Advice please on door mounted mirrors vs windshield mounted (1 Viewer)

[Helipilot]

OK gang...I am at the point of refinishing the doors, all other body work done, and my question to you is the mounting of the mirrors.

My thoughts are to just mount them on the windshield hinge and fill in the holes on the doors before I paint them or insert stainless bolts in the holes on the doors and leave them in place, or pan head screws and paint them when I do the doors. What are your thoughts? And thanks for your thoughts.

The current issue of the TLCA Toyota Trails has a great cover photo of the mirrors mounted on the windshield hinges of a FJ-40 owned by Doug Evans.

 

[skidplate]

My opinion, windshield mount. If you take the doors off you'll still have mirrors.

 

[thebigredrocker]

Do you have aussie mirrors? Mine are on the windshield hinge. When I first mounted them, the bolt that controls the arm's vertical adjustment had a head that was too tall. So I ground it down so the arms could swing back more.

I think 65swb45 of Mark's Offroad has his on his door. I sorta recall him posting some good reasons.

 

[kbahus]

I prefer the look of door mounted mirrors by far, but the windshield mount is a better choice for doors off driving like others have said.

 

[iptman]

You should not fill in the captured nuts in the doors for the mirror arms. Leave them, paint the doors properly and they should not give you any problems. Having both options is better than committing to one.

Fwiw I swap between door mounted and windshield mounted depending on if my top is on or off. It's only 3 bolts.

 

[shelfboy1]

my 69 fst has them on the side above the cowl vent came stock never had a problem with them .i switched to arms from an m211 because they were stronger and bolted right on

 

[1911]

I swap between door mounted and windshield mounted depending on if my top is on or off. It's only 3 bolts.

Me too. Quick Hinges sold by @69LC make this so easy, and they are back in production and selling again BTW.

 

[4x4veteran]

I found this to be a versatile set up. I can extend the mirrors if pulling a trailer or remove them when driving through the jungle.

 

[73fj40lc]

If you never take your doors off then leave them on the doors. If you do like I do and run without doors as much as possible then the windshield is the way to go. The mirrors on the doors are less likely to be hit and don't stick out as far as the mirrors on the windshield does.

As iptman said I wouldn't fill the holes in your doors unless you plan on never using the door mounted mirrors again. It is a nice option to have. You can always use a stainless socket head bolt with a small poly washer to fill the holes. Most people wouldn't even notice.

 

[Tancruiser]

I prefer mounted on the doors I like the stock look . You could always get another set and just mount them on the windshield for when you have the doors off and remove them when you put the doors back on .

 

[Downey]

I like 4X4Veteran's mirror bar idea (Downey use to make them because I use to tow a travel trailer), but when they are extended outward you have to run a bungie strap to prevent mirror vibration. Downey's had chrome plated mirror arms with two large chrome plated wing nuts on each side.

 

[thebigredrocker]

There you go! Shorten the straps!;p

My early [pre-75] door limiters let my doors hit the mirrors too. I stacked some more washers behind the castle nut, pushing the rubber cushion further down the shaft of the limiter to shorten the span of the limiter. Now the door stops 1" before the mirror.

Best

Mark A.

IF you move the mount to the SIDE of the windshield hinge, you not only avoid the issue altogether, but it makes it easier for the arm assembly to hinge backwards to the door opening when it bumps into something, rather than BENDING against the edge of the windshield hinge.

Just my .02

Mark A.

 

[GA Architect]

My opinion, windshield mount. If you take the doors off you'll still have mirrors.

I wish I had left the windshield mounts on mine when I reinstalled the hard top. I really liked these big convex units on my rig....Oh well, I'll be reinstalling them at the first of the year when I install the bikini top for the headliner repair next Summer.

 

[4x4veteran]

I like 4X4Veteran's mirror bar idea (Downey use to make them because I use to tow a travel trailer), but when they are extended outward you have to run a bungie strap to prevent mirror vibration. Downey's had chrome plated mirror arms with two large chrome plated wing nuts on each side.

Notice the clip in the middle of the bar right above the cowl vent. That pretty much solved the vibration problem.

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

I prefer the look of the windshield mounted mirrors... I also like the functionality of the larger euro OEM mirrors. All stock Mr. T parts...

FJ40 EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS (OEM TOYOTA)

And a random stolen photo...

 

[4x4veteran]

I prefer the look of the windshield mounted mirrors... I also like the functionality of the larger euro OEM mirrors. All stock Mr. T parts...

FJ40 EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS (OEM TOYOTA)

And a random stolen photo...

View attachment 1529963

Forgot about the later model bottom mount wipers and motor box. That posses a problem for my suggestion. If that is your case Helipilot then I vote for windshield mount. What part of Ark. are you in? I am in Eureka Springs.

 

[oldschool4wheeling]

I don't mind the door position mirrors, as long as you have the doors on.

When I take off my doors off I need mirrors.

My problem was my Safari Snorkel is in the way to use the windshield hinge location. I also noticed that using the windshield hinge location doesn't allow any give to the mirror arm. In other words notice how the arm will hit the edge of the windshield if it gets hung on something on the trail.

So I mounted my mirror arms on the body,right below the windshield hinge. This location allows my snorkel to fit, the mirror arm has full mobility and it happens to be a factory location.

Windshield location doesn't work with a snorkel.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/20170706_152308-jpg.1491917/

Here are my mirror arms mounted on the body.

1979 FJ40 Old School Overhaul here is my thread.

 

[Helipilot]

Thanks for the replies guys. So,I will leave the factory captured nuts open and plug with a nice SS bolt and nylon washer. I have the windshield mount mirrors so that will be the ticket. Thanks for your time to make the posts and your experience in this issue. I will be posting pics of the build once I get it all organized.