Installed Heated/Power Towing Mirrors

[Wiredawg]

Fellow Rammers:

I installed 03 heated/power towing mirrors on my 02. What a PITA, but boy is it worth it. Took about 6 hours to complete. Hardest part is taking the 4 mirrors apart (getting the stupid retaining nuts off) and you guessed it: compressing the spring to put the retaining nuts back on.

I did it so it looks completely factory. I bought the climate control panel w/ the heated mirror switch ($137), the mirror control switch ($43), the mirror control knob ($6.65), and the mirror control retaining nut ($2.27).

The project took me about 6 hours. The hardest part was removing the retaining nuts from the 4 mirrors and you guessed it, the other hardest part was compressing the springs to install the retaining nuts. I forgot I have aircraft safety wire (very strong and very thin) so I went though close hanger wire (way to big). You need the thin wire so you can compress the springs to hold them while you reinstall the retaing nuts. Use a large socket (22 MM, I think) to hammer the retaining nuts back in.

Note: Be careful you don't over compress the springs: I think I did on my drivers side and it doesn't lock quite as strong as my passenger side. It doesn't vibrate at speed, so I may be OK. time will tell.

BTW: I got the power towing mirrors off my wife's 03 truck. She didn't like them and so I put her sport mirrors back on and took her towing mirrors

Bottom line: This is a good upgrade, but I'm not sure I would have done it if I didn't have the 03 mirrors already.

Wiredawg