docking station mirror

a lot of new 5th wheel trailers have the docking mirror on the nose piece.

our 09 Sundance didn't and and i got tired of getting out to clarify to DW where i needed to line up and was afraid she would step between the tailgate and the trailer so for 15$ in mirror 1/8th thick Lexan and 6$ for 3m 2 sided outdoor tape i made our own.

compounded the area, washed with mineral spirits for adhesion, centered the mirror and backed into the hitch.
repositioned the mirror and tried it again. once set had DW remove the truck and pencil marked the mirror side to side and bottom (I'm too short to see the line on the top)

pulled the tape off the back and stuck it down.

Then I sealed the tape and edge with the flex caulking for seams on trailer.

this should greatly decrease my getting in and out of the truck by at least 25%

- - - Updated - - -

Wait now... I don't remember my antenna being up on out Trailer.

Honey....! Did you....
 

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Bones

Well-known member
a lot of new 5th wheel trailers have the docking mirror on the nose piece.

our 09 Sundance didn't and and i got tired of getting out to clarify to DW where i needed to line up and was afraid she would step between the tailgate and the trailer so for 15$ in mirror 1/8th thick Lexan and 6$ for 3m 2 sided outdoor tape i made our own.

compounded the area, washed with mineral spirits for adhesion, centered the mirror and backed into the hitch.
repositioned the mirror and tried it again. once set had DW remove the truck and pencil marked the mirror side to side and bottom (I'm too short to see the line on the top)

pulled the tape off the back and stuck it down.

Then I sealed the tape and edge with the flex caulking for seams on trailer.

this should greatly decrease my getting in and out of the truck by at least 25%

- - - Updated - - -

Wait now... I don't remember my antenna being up on out Trailer.

Honey....! Did you....

nice. Will the mirror help keep bugs away too?;)
 
no but DW says I could shave in it.
I just took 4 weeks to grow a beard... maybe she said "I should shave in it"
I didn't have my hearing aids in at the time.
 

baboon

Member
I have a 2014 285TS and I too got tired of try to see when hooking up and unhooking. So I asked around and looked at several mirror set ups and talking with people the biggest complaint was mirror was just a bit too small but it worked. Then I went to local Auto store and looked at mirror selections and found a very slight round convex one either 10" or 11" sorta like on a school bus and went to a hardware store and got some angle iron and made my mirror setup and mounted on the hitch pin setup . I've got only $50 invested and works great and everywhere I go everyone stops to look at it talks about doing it on theres.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Pictures please.
Sounds like a nice mod.

Peace
Dave

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

MTPockets

Well-known member
I've always used red tape. I placed a piece about 1" square on the nose of the pin box in the center where I can see it and another on the center of my tonneau cover. When backing, I can see both in my rear view mirror and simply keep them lined up and back until hitched. Works perfect every time. I realize the location of the tape will have to be where you can see it. In my case with the folded tonneau cover it's perfect. You may need it on your rear window or wherever you can fix it in your line of sight in the mirror.
 

Oregon_Camper

Well-known member
From our first days as popup owners to our current Bighorn, my wife has always been the one to backup up the truck to the trailer. I think she gets a kick out of it. Seriously, in the 15 years we've had a trailer, I might have back backed up the truck 10 times?? Half of those might be times I had to get the trailer for storage and she wasn't there.

She nails the 5th wheel to the hitch on her first attempt about 80% of the time...she is awesome.

...now, having said that, she quickly jumps out of the drivers seat and into the passenger seat for the actual towing. Don't think she even knows how to put the truck into "drive". LOL :cool:
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Nice :) I have seen some other brands do this. We have also done the tape bit etc and have now had installed a camera on our 3rd brake light which I can turn on when backing. It comes in thru the Nav system so we now have a good picture for hooking/unhooking.
 

sengli

Well-known member
I went to amazon and bought a car back up camera setup, with its own 4" display. Made up a wiring harness for it and use a magnetic base to attach it to the bed in front of the fifth wheel hitch. I watch the pin glide into the hitch in HD video. The whole thing costs less than $50. I plug it in to the lighter socket for power. When I am done, I simply remove the camera and store it.
 
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