Finally! GMT800 style towing mirrors on GMT400.

[88GMCtruck]

Honestly swapping them on a 95+ would be cake, 88-94 doesn't have the removable mirror portion of the door panel so you have to take the whole thing apart.

 

[97PROSHOZ71]

It is easy on the 95+ trucks. Makes me glad I have a 97. lol.

 

[88GMCtruck]

Nah, it's better to have both ends of the spectrum.

It's surprising the differences you don't easily notice between my 88 and 99, in trim, structure and quality, as well as how technology progressed during that time.

 

[97PROSHOZ71]

^ True.

BTW, has anyone tried putting the GMT800 glass with the integrated signal in these mirrors?

 

[borahshadow]

No I haven't but I thought about it. I'd love to cause I think that would be sweet but it would probably cost more and be more work than it's worth.

With regards to the installation. Was I the only one who had a hard time getting those nuts off and on with how cramped it was? It wasn't a terribly difficult thing to swap the mirrors but I wouldn't call it "cake" even on a 95+. Did you use some kind of special swivel adapter for a ratchet or did you have to do the "turn it 1/8 turn and reset the wrench" thing that I ended up doing?

 

[squeaky3]

i did mine at home and all my tools are at work and i forgot to bring them home so it took me awhile with the regular wrench too

wasnt to bad..hardest part for me was getting the nut on drivers side extra bracket thing to start..had to hammer/grind the bracket some to get enough thread to show to start the nut

 

[97PROSHOZ71]

The only hard time I had was that there was a nut on the OEM mirror that wouldn't move, it was rusted onto the mirror's stud, so I had to cut that off. Then the bracket included with the mirrors wouldn't fit right, so I had to take a hammer and make a dimple for it to fit correctly. Other than that, it was fairly easy.

 

[97PROSHOZ71]

No I haven't but I thought about it. I'd love to cause I think that would be sweet but it would probably cost more and be more work than it's worth.

With regards to the installation. Was I the only one who had a hard time getting those nuts off and on with how cramped it was? It wasn't a terribly difficult thing to swap the mirrors but I wouldn't call it "cake" even on a 95+. Did you use some kind of special swivel adapter for a ratchet or did you have to do the "turn it 1/8 turn and reset the wrench" thing that I ended up doing?

Ya, you're right, it probably would be too much work, as for cost, I'm sure a scrap yard has a GMT800 with those mirrors.

 

[borahshadow]

i did mine at home and all my tools are at work and i forgot to bring them home so it took me awhile with the regular wrench too

wasnt to bad..hardest part for me was getting the nut on drivers side extra bracket thing to start..had to hammer/grind the bracket some to get enough thread to show to start the nut

The only hard time I had was that there was a nut on the OEM mirror that wouldn't move, it was rusted onto the mirror's stud, so I had to cut that off. Then the bracket included with the mirrors wouldn't fit right, so I had to take a hammer and make a dimple for it to fit correctly. Other than that, it was fairly easy.

I had trouble with the bracket too and I put the nut on backwards so that the built in washer wasn't spacing it out and then tightened it down and then I could pull it back off and put it on the right way.

Ya, you're right, it probably would be too much work, as for cost, I'm sure a scrap yard has a GMT800 with those mirrors.

IDK if I've ever seen any of the tow mirrors on any of the nbs at the one of the local junk yards. Even if they had some it would probably still cost more than I'd like since I'd probably have to buy the whole mirror and they'd probably want at the very $75. Considering I paid $200 for the whole set up paying half that just for the signal mirror glass seems kinda pricey... haha

 

[Hezsus]

I put my set on last night, they went on real easy. one stud turned out of the passengers mirros, just used a good pair of vise grips and off it came, the nuts are a ***** to get at, i used a combination of 1/4"drive ratchet with a 10mm and 10mm deep socket and a 10mm wrench, wiring up the signals was easy too. all done in about 2 hours. I think they're gonna need paint though. will post pics soon