If you’ve ever towed a long, enclosed trailer you should be familiar with how a wider mirror can help you see along side it. In fact, in many states, towing a trailer or boat without wide mirrors can cost you a hefty fine. The problem for many truck owners is that they enjoy the sporty appearance of their trucks and don’t want to swap out their standard mirrors for a long and bulky towing mirror. Fortunately, there are some solutions.
Don’t knock them until you have tried them!
One method which many truck enthusiasts are considering, is to use a power telescoping mirror. These are stock appearing mirrors that have the same sporty look as the OEM mirrors. However, when towing, they extend outward to provide the appropriate amount of view around your trailer. Some telescoping mirrors are even powered with a built in motor that allows them to be easily extended or retracted at the touch of a button by the driver. Even if your factory mirrors are not power adjustable, a power telescoping mirror will add that function to it.
What about in tight spaces?
Aside from extending, power telescoping mirrors can also fold inwards for tight spaces. Many extend five inches or more to give a proper view around your trailer and once you have unhitched, the mirrors can be brought back into a stock position, maintaining the clean appearance of your truck or sport utility vehicle. For off road applications, these telescoping mirrors can even fold inwards allowing for more side clearance. Because of the power function and adjustability, these mirrors are a bit more expensive than standard replacement or sport mirrors, and cost around $450, depending on the application.
Manual options
If you don’t like the power functionality of the mirror, there are manual telescoping mirrors that offer the same advantages but must be moved in and out manually. Either way, the benefits of being able to see around your trailer and safer towing far outweigh the costs and it simply makes your towing experience much more pleasurable.