The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1-1/2 ton mirror arms

I removed the west coast mirrors from my '54 to install single arm mirrors. The arms are 19" long. I was wondering if there was a way to keep these arms from flapping up and down while driving. I really don't want to put a diagonal arm if I can avoid it. Also, since I had to drill holes to install a passenger side mirror bracket from the factory holes inside the cab, is there any additional reinforcement needed to stiffen up the cab where the nuts and washers go?

Task Force trucks have an extra brace that needs to be welded inside the door when adding a right side mirror (don't know it the AD trucks had this or not). The brace has the mounting nuts welded in place so the stress is spread out over a large area. If you don't put a large backer plate in the vibrating mirror will stress the area and crack the metal.

Mike B

you won't get those extended single arm mirrors to stay still without some angle brace bars, that's why the modern west coast style got popular with arms top and bottom and an angle between .... don't worry, just keep yer foot down, even with the vibration you can still see flashing red lights

Bill

If you have not drilled holes yet: I suggest you look for the mounting support brace under the cab/cowl.

When I took my west coast mirrors off to install the long single arm mirrors, I found the braces under the metal had been filed in with "bondo." i popped out the bondo and mounted the single long arms with the braces as it came from the factory. No new holes were needed! I have a 1951 so yours might be a little different. But it s worth looking before drilling...

BTW: I have those long mirror arms inplace for over four years and they have not come loose. Now I did slip once while waxing the top of the cab and nearly broke my neck falling and`catching myself on the drivers mirror arm. I had to readjust that one as it moved.

Can I ask you where you find those singel extended arms??
I have a driver side mirror only, and want to buy new ones that fits the factory brackets.

Mine looks like this:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/.../BpHom4QmkKGrHqEH-DkEuY-t54vGBLqBb9w.jpg

I really want to find another one or two of them including the brackets.

Ebay only ? I have searched everywhere, and find only short arms.

/Ulf

Mine are the 1951 version (AD) so you might be asking about the 1954 version(TF). I got mine from a Stovebolt forum member who had them on a truck in his area(NY) of the country. I posted/asked in the Stovebolt "parts wanted" forum and he got in touch with me.

I do not know if the AD mirror long arms are the same ones used on the TF trucks. Sorry.

54 is still AD.

I went to those holes that you mentioned. I might use bigger washers to see what that does.

Here is a 1954 GM (Chevrolet truck) accessory mirror arm used on large trucks. This style is a telescoping, single arm, with a rectangular mirror. Other styles were available (round mirror and solid arm, etc).

Here are more photos of 1954 mirrors. The drawing shows a light truck with standard arm and standard round mirror, a 1.5 ton truck with standard arm and rectangular mirror, and a COE with telescoping, single arm and a rectangular mirror.

Here is information on several accessory mirrors for 1954/55 (Z series) GMC. They offered accessory mirrors on fixed arms, telescoping arms, and had a brace-arm (as a separate part). And, round or rectangular mirrors were available. I do not see a dual-arm brace but I thought they had that available.

All these mirror combinations (Chevrolet truck and GMC) were accessories. An owner/dealer might have ordered and used any style arm/mirror/brace on any size truck. I'll check my COE cab against my 1/2 ton cab to see if the mirror holes and inner support/strength brackets under the dash allow all size arms on all size trucks (I think they allow this).

Tim: Good info. Thanks

I happen to have a set of those telescoping mirror arms, from a '54 Chevy COE.

Sadly they are not the same as on my 59. Otherwise I would have bought them... I will just have to browse on