Half door mirrors or relocation brackets?

Krissie

New Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
14
Location
New England
Hi Again,

So I bought some new half doors and I'm debating whether to get a set or side mirrors to directly install on each door or get mirror relocation brackets and use the mirrors from my existing full doors and mount them to the windshield frame. I do have a cheap set of mirrors I can use when I take the doors off, although they vibrate at high speeds, but I am usually not on the highway with the doors off, which is kind of why I bought the half doors.
I have read that some of the mirrors labeled "half door" are only to be used when the upper door skins are taken off, otherwise the passenger side mirror isn't visible.
1. What mirrors are you using if you have the door skins on? Or is there any way of extending the passenger mirror to make it more visible?
2. Also, any brand that you recomend? I like the chrome looking ones, but I read some brands, like Smittybuilt, end up chipping and peeling off. I saw a good deal (which worries me) on OMIX-ADA at Quadratec but with only one total review I am skeptical.They do come with a 5-year warranty though. { I won't even consider Rugged Ridge since both products I ever bought by this brand broke during installation. I guess I have Wonder woman strength or something}
3. Are the relocation brackets worth it? Any brands/models better than others?

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
Hi Again,

So I bought some new half doors and I'm debating whether to get a set or side mirrors to directly install on each door or get mirror relocation brackets and use the mirrors from my existing full doors and mount them to the windshield frame. I do have a cheap set of mirrors I can use when I take the doors off, although they vibrate at high speeds, but I am usually not on the highway with the doors off, which is kind of why I bought the half doors.
I have read that some of the mirrors labeled "half door" are only to be used when the upper door skins are taken off, otherwise the passenger side mirror isn't visible.
1. What mirrors are you using if you have the door skins on? Or is there any way of extending the passenger mirror to make it more visible?
2. Also, any brand that you recomend? I like the chrome looking ones, but I read some brands, like Smittybuilt, end up chipping and peeling off. I saw a good deal (which worries me) on OMIX-ADA at Quadratec but with only one total review I am skeptical.They do come with a 5-year warranty though. { I won't even consider Rugged Ridge since both products I ever bought by this brand broke during installation. I guess I have Wonder woman strength or something}
3. Are the relocation brackets worth it? Any brands/models better than others?

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have the relocation brackets for the stock mirrors to be mounted to the a-pillars and you still have the issue with not really being able to see the passenger one well or at all...I also have Bestop Element Doors, which are tube half doors, and I have the mirrors mounted to them when I run them and I can see the passenger one just fine. So if seeing/using the passenger mirror is important to you, then I would mount them to the doors and not the side of the a-pillar. But then again, I don't have door uppers at all so if you have uppers, there may still be interference. Hopefully someone else will chime in who has that combo.
 
I don’t like my relocation brackets.. to much work when switch from one door to other.. fet The extra mirrors
 
I have the windshield relocation brackets and they are great for half doors and no doors (and swapping between), but not so good with full doors. They move the mirrors forward so much so I can only see a quarter of the passenger mirror, and the doors hit them if they swing too far open.

I'm going to get some better mirrors to fit into the bracket.
 
I got rid of those relocation brackets many years ago. They stick out too far, look goofy, easy tree target on tight trails, and the passenger mirror was about worthless with a full door on. I just bought another set for my half doors. Last one I replaced (newer style) was about $18 on Amazon.
 
I’ve got full and half doors for my ‘97 and I move the door mounted mirrors when I change the doors. I got rid of the relocation bracket too. I have an inexpensive set of mirrors if I run without doors. They only take a few minutes to install so changing them over isn’t a big issue.
 
Thanks everyone. Sounds best to just buuy another set of mirrors then.

Anyone ever buy any OMIX-ADA products? Just wondering about their quality.
 
I'm in the same boat as most. Stopped using my relocation brackets. Hard to see out of that passenger mirror. 3 screws on each mirror and you have them off the full door and onto the half door. Or just find a good deal on a second set mirrors for the half doors.
 
These probably aren't technically legal, but they work. I've never had any trouble from the law, but I'm in Chicago, where they might not pay as much attention to such things.
I picked up a pair of wide angle mirrors that mount via suction cup. They are supposed to be for keeping an eye on your baby in the back seat of the car. I suction them near the lower corners of the windshield on each side of the Jeep (on the inside) and they work great. They don't interfere with the doors, and they even serve as a bit of a wide angle mirror with the doors on. I can try to grab a picture today when I leave work.
98900
 
  • Like
Reactions: nathanotis and JMT
These probably aren't technically legal, but they work. I've never had any trouble from the law, but I'm in Chicago, where they might not pay as much attention to such things.

We're lucky in Illinois. By law, we can remove the side mirrors as long as we can see at least 200' behind the vehicle with the rear view mirror.

Depending what part of New England you live in, @Krissie, you might save yourself a few bucks by going without — unless you prefer having them on. I will admit: it took a little time for me to get used to not having them!
 
  • Like
Reactions: -T.
@-T.: you live in my old neck of the woods! I wonder if I’ve seen you on the streets! (y)
Just moved into the suburbs recently, but have been in Chicago in one Jeep or another for many years. I'm the guy driving around with goofy mirrors stuck on his windshield. [emoji6]

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Jeffreybomb and JMT
I’ve got full and half doors for my ‘97 and I move the door mounted mirrors when I change the doors. I got rid of the relocation bracket too. I have an inexpensive set of mirrors if I run without doors. They only take a few minutes to install so changing them over isn’t a big issue.

I also just move the mirrors from my full door to 1/2 doors. Three screws and a couple of minutes. Why bother having another set, when it is minutes.
 
I install CJ mirrors on the windshield frame and remove the ones from the doors, that way I can install and remove whatever I want when I want and still be legal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Willys LJ
I (now) have both sets of doors - the original full doors and a newly painted set of half doors for my '04 Columbia Edition. Being The World's Laziest Man, I bought a 2nd set of factory mirrors and mounted them on my half doors; I also had the locks keyed alike, even that I NEVER lock the doors w/either set since I have a soft top only. I did it so that it's ONE less thing to keep me awake at night thinking about, LOL...
 
  • Like
Reactions: RussTJ
I just ordered a bikini top from Quadratec, which was about $40, and $11 shipping. Being a COB, I looked around to see what else they might have on sale. Lo and behold, they had mirror relocation brackets on clearance for $15. That brings the total up to where shipping is free.
I had CJ type mirrors on the windshield frame, but, as some others observed, they shake. A lot. Also, with the windows on, I can only see about half the passenger side.
The brackets I got are the type that you only use the mirror head, so my plan is to remount the bases back on the doors, and when the doors go on, replace the head into them. It's only one nut per side, so it shouldn't be too much trouble.
 
I just ordered a bikini top from Quadratec, which was about $40, and $11 shipping. Being a COB, I looked around to see what else they might have on sale. Lo and behold, they had mirror relocation brackets on clearance for $15.
I had CJ type mirrors on the windshield frame, but, as some others observed, they shake. A lot. Also, with the windows on, I can only see about half the passenger side.
The brackets I got are the type that you only use the mirror head, so my plan is to remount the bases back on the doors, and when the doors go on, replace the head into them. It's only one nut per side, so it shouldn't be too much trouble.
They should be more stable than anything mounted on your door, and if you use a convex lens, the passenger side works just fine. But to each their own.