Rules on towing mirrors

[RebsWA]

most are not.. most are connected to the radio/stereo inc a few people here who have asked how to set em up there.

Then you have the bloke in our club with a 10inch Samsung tablet in center of windscreen, who sees nothing (literally) wrong with it... waiting for 5-0 to discuss that one with him.

Most sat navs are in the radio/stereo and that's OK? - and probably a bigger distraction than a rear view screen.
As for the bloke with the 10" tablet, well I agree.
But what I have done is better than mirrors and less of a distraction. Just a quick glance and you know whats up your clakker and the normal side mirrors show what's along side. If I thought for one minute it compromised safety when towing it would be removed.

[KeithB]

I have a lifted 200 Series with 33's and two spares on the back. In spite of having proper towing mirrors if there is a Camry or something smaller right behind me in the traffic, I can't see it. So I have a full time reversing camera, which I can turn off at night. It's a big help and a valuable safety item.
Keith

[austastar]

Hi,
   I have 2 cameras switchable from 1 screen.
1. Mounted near towball, sees too much sky, sees too much road dust at night (IR lights built in).
2. Mounted in rear window of camper, viewing way too wide to be useful as rear view camera, but the close distance perspective is better.

The screen is way too bright at night, out shines the Defender's headlights, so it gets turned off at night.

The ideal camera would have a viewing angle of 90 degrees, be mounted high on the rear of the camper, angled to have the horizon at the top of the screen and the screen be dead black at night and NO infra red lights.

Cheers

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk

[Fizzie]

I have bought some and they work well, mite just sika flex them on just to make them harder to steel, Craig

I also saw something a while back (may have even been on here ), that, by THE book, you're not supposed to have towing mirrors fitted if you're not towing at that moment eg arrive at camp & unhook the van, take the mirrors off to drive into town, put them back on next morning to head for your next camp, rinse & repeat every day ... 

[bmwfreak]

This is my understanding, for QLD at least, and is the reason that I feel Clearview and the like extendable mirrors are a practical solution, in spite of the cost🤑

[Troopy_03]

At least in Qld you can have a rear view camera on the back of the van , but it can't be your primary source of vision - you've still got to have mirrors

Yep, because the camera won't be able to see down the side of your van, which is the legal requirement.

[Troopy_03]

Most sat navs are in the radio/stereo and that's OK? - and probably a bigger distraction than a rear view screen.
As for the bloke with the 10" tablet, well I agree.
But what I have done is better than mirrors and less of a distraction. Just a quick glance and you know whats up your clakker and the normal side mirrors show what's along side. If I thought for one minute it compromised safety when towing it would be removed.

That's the problem, with most vans, your normal mirrors don't show what's sitting alongside the back corner of your van. That's why you need the mirrors. My normal mirrors used to only be able to see the front of the van and bugger all else.

[Troopy_03]

These work well

[nab]

I bought some cheap eBay clear new style mirrors, $279 delivered for the pair. They look massive but in reality only stick out 50mm more each side compared to the standard mirrors. Makes reversing and towing much more easier, losing the electric fold in is a nuisance off-road but is the only disadvantage for me (looks and wind noise could be considered major disadvantages to some).

[RebsWA]

That's the problem, with most vans, your normal mirrors don't show what's sitting alongside the back corner of your van. That's why you need the mirrors. My normal mirrors used to only be able to see the front of the van and bugger all else.

I can see quite well down the side of the van with the vehicle mirrors and coupled with the camera have a better knowledge of what's behind and beside the rig than I did with extension mirrors. Needless to say I still fit the extension mirrors to stay legal but don't take much notice of them.

[Paddler Ed]

I know this is the superseded version, but this gives you an idea as to the field of vision you need to have from your side mirrors:
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2006L02663

Screen snip in the attachment

[Troopy_03]

I can see quite well down the side of the van with the vehicle mirrors and coupled with the camera have a better knowledge of what's behind and beside the rig than I did with extension mirrors. Needless to say I still fit the extension mirrors to stay legal but don't take much notice of them.

So you have the 13 foot Starcraft (the narrowest), with a max width of 2166mm excluding the awning. Towing with the 06 Troopy? And the distance between the outer edges of your mirrors are 2050mm max? Not taking into account that they aren't mounted on the extreme outside dimensions, so they would actually be a bit less. You're doing well then, with the van 116mm wider than the outer edges of your mirrors.

Even with my slightly wider mirrors (2150 max, to the outer edges) I know I can't see down the full length of my van, which is 2280mm, by a long chalk, hence the addition of my towing extensions. my van is 130mm wider than the outside of my mirrors.

[RebsWA]

So you have the 13 foot Starcraft (the narrowest), with a max width of 2166mm excluding the awning. Towing with the 06 Troopy? And the distance between the outer edges of your mirrors are 2050mm max? Not taking into account that they aren't mounted on the extreme outside dimensions, so they would actually be a bit less. You're doing well then, with the van 116mm wider than the outer edges of your mirrors.

Even with my slightly wider mirrors (2150 max, to the outer edges) I know I can't see down the full length of my van, which is 2280mm, by a long chalk, hence the addition of my towing extensions. my van is 130mm wider than the outside of my mirrors.

Whatever!

[Troopy_03]

Whatever!

[jclures]

These work well

Troopy 03 what brand were these?

[Troopy_03]

Troopy 03 what brand were these?

They were made from a set of Toyota 79 series mirrors, new off Gumtree, and a second set of Oras $8.00 at a garage sale.

The bows have been shortened to try and keep within (close to) ADRs. 4mm X 30mm X 30mm angle for the mounting brackets.

See here: http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=54863.msg963144#msg963144

[jclures]

Thanks, I think I will have to do something along those lines as well.