New to towing, and truck shopping. While I'm sure towing mirrors would be beneficial overall, I'm really wondering if they're truly necessary for my situation. Harder to find used trucks equipped with tow mirrors, but also I must have power folding function to fit in my garage.
So my question for the gurus here is: Is my thinking and my math correct on the following?
The enclosed cargo trailer I'm looking at has exterior width of 8' 0" (96"). Likely looking at a overall length of 15' max (I don't know if that includes tongue length)
5th gen ram width appears to be 82.1" without mirrors (6' 10") and with the standard mirrors in their extended position (hard to find exact specs, but saw on forum 96" mirror-to-mirror... may have to measure a truck) the width is 96" (8' 0").
So, if the mirror dimensions I found are correct, the mirrors will be exactly the same width as the trailer I'm looking to pull. So the question comes... do I NEED the towing mirrors?
I realize they don't really extend past the side of the trailer at all. But what about about adjusting the mirror angle outwards? So not looking right down the side of the trailer, but so that you can see more to the sides of the trailer without having the sides of the trailer in view? Seems that would work for changing lanes, but will I have issues backing the trailer? Do the little convex mirrors help me at all?
What if you consider the Blind Spot system that can take the trailer into account? Again, this only helps me for lane changes, right? Does nothing for backing the trailer?
And lastly, does there even exist a rearview TRAILER camera on the ram? So that I can attach a camera to the back of the trailer and have a constant display on the UConnect screen? Or (if Ram offers it) the new interior rearview mirrors where you flip the dimmer lever and it gives you a camera view rather than just a reflection? But it will show me the camera behind the trailer? Or does something like the 360 degree camera package give you the ability to attach a camera to the back of the trailer?
I'd hoped that the standard mirrors would be wide enough but I suspect that with standard mirrors exactly equal to trailer width, they're probably not sufficient? Or possibly sufficient if adjusted properly for lane changes but zero ability to see behind the trailer when backing?
Depending on the answers, I guess I have some more limitation to my truck search. Or maybe there is a way if you have power folding standard mirrors, I could retrofit the power folding towing mirrors?
So my question for the gurus here is: Is my thinking and my math correct on the following?
The enclosed cargo trailer I'm looking at has exterior width of 8' 0" (96"). Likely looking at a overall length of 15' max (I don't know if that includes tongue length)
5th gen ram width appears to be 82.1" without mirrors (6' 10") and with the standard mirrors in their extended position (hard to find exact specs, but saw on forum 96" mirror-to-mirror... may have to measure a truck) the width is 96" (8' 0").
So, if the mirror dimensions I found are correct, the mirrors will be exactly the same width as the trailer I'm looking to pull. So the question comes... do I NEED the towing mirrors?
I realize they don't really extend past the side of the trailer at all. But what about about adjusting the mirror angle outwards? So not looking right down the side of the trailer, but so that you can see more to the sides of the trailer without having the sides of the trailer in view? Seems that would work for changing lanes, but will I have issues backing the trailer? Do the little convex mirrors help me at all?
What if you consider the Blind Spot system that can take the trailer into account? Again, this only helps me for lane changes, right? Does nothing for backing the trailer?
And lastly, does there even exist a rearview TRAILER camera on the ram? So that I can attach a camera to the back of the trailer and have a constant display on the UConnect screen? Or (if Ram offers it) the new interior rearview mirrors where you flip the dimmer lever and it gives you a camera view rather than just a reflection? But it will show me the camera behind the trailer? Or does something like the 360 degree camera package give you the ability to attach a camera to the back of the trailer?
I'd hoped that the standard mirrors would be wide enough but I suspect that with standard mirrors exactly equal to trailer width, they're probably not sufficient? Or possibly sufficient if adjusted properly for lane changes but zero ability to see behind the trailer when backing?
Depending on the answers, I guess I have some more limitation to my truck search. Or maybe there is a way if you have power folding standard mirrors, I could retrofit the power folding towing mirrors?