Community Forums

100Akers · 08-23-2015, 08:28 PM

My '96 Allegro has side mounted mirrors. The left side is OK, although a little too far to the side for easy viewing without turning my head. The right side is visible out the side window, and if the passenger is holding a book, map, or dog often gets completely blocked. I've seen a number of newer MH's and buses with forward mounted mirrors, and they seem to make sense to me. I'd view each through the windshield instead of the side window, and thus be in my field of view better with fewer chances of being blocked. I particularly like the high mount, so the mirror itself doesn't block anything important itself. Has anyone made that conversion? Is there a source for a universal mount that would fit my older body? Any other thoughts??

PushedAround · 08-23-2015, 08:35 PM

Having the mirrors out front is nice, but it does take some getting used to. The left side mirror is usually a compromise between seeing down the side of your RV, and not being hidden by the drivers pillar (at least in my coach). The right mirror is easier to set, but too far out and you will be banging it on toll booths (and maybe other things). Don't ask me how I know this. Ramco is a big manufacturer, and I am sure that the larger online RV supply houses have plenty of options.

theroc · 08-23-2015, 10:34 PM

You'll find that the vast majority of commercial buses, including municipal transit buses, have their left mirrors mounted on the side. The right mirror, of course, is almost always forward-mounted hanging down from the top where it is viewed through the top-right corner of windshield.

The reason the left mirror is side-mounted on commercial buses is that the closer the mirror is to your eyes, not only is there more area viewed but the accuracy, clarity, and acuity of the objects viewed "better." So for safety and efficiency, buses most often will have side-mounted left mirrors. Yes, you'll see some school buses and tour buses that have forward-mounted left mirrors but they are usually physically much larger and tend to block vision more often. But just about all city/municipal buses will have side-mounted left mirrors.

I spent some years driving city transit buses and would personally not want the left mirror on my motorhome forward-mounted where I had to view it out the windshield. It would be extremely difficult for me to use a left mirror in that configuration.

I'm sure if you really want to change your mirrors, you could. You'd have to change the arm and its mounting location. I'm not sure if mirror arms would have an actual "universal" mount for a motorhome but they do have mounts that fit many motorhomes and of the transit bus manufacturers such as New Flyer, Gillig, NovaBus, Orion, etc. You may have to find a good body shop to help you choose the arm to use and if it can be mounted in the position you want ...in other words, whether it is structurally possible to mount it in a specific location. They may have to beef up the structure where the mounting location is chosen, for instance ...especially if you wanted it top-mounted with the mirror head hanging down.

Here are some of the mirror manufacturers that municipal transit agencies, commercial bus companies, and motorhome manufacturers use and their websites if you want to take a look through their selections:

Rosco

Lucerix

Hadley

Velvac

Or you could always have a mirror arm custom made to fit your specific application. I'd guess that would be pricey, however.

Duoglide1 · 08-24-2015, 11:50 AM

My coach has both mirror arms swung forward to minimize clearance. Both are viewable thru the windshield, not thru side window. I do not have to turn my head to view either and they are low enough to not block my view. I haven't noticed blind spot issues. Mine are Velvac, have the top hats, and all 3 mirrors in each side are motorized. Good luck.

2007 Monaco Executive 45' 525 ISX

ShapeShifter · 08-24-2015, 01:20 PM

I have the front mounted mirrors, and generally like them. The one issue I see with them is that to use them you look out the part of the windshield that is not swept by the wipers. In inclement weather conditions (like very heavy rain) it makes it hard to see through the mirrors. This gives a slight advantage to the side mirrors, as I don't see the side windows getting as obscured as the front corners.

But 99.9% of the time, I like the front mounted mirrors. I have the low mounted mirrors, and they are not in the way blocking any views. However, they can sometimes be a head-knocker walking by them, and once the DW jammed the roof of a golf cart under the mirror when parking too close (but no permanent damage.)

100Akers · 08-24-2015, 06:13 PM

Thanks to all - great information. In particular, thank you Theroc for the links. I've downloaded their catalogs, now have to go out and figure out exactly how and where to mount, and how long an arm I need. I'm thinking towards a high forward mount on both sides, and leave the existing side mounted mirrors in place. That way I might actually get the best of both.

Ray,IN · 08-24-2015, 08:03 PM

That is the way mine are mounted, but these are much more modern. Roscoe Mirrors When we drove our MH's onto the ocean-going ferry in Canada, those with side-mounted mirrors had to fold them against the side of the MH to get enough clearance. I was told mine were OK as-is, but still had to watch closely when beside another MH with front-mounted mirrors. (we had about 1" between our and their mirrors to pass)

ShapeShifter · 08-24-2015, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

That is the way mine are mounted, but these are much more modern.

I don't know, I just can't get used to those black high mounted mirrors drooping down like that -- they remind of an ant with it's feeler antennae probing around...

srh · 08-24-2015, 08:35 PM

I agree with ShapeShifter (#5) and Duoglide1 (# 4)! My driver side was originally mounted on the outside, but it stuck out 8+ inches beyond the side of the coach. When mounted in front you view it through a part of the windshield that not only doesn't get cleaned by the wiper when it rains it also is harder to clean as it is a curved surface. I did change mine to the front by just re-positioning the mount.

Mac99 · 08-24-2015, 08:45 PM

Well the other issues are that the forward mounted mirrors effectively
make your coach longer, thus making turns more difficult in tight
situations, and they vibrate a lot more, making them a little more
difficult to view. This is not just my impression, but rather the
comments of several professional over the road bus drivers.

theroc · 08-24-2015, 08:56 PM

At the transit agency I worked at, it was always stressed to keep the left mirror head as close to the side of the coach as possible as you'd obviously not want it sticking out any more than necessary ...and of course, as mentioned earlier, it brings it physically closer to your eyes.

There's a reason why almost all transit agencies use a side-mounted left mirror. Even ones that use a top-mounted arm where the mirror is hanging down will mount it in a position where it's viewed from the side window rather than through the windshield. HERE is an example of a small series of coaches in Seattle that have a top-mounted mirror but as you see, it's viewed out the side window. All other coaches in Seattle's KCM fleet have lower and side mounted left mirrors.

100Akers · 08-25-2015, 04:18 AM

Love your yellow MH, Ray,In

!

I've spent a fair amount of time overseas recently (not in my Allegro

), and every OTR bus there has forward mounted drop down mirrors viewed through the windshield. Italy, Indonesia, Greece, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore. Seattle obviously doesn't. I think to a large extent it's a matter of personal preference and what you're used to. And little things like the curvature of the windshield, reach of the wipers, stiffness of the neck, width of peripheral vision, etc. As I said, I'm planning to end up with both so I can see (pun intended) for myself.