How Difficult? Mirror Swap

[FuzzFace2]

They look a lot more "truck-like" than the smaller mirrors. Good job.

Thanks for the info on the LMC hardware as I have not installed my mirrors yet.

Do you think a little oil or grease would have helped any on the install of the nutserts?

Dave ----

[Steve83]

Thanks for the info on the LMC hardware as I have not installed my mirrors yet.

Do you think a little oil or grease would have helped any on the install of the nutserts?

Dave ----

Grease on the threads; not outside. I've installed a bunch, and never used the expensive tool - just a hardened bolt & a flat stay-arm.

[beefman]

The installation part wasn't bad really, drill the hole, clean it up a little bit, then put it in the bolt, loose nut, etc that comes in the package. That part was easy enough so I cinched them up as tight as I could get them with my bear paws and didn't see the need to break out a longer handled ratchet or a power tool - mainly because it completely stopped and there was no more turning that could be done at that point. Maybe I overtightened them? I'm not sure.

I didn't try grease because the bolts made it through the other side of the nutsert, and turned pretty well up until a point. That point for one of them was about 1/4" away from being fully tight against the mount, and another one was maybe 1/16" away from being tight. Words not suitable for public consumption were uttered, but we got through it. In summation, I'm not sure if grease would have helped, but big dummy didn't try that.

Side note, the passenger side has the 2 package nutserts used in the bottom of the mirror mount - I had to redrill and reinsert a nutsert when it broke loose and started spinning. Since the factory upper bolts and screw holes worked I used the old hardware there - so I had 2 extra nutserts and bolts for each side (I considered that a decent win). The driver side both nutserts broke loose before getting tight, and as it was the last side I did, it got the "farm fix" of bolts, lock washers, and nuts on the inside of the door. Yes, I will probably a future time go back and redo the passenger side so they match, but not until I need to remove that antique, brittle door panel for another reason. The pucker factor was high enough when I took off the driver side panel.

[Danny G]

The installation part wasn't bad really, drill the hole, clean it up a little bit, then put it in the bolt, loose nut, etc that comes in the package. That part was easy enough so I cinched them up as tight as I could get them with my bear paws and didn't see the need to break out a longer handled ratchet or a power tool - mainly because it completely stopped and there was no more turning that could be done at that point. Maybe I overtightened them? I'm not sure.

I didn't try grease because the bolts made it through the other side of the nutsert, and turned pretty well up until a point. That point for one of them was about 1/4" away from being fully tight against the mount, and another one was maybe 1/16" away from being tight. Words not suitable for public consumption were uttered, but we got through it. In summation, I'm not sure if grease would have helped, but big dummy didn't try that.

Side note, the passenger side has the 2 package nutserts used in the bottom of the mirror mount - I had to redrill and reinsert a nutsert when it broke loose and started spinning. Since the factory upper bolts and screw holes worked I used the old hardware there - so I had 2 extra nutserts and bolts for each side (I considered that a decent win). The driver side both nutserts broke loose before getting tight, and as it was the last side I did, it got the "farm fix" of bolts, lock washers, and nuts on the inside of the door. Yes, I will probably a future time go back and redo the passenger side so they match, but not until I need to remove that antique, brittle door panel for another reason. The pucker factor was high enough when I took off the driver side panel.

I have two questions, as I have the black mirrors currently and I don't much care for them.

Which set of mirrors did you go with from LMC, and which one is technically correct? I see one is a bubble style rounded back, and the other is squared off with kind of a point.

[salans7]

I have two questions, as I have the black mirrors currently and I don't much care for them.

Which set of mirrors did you go with from LMC, and which one is technically correct? I see one is a bubble style rounded back, and the other is squared off with kind of a point.

Squared off is "correct" for a 1980-1982. 1983 and newer would be the rounded style.

But it really comes down to personal preference.

[Steve83]

...which one is technically correct?

Possibly the ones on the truck, but it's hard to say for sure.

In any case: you get no extra points for having original-style aftermarket mirrors, or even OE mirrors. You'll enjoy the truck more if it has the mirrors that actually WORK best for you. Do you tow? Do you off-road? Do you often find yourself needing to adjust the mirrors as you drive? Do they ice up?

For me, the later power mirrors were best, and they look & work MUCH better than the "correct" ones (which were the dinky car-style that the OP of this thread had). This photo album shows how I installed them, and some useful modifications like turn signals, heat, puddle lamps, off-road lights...:

https://supermotors.net/getfile/70818/thumbnail/p3090022.jpg

[Rembrant]

In any case: you get no extra points for having original-style aftermarket mirrors, or even OE mirrors.

You may not give extra points for era correct mirrors, but I do.

We all have our opinions, but to me the later style mirrors look out of place on a Bullnose.

 

[Danny G]

In any case: you get no extra points for having original-style aftermarket mirrors, or even OE mirrors.

You may not give extra points for era correct mirrors, but I do.

We all have our opinions, but to me the later style mirrors look out of place on a Bullnose.

Power mirrors are a pretty sweet and convenient piece of hardware I Amy consider. I do love the old metal mirrors though. I did not like the sport mirrors.

[Steve83]

...the later style mirrors look out of place on a Bullnose.

It's the same door. If you were only looking at the side, and couldn't see the wheel arches or beyond, you'd have a hard time distinguishing a bullnose with the '92-96 mirror from a stock '92-96 truck. To me, it looks perfectly natural, and a LOT more usable.

[Rembrant]

...the later style mirrors look out of place on a Bullnose.

It's the same door. If you were only looking at the side, and couldn't see the wheel arches or beyond, you'd have a hard time distinguishing a bullnose with the '92-96 mirror from a stock '92-96 truck. To me, it looks perfectly natural, and a LOT more usable.

We all have our own tastes and opinions, and that in itself is a good thing. Otherwise we'd all be driving the exact same trucks.

I wouldn't say that somebody "gets no points" for wanting period correct parts, it's just a personal preference. Sometimes form is preferred over function.

Having said that, I'm certainly not against upgrades and improvements. To me a 5spd manual is a good example.

I also took your advice Steve and installed a later model plastic brake master cylinder, and I couldn't be happier with it. That in my mind is a worthwhile upgrade.

But back to the mirrors...

I don't really have much preference between the small Type-5 mirrors and the more traditional Type-9 mirrors. My truck has the smaller Type-5's on it, and they are most definitely the least functional of all options, but I still like them. If my truck had had the larger Type-9 mirrors on it, I would have left it that way.

I have a mild curiosity about the Type-14 paddle style mirrors. I really like them, but they seem to be to be so rare on a Bullnose they seem out of place to me. I may order a set sometime and give them a try and see if I like the look of them. I have a couple pics saved of these mirrors installed, but they seem to be fairly uncommon on the Bullnose trucks...