Wing Mirrors - options instead of the flappy ones on the side doors.

[Tomiam]

Hi all, 
Ive been using my R400D with an aeroscreen recently but will be putting the windscreen back on for trips up/down the motorway to / from track days.  
The issue I've had with the windscreen + doors, is that the door mounted mirrors are useless on a motorway.  Anything above 50mph and they vibrate so much that the view behind is blurry, plus their field of view is quite small.
I would be very grateful for any advice to point me in the direction of what options are available to replace them.  Is there some type of wing mirror which can be mounted onto the side of the windscreen?
Ideally Id like something with a convex mirror (like the aeroscreen ones) as it gives a much better field of view imo.

Any advice much appreciated.

[Jonathan Kay]

Lots of options for mounting on stanchions. 

There's also a panoramic system that runs along the top of the windscreen:

http://www.mirrorsforsevens.com/images/specs1_picture1.jpg

But it does sound as if yours are more wobbly than most...

Jonathan

[SM25T]

Large convex carbon-effect mirrors mounted on the windscreen stanchions. Drill and tap stanchions M6. Longer arms mean you can see all if the mirror glass on the nearside too. Rock steady even at very high speeds. Car Builder Solutions in Staplehurst. Best mirrors I have had on the 7.

[Smithy77]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=271949950547&alt=web

[SM25T]

The ones linked above are tiny !

[SM25T]

Here you are ... http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/large-carbon-fibre-effect-side-mirrors

[Gavel]

But very good.

[Rattie]

We went through this a while back. Tried mirrors mounted on the stanchions. visibility better, but not being able to open the doors fully sucked.

 

Once you swap to convex mirrors, putting them on the doors is less of a problem as the vibration cause less blurring than flat glass mirrors. We bought a pair of the large SPA carbon mirrors and fitted them to the doors. Work well for us, especially with the wide Longacre rear view mirror

 

Martyn

[john milner]

I would agree with the comment about poor field of vision but do not find vibration at 70+ a problem. My elbows make good use of the armrests so roughly speaking the mirrors vibrate at the same rate as my eyes.

 

[john milner]

ps

the near side mirror is unuseable for me

but is handy for the ballast to check what is on the inside.

[Tomiam]

Thank you all very much for your expertise. Much appreciated.
I did think my mirrors might be a bit more wobbley than most as I didnt see many threads about a massive problem with them as standard.   Ive tried tightening mine up very tight, which minorly helped but they are still practically unuseable. 

I shall grab my wallet and purchase a solution.  Thank you once again :)

 

[IanReeves]

I'd be interrsted in your solution.

My mirrors are about as useful as yours I feel. 

I'd like to do something as it's stressful on the motorway, but I'd like to keep the OE function of the door opening and don't want to mount anthing on the windscreen pillar(s)

[SM25T]

I don't get this paranoia about not being able to flip the doors onto the bonnet. You soon get used to leaning on the door to move it out of the way as you get in and out. For me, being able to see in the mirrors without vibration, and the ability to reverse accurately just using the mirrors is well worth it. Just my opinion.

[Ian B]

If you want to try a cheap and effective alternative, that retains the full door travel, gives a wider field of view to eliminate the blind spot, and doesn't vibrate, just get a pair of "child view" suction cup mirrors and fit them in the lower corners of the windscreen.

They can see through the sidescreens, and provide a surprisingly good view *thumbsup*

I got mine from B&Q for about £2.99 each, but it looks likes there are some round ones here, or rectangular ones with a better suction mount here.

Also allows me to fold the doors up and fit them in the footwell or behind the seats if using the wind deflectors  

[Anton]

The panoramic mirror works quite well, but takes a bit of getting used to.  I also find the nearside mirror useless, although my wife can see in it.

Re the carbon SPA mirrors mentioned above - is there a cheaper but equally effective alternative?

[Tomiam]

I've purchased the same mirrors as sm25t suggested. Having vibration less mirrors is more important to me than any issues that the door won't open beyond a certain point as I'll be doing a fair bit of motorway driving. The windscreen goes aeroscreen on track days so it's not an issue then either.

 

They arrive today and should be fitted by the weekend. :)

[SM25T]

You won't regret it. Undo the three screws that hold the stanchion to the screen (one side at a time). Slip a bit of wood behind the stanchion and then drill and tap M6. Use M6-10 cap head socket set screws as they should not protrude beyond the inner face of the stanchion. I think I had to buy M6-20 and cut the thread length down with a hacksaw to 10mm.

[Tomiam]

Thank you! :)

[BigCol]

As SM25T said, 10mm M6 cap head screws are ideal...  black ones available on eBay for £1.23 inc P&P for ten...

[Tomiam]

Cheers. I got a pack from screw fix. Happened to have an m6 tap/die kit in work which I've borrowed. :)

[AdamQ]

I'm very impressed with these here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motamec-Racing-Formula-F1-Car-Wing-Mirror-x2-Convex-Glass-Swivel-Mount-CARBON/290965169051?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D32694%26meid%3D8611ab8240eb4cb8b196fb9878a1b8e9%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D290965168870

Price isn't too bad either ...  

FWIW,

Adam

[Tomiam]

Havent yet fitted the wing mirrors, they are here, but I just havent had the time.

However.. I have replaced the rear view mirror in an attempt to get better rear / side viewing.  My brother in law (disabled from the neck down) does fair bit of solo sailing (yes.. solo.. balls of steel!) and he uses a rear view mirror to keep an eye on the competitors behind him.  Mirror he uses is a Riderscan.  Normally used on motorbikes but apparently very good.   Having seen his, I coughed up the reddies and mine arrived today.
Fitted it but havent driven with it yet.  So far, VERY impressed.  Might as well do away with the side mirrors as it gives a full 180deg view from sides to the back.  Its lightweight, and easily installed with 3M sticky pads which appear to be very strong.
Biggest pain in the arse was getting my old rear view mirror off.  Best way I found is to bend it back as much as you dare and then slide a piece of string behind.  Saw it back n forth to cut through the adhesive pad on the back.  It took me about 10 mins of 'sawing' with bits of string snapping before it was enough to prise it off.   Still.. zero risk of damage to the screen :)

Hope this helps someone as Ive gained a lot of information since joining here and it'd be nice to share something back. :)

Photo above shows how wide the mirror viewing angle is.   The circled area on the mirror is the poster to the left!
 

You can see all of the tops of the side doors in the mirror.  Zero blind spots. :)

[John Vine]

I've just fitted a pair of the CBS mirrors that SM25T recommended in post #6 -- thanks, Ian, for the pointer!  They're sturdily built and promise to be rock-steady.  The faux carbon won't please a purist, I imagine, but from a distance they look OK.

But rather than drill the stanchions in situ, I removed each one in turn completely so that I could use a pillar drill.  Note that the correct bit for an M6 tap is 5.2mm but mine had taken a walk somehere so I used a 5mm.   However, aluminium is soft and the stanchion isn't thick so tapping the undersized hole wasn't a problem -- WD-40 helped to lube drill and tap.

(ETA: 5.2mm is incorrect.  5mm is the right size.)

When the rain stops and the roads dry off, I'll be trying them out....

JV

[SM25T]

Good to hear that John.

[John Vine]

Well, I tried them out today and have to say they're very good indeed -- wide field of view and absolutely shake-free at speed.  The only small problem I encountered was that I couldn't adjust the driver's side mirror out far enough to give the best rear view. (I sit with the seat right back.)   In the end, I filed a small wedge off the mirror housing (plastic) where it abutted the metal stalk.  

JV