.

Nothing will happen other than the LED won't light up.

 

[Jimmy07]

Nothing will happen other than the LED won't light up.

Well, that and the message on the EVIC at every startup saying Blindspot monitoring temporarily unavailable.