RE: McKesh Mirrors: Some thoughts...

[Wayfarer]

 
FYI
 
 Received my McKesh mirrors today and just came in, finally, after 3 hours getting the things figured out, put together, mounted, etc., etc.  They are now safely stored away and should be able to quickly mount them when we are next ready to hit the road with the Roo.  I figure it should take no more than two or three minutes to mount them, probably half that once I really get the hang of it, and not more than a minute to take them off when we get where we are going.  I think they will be a real help on the road.
 
 Since I received quite a few comments about McKesh mirrors in my previous post asking if towing mirrors were really worthwhile, thought I d post my impressions now and later my experience with them for those of you who may be think of getting a set.
 
 1.  While they look and " feel"  much better than anything else I have looked at they are definitely not what I would call a " high tech"  item; i.e., they just don t appear all that sturdy and I m wondering how they will hold up to the stress and strain of wind, "  road rattle,"  doors opening and closing, etc.
 
 2.  They are not all that easy to adjust.  Once you get them where you want them, view wise, you have to really tighten down the screws or just closing the door will knock them out of kilter.  No big deal - it s just that when you want to readjust them it looks like it might be a chore.
 
 3.  I found it necessary to replace the 1/4 and 5/16 hex head screws with ones about 1/4 inch longer and add lock nuts & lock washers.  The screws (bolts) in question were not long enough to really hold the mirrors and just adjusting the mirrors caused the things to work loose.
 
 4.  For me, the instructions were not all that clear, in fact, they were kinda confusing.  You get it figured out after awhile, through trial and error, but it takes some time.  For someone such as my neighbor, who doesn t know a hacksaw from a chainsaw and has no idea what a Phillips head screwdriver is, they would be useless.
 
 5.  The convex mirrors mounting hardware is kinda rinky-dink in my estimation and the one on the right, because of the angle at which I look into it, is next to useless...or so it appears.  Will have to see if it helps on the road or if it can be adjusted.
 
 Well, these are just initial observations and the jury is still out as to whether they will prove worth the money and sturdy enough to hold up through a lot of road time.  Looking forward to using them while towing and will post replies to this post as to what I think.
 
 Happy Trails!  
 And peace be to all of y all.
 

[tlhdoc]

 Wayfarer
I didn t find them that hard to put together.  They were on the TV and adjusted in about 15 minutes when I got them.  I check the hardware at the start of the season and have only had to retighten the bolts once since 1999, when I got them.  I do have to do minor mirror adjustments each time they are mounted, but I can do that with my hands.  I tow 3000+ miles each year and haven t had a problem with them.  Make sure you have them tightly mounted to the door or you will have some vibration.  I crank the thing until I can t get it any tighter.  They are not high tech, but they don t need to be.  They work just the way thy are.  It only takes about 30 seconds to take them off the door once you get the hang of it and less than a minute to remount them if you only lengthen the strap a little bit when you take them off.  I hope you enjoy them.

[campingboaters]

 Wayfarer
I didn t have any problems setting mine up the first time either.  It took me MAYBE 30 minutes, but I didn t have the problems with the screws and nuts that you appeared to have.  
 
 After the first setup, each time I put them on, all I basically have to do is re-mount them by tightening the ratcheting knob and maybe readjust the mirrors  angles.  I keep the sliding arm brace in the same spot on the strap when I remove it so that when I put it back on, it slides right up into position when I rachet it down.  30 seconds to take each one off and maybe a minute to put each back on.
 
 They vibrate only SLIGHTLY more than our factory mirrors.  They certainly don t make you dizzy like some of the cheaper strap on mirrors.  My husband is a stickler for being able to see as much around us as we can when driving and he loves them.  
 
 Good luck with yours!

[Ab Diver]

 Wayfarer
Not to worry, Chuck. Cupla times under your belt and those mirrors will be second nature to put on and take off. I don t even have to re-adjust them for each trip. And that right-hand convex mirror is a god-send in traffic, cuz it lets you see exactly where you NEED to see. Both of the convex mirrors on my set let me see a car that is even with the back edge of the front door of my crew-cab truck... something the factory mirrors could never do if adjusted for normal viewing. Plus, the Mekesh mirrors are the only aftermarket mirrors I know of that allow you to see with both mirrors a *point* centered in the road 200 feet behind your trailer-- as required by California law (dunno about Texas law).
 
 Best money you ever spent for seeing what s around you while towing.

[tlhdoc]

 Wayfarer
Another good thing with the mirrors is you can move them from one tow vehicle to another and not have to get new mirrors each time.